Living Like a Pioneer: Why Raise Chickens?
Why Get Chickens?
They provide food.
-Every twenty five hours a chicken lays an egg. With three chickens I get about eighteen eggs a week, plenty to feed a family. These eggs are not just grocery store eggs either. They are fresh (You don’t have to worry about eating eggs that have been in factories and then onto trucks which take them to your grocery store. These are not the freshest.), nutritious (You know what you feed your chickens and you know that they are not being fed chemicals. Remember, what you feed your chickens is going to show up in your eggs!), strong (ever noticed how the yolks and shells of fresh eggs are so much stronger? None of those chemicals on the shell to keep the eggs “fresh”!) and humane (You know that your chickens have laid these eggs in a humane environment. In fact, you are the one who lovingly cares for them!). Also as a bonus, eggs are full of protein!
They provide education.
-Raising chickens are great for kids and young people. The experience teaches you about responsibility in caring for animals and shows you the process of where food comes from and how it is produced. You can learn about hatching, incubation and care for baby animals. It is also very fun to watch the chicks grow from tiny little babies to grown chickens who are producing your breakfast!
They provide entertainment.
-Chickens can be pretty funny and each one has their own personality. You can feed them treats and when you bring their food to them they just flock to you! Also, it is fun to collect eggs, it is like an Easter egg hunt but everyday!
They provide help around the homestead.
-Chickens can provide some practical help for you in ways other than eggs! First of all, they eat your scraps which would otherwise go in the garbage and landfills. They also eat your bugs and keep that bug population low. And thirdly, chicken manure is great for your garden and yard as a fertilizer. So collect that manure and put it on your garden to produce that rich soil that is excellent for growing things!
Hope you enjoyed my four reasons why you should raise chickens!
Look for a post on how you actually raise chickens…. (There is your sneak preview)
Priscilla the farm girl
You make some great arguments. #3 is probably my favorite, though the least important. 🙂 If our neighborhood let us have chickens, we would have them!