Raising Chickens in Your Own Backyard

Book excerpt: Do you love eggs and chickens? If yes, then you got to have your own flock of chickens in your backyard. Raising chickens in the city, is that even possible? Yes, it is possible. Chickens are the new favorite pets of many people. Some places don't allow you to keep chickens at homes, but the list of places who are relaxing their laws and ordinances is growing day by day. So, if you are a city dweller and would like to get your hands on some fresh eggs, keep a flock of your own hens. But why this interest in raising chickens? The reasons are simple. They are quite inexpensive to keep. It costs about $1-$10 to raise one hen. You will spend around $500 on an average on a coop. This is a one-time expenditure. Feeding them will cost around $5 per month. Keep around $10 per month unexpected expenses on raising 3 hens and that's it! You get to eat your own fresh eggs. You also know what the hens producing the eggs have been eating. So, compared to your factory farmed poultry and eggs you have a safer and healthier alternative. These eggs are also more nutritious and taste better than the eggs of battery hens. They contain a much higher content of vitamins A and E, beta-carotene, and folate. At the same time, the cholesterol and saturated fat found in the eggs of free-range hens is much lower than those of battery hens. Besides this, chickens are excellent pets for children. Their manure can be used for composting since it is high in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. They will also eat up all the weeds, slugs and seeds leftover after you have harvested your vegetable garden along with various pests. In short, chickens are a wonderful pet, and even your small kid can take good care of them with a little bit of guidance from you. But the problem is where and how to start? Not to worry. Read this guide and you will know how and where to begin. You will learn everything from buying your coop and chickens to cleaning and storing your eggs in this guide. So, let's get started with your own flock of chickens!