My social flock, hoping for treats
With a cluck, cluck here, and a cluck, cluck there…
Raising backyard chickens is on a steady rise with no signs of slowing, and I completely understand why! In my opinion, raising hens is one of the simplest and most enjoyable ways we can plug back into our food system.
I got my first chickens almost 20 years ago, and I’ve been lucky enough to raise chickens (roosters too) in a few different situations; a farm in Sweden, a home with a few acres of woods surrounding it, and now in my fenced in suburban backyard. Each situation has given me and the chickens unique freedoms and challenges.
Part of my old flock from Sweden
Chickens require only a few minutes of care a day, but it is DAILY care, and they’ll be more like pets the more you hang out with them. There will be a LOT of poop, and some amazing eggs. The continual chicken antics are an added bonus.
There are so many obvious benefits to raising hens
*Convert Table scraps into eggs
*Break the disease and pest cycle in gardens/fruit trees
*Till your garden space for you
*Add to compost piles and work them for you
*Fertilize plants once manure is aged
The other intangibles include teaching your children, and/or yourself some basics about where our food comes from, feeling like you can make a difference in the food chain, and companionship. Our hens make our whole yard more enjoyable, and we all spend more time outside because of them. And yes, even on those dark, sub-zero winter mornings, I’m always glad I got outside for a few minutes.
Think you’re ready to pull on your muck boots and join me in the coop? I can’t wait to welcome you to our flock, but first there are a few things to consider.
Are Chickens Allowed?
Our two Black Australorp as babies
