For the aspiring farmer or self-sufficiency enthusiast, growing vegetables is great. But wonderful as crops are, many people with a bit of land, even in towns and cities, think from time to time about raising their own livestock. Chickens are often considered the ideal candidates – they’re small, affordable and easily kept and provide an ongoing supply of eggs.
While it’s true you will never economically be better off keeping your own chickens than simply buying from the supermarket if you’re after eggs and meat, there’s plenty of reasons not to let that stop you:
Money Isn’t Everything.
While a lot of dialogue in self-sufficiency and sustainable living does talk about cost benefit, the truth is that these ways of living generally require more from us in effort and finance than the usual way of doing things. Investing in sturdy, reliable tools for gardening for example may be cheaper in the long run, but in the short term will be far more expensive than buying cheap disposable ones.
In the same way, while you may eventually benefit from free eggs from your chickens, it won’t be without a significant upfront investment in chickens, feed as well as a space to keep them in.
It’s Ethical
Despite the labeling of free-range, many commercial chickens continue to be raised and farmed in dire conditions. To be considered free-range for example, a farm need only provide it’s chickens with access to an outdoor run, but there is no actual requirement for the chickens to go outside. The problem being that weaker birds may struggle to get outside, particularly when stronger ones begin to guard the exits and regard the exits their territory.
While there are many multitudes of wonderful free range farms where hens can have productive and happy lives, it really does come down to the old question of knowing where you food comes from. And the answer to that is quite easy when you can see it scurrying around the garden looking for bugs.
Many, Many Eggs
With some commercial varieties being able to lay up to 300 eggs in a single year, you’ll never be caught short when you want to make an omelette. And if you can’t eat them all, you can certainly make a bit of money on the side selling the excess. Take note though of regulations in your area for the sale of such things – in the UK for instance, special rules apply if you keep a flock of 50 or more birds.
It’s fun!
Raising and keeping a flock of chickens is a practical endeavour that gives you both satisfaction and enjoyment. Chickens can provide plenty of amusement with their antics and keeping them is a worthy endeavour that will keep you engaged in a productive activity.
Getting the Right Advice and Knowledge – A Poultry Course
Taking a course in poultry from ADL is the ideal accompaniment for new and aspiring chicken keepers. You’ll find all the information you need to successfully keep a small flock from health care to breeding to protecting against predators and parasites. Whether you want to keep chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys Poultry from ADL is the ideal start for your chicken keeping career. Find out more about our Poultry Course
