So why keep Chickens? Food - Eggs and whilst we are not going to address this at this stage - meat. Chickens are also easy and very inexpensive to keep and they make great pets.
You'll have a continuous supply of fresh, great tasting eggs that are so much healthier than those bought from a store.
The nutritional content of you average large store bought egg contains 71 calories, of that the egg white contains on average 17 calories, 5 grams of fat contained in the yolk (the white contains 0 grams of fat), 211 milligrams of Cholesterol contained only in the yolk, 6 grams total of protein 4 of which are contained in the white and 70 milligrams of sodium 55 which found in the white. No carbohydrates.
A fresh egg from your backyard contains 1/3 less cholesterol, 2/3 more vitamin A, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2 times more omega 3 fatty acids, 3 times the amount of vitamin E and 7 times more beta carotene than that of a store bought egg.
There are plenty of bonuses to keeping Chickens including a natural elimination of pests and weeds from your yard gobbling up snails, slugs, crickets and grasshoppers. Its quite funny seeing a chook running around chasing a fly. They love nothing more than picking and digging at weeds and what to do with the chicken poo? Well chicken poo is an economical, safe and free fertiliser that is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which can be used on your gardens and lawn.
Having owned chickens on and off my whole life I have experienced an animal that makes a great pet that are affectionate, entertaining, easy to care for and give us yummy nutritious eggs. That's a pretty good deal.
What to Feed Your Chickens
If you haven't experienced owning chickens before you'll be pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive and varied a chickens dinner is.
Now you have something that will eat all of your scraps, just ensure that they are still fit for human consumption so no rot, mould etc. There really isn't a lot of need for commercial chicken feeds however you can purchase commercial feeds from produce stores including chick raising and layer feeds as a treat or when it's cold. Just try to stick to the natural feeds that consist of cracked corn and grains. Chickens will eat (like humans they will have their favourites and dislikes) but foods including apples, bananas (no peel), berries, asparagus, beans (cooked only), beets, bread, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots, cereals (not the sugary stuff), cheese, cooked chicken (just doesn't sound right, does it?), corn, cucumber, eggs (avoid raw or they could start eating their own eggs), egg plant, fish/seafood (cooked only), flowers (marigolds will give a brightly coloured yolk, ensure plants have not be sprayed with any chemicals), grains, grapes, lettuce, meal worms, meat scraps, oatmeal, pasta, peas, capsicum, potatoes, sultanas, raisins, rice (cooked only), a chicken scratch (cracked corn and grains as a treat), yellow squash, zucchini, sunflower seeds (a nice treat that assists with egg laying and healthy plumage), tomatoes, watermelon, yoghurt (any) and peanuts.
How Many Chickens Should You Keep?
To work out how many chickens you should have depends on how many eggs you will require and of course always check with your local council before purchasing any number of chickens.
Depending on the breed a hen (a chicken that is 12 months old or has started laying - usually around 20 weeks of age) can lay every day, every other day or once or twice a week up until she reaches 2 years of age when they start to slow egg production, however some hens may lay for several years.
Maybe you have a large network of friends, family and work colleagues and you could even sell some eggs for a little extra pocket money. I found that by selling some eggs I was able to cover the costs of keeping the chickens.
Healthy Chickens
Keeping your chickens healthy is very basic. Keep their coop clean, regularly wash feeders and waterers, always ensure their is clean fresh water, store feed safely and securely so rats, mice, bugs and water can't get in and Worm your chickens.
Housing Your Chickens
Depending on how much space you have there are few ways to house your new pets. You can purchase small coops that you can move around, large fixed structures, you could even build one yourself. A few things to consider are how many chickens will need to be housed? How much space do you have? And ensure the health, safety and happiness of your ladies includes good ventilation, protection from weather and predators, it's nice and cosy and has some laying boxes. I have found my chickens have always loved to perch up high.
Bec x
Thanks for such great detail on keeping the humble chook! We've been thinking about it on and off for a while, and whilst well aware a home grown egg must be better for you, didn't realise exactly HOW much better they are!
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