Visit Sundaze Farm to meet our Nigerian Dwarf and LaMancha dairy goats, These goobers are super helpful cleaning up fallen. Kids’ sandbox or play house? Chickens can live 8-12 years, so that means a lot of years that you’ll be putting expensive chicken feed into an animal that may only lay a handful of eggs per month. Another quick tip: best to stick with strictly hens if you’re going to be asking strangers to tend to your chickens frequently while you are away. Need I say more? As with any other animal, however, chickens require a lot of work and loving attention—definitely more than your common dog or house cat. Backyard chickens are to blame for yet another outbreak of salmonella. The Imperfectly Happy Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Plan on doing a deeper-cleaning of the coop about weekly, depending on how many birds you have and the size of your coop. Check out Secret Backyard Chickens – How to Keep a Stealth Coop. But I do, wholeheartedly, believe in raising chickens for meat if you have the space. After all, there’s a certain appeal to a pet that provides breakfast daily. Yup–you guessed it–POOP! Your Kids Will Never, Ever Leave Your House. They can also get egg bound (have a stuck egg) or just up and die, like our friend’s chicken, Mr. Fluffy Pants did. There really is no such thing as a free lunch. Fresh Eggs. Required fields are marked *. One of the worst parts about chicken keeping is that after about 2 to 3 years of age, a chicken’s egg production will drop dramatically. The most stressful part of having chickens is staying on top of predator issues. This is stressful for the birds, and often times one playful bite or pounce from a larger dog will injure them to the point that they can’t recover. Chicken manure is considered a hot manure, which means it has to be composted before you can put it on plants. Chickens aren’t silent, even the hens make noise during egg laying. There’s about a 5 percent chance that your hen will turn out to be a rooster. The fact is that these birds are irreparably harmed by the selective breeding that has forced them to lay an unnatural and unhealthy number of eggs — between 250 to 300 a year — resulting in a host of painful and life-threatening reproductive diseases and premature death. my porch several times a day when they are free ranging. Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details. I don’t think an acre is a backyard. (Now duck manure–THAT is horrid! Food My family and I live on a little red farmstead in northwestern Pennsylvania where we raise dairy goats and poultry. I debated on whether to put this in the “good” or “ugly” category, but ultimately settled on somewhere in the middle because I think its accurate to call it both good AND bad. You’ll need maybe 15 to 20 minutes each morning and evening to care for your hens. Infection may occur when you're handling live poultry, too, when you are cleaning out your coop area," said Davison, who gets calls everyday from backyard bird … You won’t be able to just go out of town; and finding a chicken-sitter can be challenging. … in fact, it’s pretty likely that they won’t get along, honestly. My beautiful Luna-Belle posed for some glamour sho, Thawing 15 pounds of ground beef. This means ideally, you’ll need a small area in your yard for a compost pile. Backyard chickens are good for everyone and everything involved: your family, your land, the chickens, and the health of your spirit and your body. There are food snobs, wine snobs, shoe snobs, but those of us who keep chickens are in a... 3. Vulnerable creatures: Chickens can easily be killed by predators. If you’re a traveller, best to ask friends or neighbors about chicken-sitting before you commit to getting a flock. Your email address will not be published. That is the biggest problem I see with most of the backyard chicken ordinances; they treat the chickens as pets. You Have to Gather Eggs Daily. Below are a selection of books I've found extremely helpful on our homesteading journey. But while keeping chickens may seem quaint, it’s a bit more complicated than you might think. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. But if you need a little convincing, here are 10 reasons to keep backyard chickens (townies included!) One of the biggest appeals of raising and tending backyard chickens is the fresh eggs right outside your door. In the morning you’ll let them out of their coop, give them fresh water, feed them, and collect any eggs that might have been laid early in the morning. March 16, 2016 by Tiffany Davis 2 Comments. Going to make la, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, Trying out some hydroponics for a little home scie, Today’s project: Sourdough Crackers using discar, Phoebe’s little girl is an absolute heartbreaker, Getting Started with Chickens: Picking Your Chicks, Meat Chicks Moved to the Great Outdoors (a 3.5-Week Update). Chickens are also extremely entertaining. With growing interest in keeping backyard chickens, there are plenty of advocates to extol the benefits of having a home flock.No one really mentions the negatives of keeping chickens, yet there are many challenges. The ‘Ewww’ Factor. If you’ve been thinking about getting chicks this year, here are 5 reasons why you should raise backyard chickens. Help Preserve Genetic Diversity. More nutritious eggs – chickens that eat bugs, greens and live a healthy humane life produce healthier eggs for us.  