Raising poultry has long been a task associated with pastoral settings and wide open spaces. However, many urban city dwellers have opted to ruffle some feathers right in their own backyards, and the resident canines are having to move over to make room for the ladies. The movement for backyard flocks has definitely gone from folksy to chic..
Having four chickens myself in my inner city backyard, I can see why! Apart from laying the tastiest eggs you’ve ever eaten, they are ridiculously cute – each baring their own little unique personality.
These feathery friends have real merits that go beyond producing ordinary eggs
These eggs are super fresh, beautifully coloured (inside & out), highly nutritious and delivered daily! Feed them only organic feed and keep a pesticide free yard for them, and you have nutrient rich organic eggs high in omega 3’s and Vitamin E (essential nutrients most store bought eggs lack).
Move over Rover let Ms. Hen strut over
Chickens make great pets for the entire family. They provide an excellent opportunity for children to learn about pet responsibility and nurturing, combined with sustainable living practices. Plus, each chicken has a distinctive personality which will win you over.
Going green in the garden
No more pesticides, dumped leftovers and food scraps, or costly fertilizers. Your backyard chickens love to range freely and eat all the nasty garden pests so you don't need to use poisonous pesticides. They also eat almost everything we do, therefore most food scraps and leftovers can be fed to them. This reduces the amount of food waste going into our landfills, which in turn has a multitude of eco friendly benefits. Equally as important, all this eating leads to nitrogen rich compost 'black gold', a fertilizer that's the envy of all your gardening friends (my grass has never looked so good!). However, as I learnt the hard way chickens may devourer your (entire) vegetable garden; it is important to be mindful as to where you let them range.
Having backyard chickens is incredibly fun and rewarding for the entire family. Researching and understanding the full scope of what's involved will lead to an even more enjoyable experience for all. Chickens come in a wide variety of colours and sizes as do the houses they live in. Have fun with selecting what's best for your needs.
When I was growing up, we all had chickens in our backyards - so it's great to see this trend coming back. And once you've experienced freshly laid eggs, it's hard to stomach store bought varieties.
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