Chickens are super cool birds, and they are so funny to watch. Plus the lay delicious eggs and nothing beats a farm-fresh egg (at least in my opinion!) They are very unique birds, and come in all sorts of fun colors and sizes. Each and every bird has their own special personality that make your life so much more entertaining. So why would you want or need chickens? I think that it will be pretty easy to convince you.
The lay the best tasting eggs ever!
If you have never tasted home-raised eggs then you don’t know what you are missing out on. There is so much more flavor than store bought that there is no comparison. Fresh eggs are also much more healthy and nutritious then eggs from the store, and the best part is that you know how the chickens are treated and what they are fed! If you still have to buy eggs before your hens are laying you will want to buy free-range if possible. I explain why in this post here.
They are amazing entertainment!
If you are ever bored all you have to do is go outside and watch your flock. The way they scratch around and chase each other is so fun to watch. When one of them gets a treat they all think that they should have that exact same one. I don’t think anyone could ever get bored watching them chase each other and scratch around. Let me know in the comments if anyone else likes to watch their chickens or if it is just me!
They don’t take up much space!
Now of course the more space you have the happier your flock will be. A general rule of thumb is 2-3 square feet per bird, but this can depend on if you are getting White Leghorns or a bigger breed like Buff Orpingtons. In the coop if you can get 1 foot per bird with the roost bar it could solve a lot of issues but when we lived in the city we did not have enough space for that. We just worked with what we had so do what you think is best for you and your flock.
They are super easy to care for!
Chickens are one of the easiest animals to care for (especially if you use the deep litter method!.) All you really have to do is provide food, clean water, a coop, and a couple extra things. You can even get an automatic door to let them out each morning and close them in at night. Doesn’t that seem pretty easy? I know that anyone looking for something to do would really enjoy getting chickens. Plus it can help you to spend more time outside!
They provide free manure!
Of course as with every animal they have manure but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be wasted. You can you use their manure for compost! It is very good to use because it provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium even more than a horse or cow! Just don’t put it straight on plants make sure that it has been composted for 6-9 months otherwise it will be to harsh for your plants to handle.
Have I convinced you yet? Be sure to let me know in the comments if you have any other ideas of why everyone needs chickens on the homestead or even in the city!
The 1912 Homestead 