Jackie Ritz

by Jordan at Coops and Cages

Jordan Walker is an avid fan of healthy living and claims that he can get a bit overboard with the things that he eats, preferring these to be organic. He is a writer who loves sharing about animals and health at Coops And Cages and in blogs like this one. In this article, he will be telling you some of the benefits of raising chickens.

McDonald’s and Kentucky will probably won’t get tired of telling you how chickens are great every single day. And why not when these are great for sales? Kids love them, moms adore them, and dads like them spicy-hot with their beers- yes, chicken will always be considered an all-time favorite. Why? They are tasty and versatile. Have you ever seen a supermarket that does not sell chicken meat in their frozen goods section? Or a country that does not have their own delicacy with chicken as their main ingredient? How about you? Do you like chickens? Have you considered raising them on your own as your pets?

Top 7 Benefits of Raising Chickens

Raising chickens can have varied benefits, some of which are listed below:

1. Access to fresh meat. Yes, you can buy fresh meat at the frozen section when grocery shopping. But what if you live a bit far away from the city proper? Although you can store chicken meat in the fridge for quite some time, its quality could not compare to that of fresh meat. Having your own chickens at home means that you could just grab an adult one any time you feel like eating roasted or fried chicken. Plus since you are cooking it, you can choose the ingredients that are added into your dish, possibly lessening the risk of unhealthy extenders.
2. Eggs within your reach. You know how experts would describe eggs? These are now dubbed superfoods because they offer a varied array of nutrients. In the past, eggs received a nasty reputation because of the controversy on its cholesterol content. However, recent studies show that this claim was unfounded and that it is okay to eat eggs on a daily basis. But have you noticed how free-range chicken eggs are more expensive? By growing your own chickens at home, you can have these pricey eggs for free.
3. You could become healthier in the process. If you choose to grow chickens and raise these with the use of organic practices, you are given access to meat and eggs that have higher nutritional content. Aside from these, organic produce are considered safer for your body because of the reduced use of medicines such as antibiotics or growth hormones. For one, animals that are given antibiotic could develop antibiotic-resistant strains in the process. If you happen to get sick because of these strains, you won’t get well by using antibiotics as a cure.
4. Free pest control service. Chickens like to eat vegetables, fruits, and well, fresh protein. Do you know why they like to peck on the ground when you haven’t given them any food? It’s actually a hobby with a delectable benefit for pet chickens. Pecking on the ground could give them yummy bugs or pests, great as protein sources. Who needs to spend extra money on pest control service if you can have chickens to do this for you, and on a daily basis at thattoo?
5. They are great for your garden. If you can have organic meat and eggs when you raise chickens at home, guess what the other hobby that would meld well with it? Vegetable farming! Organic farming requires the use of organic fertilizer. Chicken poop should do the trick. Not so excited about tilling the soil. Put the chickens in a chicken tractor and place this on the soil where you plan to place your plants. Okay, they won’t be able to dig ten inches deep, but they will more than be able to prep it up which will make it easier for you to till it later.
6. Provides you with entertainment. Not all chickens are the stereotyped “chicken” than runs away easily. They can have different typesof personalities, depending on breed. Now, if a puppy could entertain you with their silliness, although chickens aren’t aware of it, they could be considered funny most times too. And if you get the right breed, you could even get to hold them, acting as your real buddy when you are in need of a friendly company.
7. Can be used to educate your children. It helps to tell your kids the importance of being responsible. But words are easily forgotten when these are not put into practice. When you have chickens at home, you can use these to teach your kids to actually learn how to be responsible. Make cleaning the coop, collecting the eggs, and feeding the chickens as their chores. If you have excess eggs, you may even be able to teach them a thing or two about putting up their own business. Why not teach them how to sell these in your neighborhood so that they are given actual experience on marketing and finance?

Other Things to Consider

Raising chickens sounds like a great deal after reading the benefits, right? But wait! Read this too before you decide. Although raising chickens will give you the benefits mentioned above, it may not be for you. First, you need to ask yourself these questions:

• Do you travel a lot? Chickens will need to be fed on a daily basis. If you aren’t home to take care of them, you should at least have someone else to babysit them while you’re gone.
• Are you afraid of blood? Unless it’s a silkie chicken, it’s pointless raising chickens if you do not have the guts to butcher them for dinner. That’s why you’re raising them anyway- so that you can have chicken for dinner.
• Is your wallet ready for it? For starters, you will need to spend money on a flock of chickens. But on top of this, you will also be spending on their housing needs.
• Does your city allow it? You need to check if your city is okay with you raising chickens in your backyard since not all are amenable with this arrangement.

So are chickens right for you? If you answered positively on the questions asked above, then go ahead and start raising them.

Author: Jordan Walker

Jordan is the lead content curator for Coops And Cages as well as a couple of other pet related blogs. His passion for animals is only matched by his love for ‘attempting’ to play the guitar. If you would like to catch him, you can via Google+ or Twitter: @CoopsAndCages

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