If you have decided to raise chickens or are currently keeping some in your backyard, familiarizing yourself about its benefits can be very rewarding. You might have your own ideas already, but it shouldn’t hurt to expand your knowledge on the pros of raising chickens at home. After all, an advantage can only be one if you recognize it for what it is.
The following are the benefits one can have when raising chickens at home:
Home-Kept Eggs Are Healthier. Scientific evidence suggests that battery eggs contain a higher amount of salmonella, and thus, can be very harmful to us through prolonged intake. There’s a consensus among chicken owners that the eggs their flocks produce is safer since they have full control of their poultry’s diet intake. Raising your own chickens ensures that your flock is getting a balanced intake of proper nutrients and vitamins paramount to producing eggs safe for human consumption.
You Can Save More Money From Home Produced Eggs. Having three or more chickens that constantly produce eggs saves you the trouble of buying eggs at your local supermarket. A normal hen could lay an average of 300 eggs a year, provided that they are getting the proper nourishment. Increasing the amount of hens can also provide more returns, provided that you are buying poultry and chicken feed at a cheaper price.
The Waste Products Of Your Chickens Can Be Utilized As Fertilizers. It has always been noted in many sources that chicken waste is one of the best fertilizers around for its high amount of nutrients and nitrogen, which can help your garden produce vegetables at a faster rate. And the fact that they’re organic makes your crops free from harmful chemicals. It’s also a plus that your chickens feed on bugs and insects that incessantly wreak havoc on your crops.
Chickens Make Good Pets. The hens, especially the “bantam” types, are docile in nature, not to mention that they are total beauts! Many types of breeds are beautiful in appearance, most notably Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, Orpingtons and Cochins. You can always go to the internet for photographs of certain breeds to decide better which breeds are to your liking. A chicken’s plumage has an overwhelming variety of colors, and I guarantee that you’ll be having a blast just by sorting through them. Chickens, while not as smart as dogs, can be very playful and friendly. If trained real well, some of them can eventually pull off some tricks, and you might use them to impress your friends as they ogle over the beauty and magnificence of your chickens.
There are still a plethora of benefits, and you can discover some of them on your own. Having the initiative to learn more and taking a humane approach to raising chickens can pave the way to maximizing these benefits, and both you and your avian family will be happier for it.