Can you imagine taking a short trip into your backyard to grab organic eggs laid by chickens who haven’t been pumped full of harmful chemicals? This can be your reality if you have the yard space and the patience to raise them. We know that raising chickens isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve been on the fence about whether or not you want to give it a try, read on before you decide…
Reason 1 – Chickens Love Leftovers
A chicken’s appetite is incredible. They can eat your healthy leftovers such as finely chopped-up cooked meats, non-citrus fruits, fine grains, bread, oatmeal, veggies, corn, peas, and so on.
Instead of throwing your leftovers away or feeding them to the garbage disposal, you can give them to the chickens as a tasty treat.
Plus, you can save money by buying less chicken feed.
While chickens do have large appetites, you must be selective on what table scraps you feed them, because certain foods are toxic or produce negative side effects.
Here’s a short list of what not to feed chickens:
- Beans
- Junk Foods
- Citrus Fruits
- Raw Meats
- Onions and Garlic (may affect the taste of the eggs)
- Sugar
- Avocado Skin and Pits (Toxic)
- Raw Green Potato Skins
- Soft Drinks
- Moldy, Rotten, or Spoiled Foods
- Coffee
- Onions
- Chocolate
- Tomato Plant Leaves
- Un-shelled Nuts
Chickens like humans require healthy foods. Processed junk will have a negative impact on their bodies just like it does ours.
By the way, in the wild, chickens love to consume earthworms, green plants, insects, and wild seeds.
Reason 2 – Enjoy An Almost Endless Supply Of Eggs
Who doesn’t love eggs? There are several ways in which they could be prepared; from boiled, scrambled, sunny-side up, or whatever your heart desires.
Fresh eggs are one of the biggest benefits of raising chickens on your property.
Eggs taken from chickens minutes or hours after being laid are more tasty and nutritious than those purchased in the grocery store. You’ll notice the texture and color is way different than that of the fresh ones.
Nothing beats being able to eat fresh eggs right from the source!
Reason 3 – Source Of Natural Fertilizer
Chickens love to freely walk around. Chickens love to peck on anything they consider food.
And what is food to them? Possibly anything that’s organic. If you let your chickens roam around your yard, you’ll find out how reliable they can be.
They eat pests such as grubs, beetles, insects, earwigs, and a variety of other bugs.
Chicken poop is filled with nutrients that make it a natural fertilizer.
This fertilizer can help to keep your soil healthy which gives your grass and plants the nutrients they need to thrive.
There’s nothing wrong with having a super green lawn and beautiful blossoming plants!
Reason 4 – Low Maintenance Pets
Unlike dogs that need combing and brushing multiple times per week to keep their fur shiny, chickens do not need that level of maintenance. All you have to do is provide them with their daily needs like food and water.
You also have to clean their pad at least twice per month and change their bedding. In return, you can gather all the eggs. Aside from gathering, you can also start a small business of your own by supplying grocery stores with fresh eggs.
Reason 5 – Grass and Weed Clippers
You can save on mowing your own lawn by getting yourself some chickens! Believe it or not, organics such as grass, weeds, and leaves are treats for chickens.
It’s like having a cow in your own backyard. They will dig through whatever it is without ever complaining about the hard work. Chickens will clip and clean all at the same time.
Who would’ve thought that chickens could be used as natural lawnmowers?
Let’s wrap this article up…
Conclusion
The whole point of this article was to share the Top 5 Reasons Why Raising Chickens Is Smart so that you could decide whether or not you’d like to give the process a try.
We can tell you all day long about all the benefits of raising your own chickens, but until you make a decision to move forward, you will not get a chance to experience them.
In the beginning, we stated that raising chickens isn’t for everyone because, despite the positives, there are some negatives such as the fact that they can be messy, their poop smells, and can be a nuisance to your neighbors if they get out, and one sick bird can infect the whole coop.
We feel that if you have the yard space and the willingness to go through the process, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
The big takeaway is that raising chickens allows you to have several little outdoor pets; you can have a best friend, a lawnmower, a supplier of organic fertilizer, and an egg producer all in one.
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