You’ll need to take measures to keep them out! Most of us backyard farmers don’t have the space to keep hens they aren’t laying regularly; that means you’ll need to butcher them or give them to someone who will. It’s easy to see why keeping backyard chickens is becoming more popular, and here are our top reasons why you should start your own backyard chicken flock: Fresh Eggs . Roosters. Brown seaweeds are particularly effective at amplifying the golden hue of chicken eggs. For others, backyard chickens are livestock, and as such, they have to be productive to be useful, otherwise they become a liability. Free range chickens poop….everywhere.  Their coops, yards, roosts and nests need regular cleaning for your chicken’s health and to avoid the above pests. For some people this is no bother at all, and they’re happy to allow their hens to live out their natural lives as pets, whether they are productive or not. Fun – chickens are fun. Secret Backyard Chickens – How to Keep a Stealth Coop, www.cafemedia.com/publisher-advertising-privacy-policy. While it’s easier to find someone willing to feed and water hens, when an ornery rooster is involved, much fewer people will volunteer! But they really aren’t anything new; people have been keeping chickens in their backyards for as long as we’ve had backyards. I recommend you read all you can, talk to experienced backyard chicken folk and then decide if your family is ready to raise them. Chickens pecking at the feathers of other hens in their flock can lead to serious health problems if the habit isn’t stopped. In this case, you might  make the decision to cull the bird and use it for a stew hen. The park? Chickens can get lice and mites, not to mention intestinal worms and other icky parasites. They’ll be happy to scratch and peck out your compost pile – very beneficial for breaking it down. But this can be avoided with secure food like. They are not dogs and will poop places you’d really rather they didn’t. They are dirty, smelly, and the manure is a nightmare to deal with.” I think this is a huge exaggeration. Hawks, raccoons, cats or a giant slug can freak out chickens. Especially … I clean poop off. For all you people singing the praises of backyard chickens, let me give you a perspective of someone who hates my neighbor’s chickens! I don’t want to talk you out of getting your own small backyard flock, because I love having mine. But are backyard chickens right for you? You’ll fully understand where the phrase “Quit acting like a big chicken” came from! Some of the exceptions for what not to feed your chickens are obvious. Garden helpers – after you harvest your garden, let your chickens in there to dig out bugs, weeds, slugs, etc. They need to be cleaned up after and often. Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. Somehow we got away from that after the 2nd world war, but they are making a come back! I recently shared a post on the @littleredfarmstead Instagram feed and asked my followers what they’d like to read about here on the blog. You won’t find all those colors at your big box grocery store! Notice how how the garden barrier is next to my daughter – because the hens kept getting in there (yes their wings were clipped). Chickens are relatively easy keepers, especially if you have a small flock. Chickens can live 8-12 years, so that means a lot of years that you’ll be putting expensive chicken feed into an … There are a … This is our fave chicken feed. They don’t lay forever – so you’ll have to make a choice when your layers aren’t laying. Whether you have a small or large backyard flock your egg-laying hens are on fire after winter ends. It is generally difficult for a true “backyard” homesteader to have the room to raise meat birds; at least in my experience. At dusk, you’ll want to lock up your flock safely from predators, collect eggs, and refresh their water. And if you’re lucky enough to have a 200-year-old house with bright red clapboard siding, you better believe chickens will enjoy the heck out of pecking and chipping away at the wood boards along the bottom of the house, and making a giant mess out of that too! Filed Under: Backyard Homestead, Backyard Livestock, Chickens. They’ll teach your kids a whole new level of responsibility. And those wild birds carry diseases that can hurt your birds (like lice). If you are able to allow your chickens time out in your