Keeping Chickens At Home

Keeping Chickens - In Your Garden

Want a pet that actually gives something 'back' in eggs, manure for your compost heap, and affection?

And with a chucks population of more than 24 billion in 2003, (according to some sources) there are now more chucks in the world than any other bird.

Man has historically primarily as a source of food, with both their meat and their eggs being eaten.

There has been a recent 'peak' of interest in keeping chickens, caused by celebrity chefs campaigning the awful conditions of battery reared chucks, increased cost at the shops and the reported credit crunch.

The thought of having chucks in your back garden and the thought of having organic eggs from your own chucks, no longer singles you out or causes as many 'home farm' type comments as it did in the past, of you 'being a 21st century Tom & Barbara Good' - from the 1970s sitcom television series!

In fact there's something 'modern' in these days of throw away cultures in coming back to a more 'self sufficient' lifestyle.

Lots of people are growing their own veggies - either in their gardens or on allotments. Lots of people are getting concerned about what the food they eat actually contains and the buy organic movement seems to be gaining ground every year - forcing supermarkets to provide a more larger range of organic produce.

Keeping chickens seems to be just a normal progression on this cultural shift.

Folk seem more and more used to knowing friends and neighbours who keep chickens.

And the incentive of a 'free home laid egg as part of the bargain, you'll probably get unlimited offerstake over your chicken keeping duties should you ever have to go on holiday.

Also when you've seen the bright yellow yolk and eaten on the amazing different texture of the egg white, of one of your own back garden chickens' eggs you'll never be content with anything shop bought egg again.

When in the frying pan, your eggs you'll notice the difference too.

Eggs from your own chickens hold together better than eggs bought in a store as they're guaranteed fresh.

There's also the plus point that keeping chickens bring a whole new element to your back yard - movement, sound and colour. Forget adding a water feature, keeping chickens brings so much more!

Each chuck is an individual and some can be real 'characters' and, if handled whilst they're young, they can be interesting pets for children.

Chicken keeping does have it's own disciplines though, and there will be a element of cleaning out the chicken house and obviously, letting the chickens in and out of their chicken run at first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

There's also the 'chore' of looking for eggs. This should be done several times per day - just in case your chickens are afternoon 'layers'.

Another thing you need to watch out for when keeping chickens; is 'chicken watching'...

Many hours can be happily wasted watching your chickens scratch around the back yard. If you're the kind of person who looks at mesmorising fires, you'll find chicken watching is addictive!

Keeping chickens is a financially scaleable hobby. If money is no object, then there's many fancy looking ready made chicken homes that can be purchased from numerous chicken keeping outlets.

If finance is subject to budget restraints, then a home made hen house can be built for virtually 'free', using spare of wood found discarded in your loft.

A chicken coop just needs to be big enough for the chickens to nest in at night, and big enough to stretch their legs in during the day.

Also somewhere for them to scratch during the day time should be provided.

So whether you're looking to build a chicken house, or buy a purpose built chicken run or are just wanting to find out more about keeping chickens as a hobby; a host of chicken keeping discovery awaits.

Article Source: http://www.mycontentbuilder.com

www.keeping-chickens.co.uk

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