Keeping Chickens At Home

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     Keeping Chickens - In Your Garden

Want a hobby that actually 'gives back' in eggs, manure for your compost heap, and affection?

Man has been domesticating chickens since the dawn of time. And with a chickens population of more than 24 billion in 2003, (as recorded in some sources) there are now more chickens in the world than any other bird.

People have historically been chicken keepers mainly as a source of food, with both their meat and their eggs being eaten.

There has been a revival of interest in keeping chickens, caused by celebrity cooks bringing to attention the dreadful conditions of battery reared chickens, increased cost at the shops and the supposed economic downturn.

The thought of keeping poultry in your back yard and the thought of having freshly laid eggs from your own chucks, no longer singles you out or causes as many 'home farm' type comments as it used to, of you becoming a 21st century Tom & Barbara Good - from the 1970s sitcom television series!

In fact there's something 'modern' in these days of consumer excess in returning to a more 'self sufficient' lifestyle.

Many people are growing their own veggies - either in their back yards or on allotments. Many people are getting concerned about what the food they eat actually contains and the buy organic movement seems to be gaining ground every year - forcing supermarkets to provide a more larger selection of organic produce.

Keeping chickens seems to be just a natural progression on this cultural shift.

Folk seem to be more used to having friends and neighbours who keep chickens.

With the offer of a 'fresh home laid egg' as part of the bargain, you'll probably get unlimited offerstake over your chicken keeping duties should you ever need a long weekend break.

Plus once you've seen the difference in yolk and eaten on the completely different texture of the white, of one of your own back garden chickens' eggs you'll never want to eat a shop bought egg again.

Whilst in the pan, your eggs you'll be shocked the difference too.

Eggs from your own chickens don't seem to run as much as eggs bought in a supermarket as they're absolutely fresh.

There's also the plus point that keeping chickens bring a whole new element to your garden - movement, sound and colour. Forget adding a water feature, keeping chickens brings so much more!

Each hen is an individual and many can be real 'characters' and, if handled whilst they're young, they can be good pets for kids.

Chicken keeping needs some 'graft', and there will be a element of household maintainence tasks for your chicken house and obviously, letting the chickens in and out of their chicken house at first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

There's also the 'chore' of searching for eggs. This should be done a few times per day - just in case your chickens are afternoon 'layers'.

Another thing you need to be careful of when keeping chickens; is 'chicken watching'...

Many hours can be easily wasted watching your chickens peck around the garden. If you're the sort of person who stares at hypnotising fires, you'll find chicken watching is addictive!

Keeping chickens is a financially scaleable hobby. If money is no object, then there's many beutifully looking ready made chicken coops that can be bought from numerous chicken keeping outlets.

If money is low, then a home build chicken house can be built for virtually 'free', using off cuts of wood found discarded in your garage.

A chicken house just needs to be large enough for the hens to roost in at night, and big enough to stretch their legs in during the day.

Also a place for them to dust bath during the day time should be provided.

So if you're looking to build a chicken house, or buy a purpose built chicken run or are just wanting to find out more about keeping chickens as a pastime; a host of chicken keeping discovery awaits.