backyard every single day, then you will notice a huge decrease in the number of pests that you have. Backyard chickens have always been a popular subject here on TreeHugge. Also even if you do free-range your birds they'll need a good layer feed. Our little flock isn’t much extra bother to care for, and I enjoy the fresh eggs and the entertainment of seeing them wander around the farm. With the rise in the price of eggs, this reason alone could be enough to convince many people that backyard chickens are the perfect pet. If you have some extra space, here’s why you should invite some chickens into your backyard. Your email address will not be published. Sure you’ll see the pictures of sweet little hens, with fluffy butts, enjoying an afternoon on green grass…easy to want that picturesque scene in your own yard. Amanda lives with her family on a little red farmstead in northwestern Pennsylvania. By day she's a web developer specializing in WordPress and in her off time she enjoys working with goats and other livestock on the farm, canning, knitting, and crocheting. Scratched up. Though the quality is already great, you can boost the appearance of egg yolk by including the right amount of brown seaweed in their feed. Same with your vegetable garden. But even backyard chickens have an environmental footprint. They can attracts pests – flies, rodents & roaches. Of course, the eggs! Although, with the right know-how and a can-do attitude, one can raise and utilize backyard chickens quite successfully. They aren’t always legal – so you could get turned in by your neighbors and lose your flock. But I think the term backyard has been widely overused. Ginger working one of my empty raised beds. Since everyone kept them, everyone knew about them: what they ate, when to expect eggs, what made them sick. Fresh eggs! The not-so fun part of cleaning the coop is, well, what to DO with all that poop? Only you can weigh out the pros and cons, but for our family, I say YES! )  Chickens are somewhat messy, but not terrible. If you want to go on vacation, you may struggle to find someone to babysit your chickens. Access to the freshest eggs Eggs have gotten a bad rep based on cholesterol-related research conducted in the past few decades. Compost Material – chicken manure is a great addition to your compost piles. As I mentioned, chickens aren’t hard to care for, but some people are hesitant to help out simply because they are a foreign critter for most people who are more accustomed to cats or dogs as pets. But this can be avoided with secure food like Grandpa’s Feeders & regular cleanings. They can attracts pests – flies, rodents & roaches. Inexpensive. So there you have it, backyard chickens, the good, the bad and the ugly. (In fact, domestic dogs are one of the main predators you’ll deal with, even though they often just want to “play” with the chickens.) Snakes and possums are also predators you might find in your coop, but they much prefer eggs or very small chicks more so than full grown chickens. Backyard chickens, the good, the bad and the ugly. Covered in chicken poop. Hi, I’m Amanda. If you’re fortunate to live somewhere that you can allow your hens to free range, it is well worth the time to sit in a lawn chair and enjoy the free “Chicken TV” drama that goes on as they wander about the yard hunting bugs and interacting with each other. Depending on the size of your coop and the number of chickens you keep, usually weekly or bi-weekly cleanings will keep everything under control. It … Chickens are one of the lowest things on the food chain, and everyone enjoys a good chicken dinner. Why We No Longer Keep Backyard Chickens 1. Day to day care – chickens, like any animal require work. While alcohol and caffeine are coping substances for many people, chickens don’t need an extra boost of caffeine to get going in the morning and don’t need a toddy to relax before bed. Keeping backyard poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, and turkeys) is becoming more popular. One question that came up was asking about the pros and cons of keeping backyard chickens. Stray or indoor/outdoor cats can also attack chickens, particularly bantam or young birds. Ultimately, you have to do your best to provide a secure environment for your hens, including a predator-proof coop. Chickens might be egg machines, but they are poop tornadoes. Backyard chickens have really become a popular pet for the 21st century. After the initial startup costs, it is relatively inexpensive to keep chickens. It's the 10th time since 2011 the CDC has identified an outbreak due to live poultry. People enjoy raising baby poultry including chicks, ducklings, goslings, and poults. Your patio or deck? Depending on the size of your yard and your interest in composting and gardening, this may be a good thing or an annoyance. The mall... 2. So what’s so great about keeping chickens out back? Lawn furniture? OK, let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Not only will they get rid of flies, ticks, spiders, centipedes, and grasshoppers, but I have seen my chickens eat small snakes on occasion. They are garden gangsters – they get in where they aren’t supposed to and can eat / ruin your garden. New posts will not be retrieved. Getting in touch with where your food comes from. One of the worst parts about chicken keeping is that after about 2 to 3 years of age, a chicken’s egg production will drop dramatically. You Will Be An Egg Snob. Most dogs, even very good natured ones, will enjoy chasing chickens for fun. I am a web developer and homesteader. Most people keep chickens for … Keep in mind that chickens don’t start laying till at least 18 weeks of age (and 20 to 24 weeks isn’t uncommon), so you’ll need to be patient. (I recommend 3 to 6 for beginners.) But it is well worth the wait! Five Reasons to Not Keep Backyard Hens: 1. Eggs of all colors – there are so many colors besides white and brown eggs like pinks, olives and blues. The huge factory farms that produce eggs only use special hybrid … This is may be a "duh" point for you, but it's a reality that you need … This may mean using electric poultry netting or an enclosed run instead of free ranging, and you have to accept that you may lose a few chickens, despite your best efforts. Poop–as in manure. Chickens aren’t silent, even the hens make noise during egg laying. 1. This is Dizzy the Guinea. I almost forgot about this one because I don’t eat eggs currently … 1. In fact, those who own backyard chickens tend to become fairly attached, building a positive partnership. While this is the obvious reason, there is more to it than you might think. I'm a firm believer that while blogs and YouTube are amazing resources, having hard-copy books on hand is invaluable. Everyone is going to have differing opinions on this, but I thought I’d share my thoughts. You may have been frightened by a protective hen or an aggressive rooster, or you may recall the surprise of finding eggs. This includes coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, skunks, weasels, hawks, owls, and even domestic dogs that might be roaming the neighborhood. Many people keep chickens to have fresh eggs. Chickens … Remember all those play-dates you once attended? Chickens may not take as much time as other pets but one thing they do require is a safe home and being locked up tight in the evenings. An Internet search for information on the cons of raising backyard chickens doesn't yield much useful information. An increasing number of people are crying “fowl” when it comes to supermarket eggs and embracing the trend of keeping live chickens in their backyard. I enjoy just sitting on my chair outside and watching them scratching and pecking. What Not to Feed Your Chickens: General Guidelines. But you should go into chicken raising with ALL the facts. I am absolutely smitten. When I first talked about getting chickens, the immediate reaction I got from people was, “You don’t want chickens. People need to be able to separate livestock from pets. Keeping chickens has been on and off illegal in International Falls for the past 40 years. Your neighborhood birds will LOVE your yard – free food and water….aka more poop. Backyard Chickens and Bird Flu: How to Spot It and Why It Matters Posted by The Happy Chicken Coop on December 30, 2019 Posted In: Features In December 2014 it was confirmed that bird flu (also known as Avian Influenza or HPAI H5) … 7 Reasons Why You Should Not Get Chickens Chickens Can Be Expensive. Fresh, Organic Eggs. So while the idea of free range chickens is a lovely and romantic notion, if you’re someone who doesn’t want your yard messy or potentially damaged, you might want to think about an enclosed run or a mobile chicken tractor instead of letting your poultry wander. Fresh Eggs. So, I give you chicken keeping: the good, the bad, and the ugly: Number one–obviously–is fresh eggs direct from your back yard! They are noisy and worst of all, they draw in predators that your neighbors will have to deal with. Chickens need at least 14-15 hours of light a day. Here's a newsflash, poor people all over the world keep chickens, and apart from a few dollars (note, not hundreds, or thousands) for chicken feed (there's a reason 'chicken feed' is slang for cheap, by the way), it costs virtually nothing. Letting the behaviour continue often means it will get worse, and the chicken can be severely injured They need fresh food and water daily and for you to keep a close eye on their health. Bug Eaters – backyard chickens can keep your bug population down. That lovely flower garden? But a ballot measure in November put the question to rest — by a narrow margin. Why is it important to stop: The sight of blood can cause other chickens to peck at the wound and make it worse. 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