Raising chickens in your own back yard can be as rewarding or troublesome as you let it. Chickens can be just like a dog or cat and they do have personalities.

I have a small 8x10 building which my spouse built for me and we painted it to match our house, complete with shutters, windows, and a screen door. This helps to fit into the neighborhood surroundings and not be an eye soar. It looks just like a child's play house.

Chickens are easy to care for and a lot of fun to watch. You can let them roam free or pen up constantly. Just remember if you keep them enclosed you need to give them attention to keep them tame, friendly and pet like.

I have 22 hens and 1 rooster.
You do not need the rooster if you are not going to raise babies. Hens will lay eggs without the rooster. You can only have 1 rooster per pen of hens. Roosters show their dominance and will fight with each other over their women. Eventually the weaker rooster will either be killed by the dominate one or will be kept from food and water and starve to death.

Chickens are great garbage disposals and eat most anything you give them. They do need a variety of foods, such as scraps, scratch, corn, oats, sunflower seeds, and grit. They get what they need for laying from the foods they eat. If your hens quit producing eggs suddenly and you are not getting as many eggs as usual, they are not happy.

A change in food or a dramatic happening in their setting can disrupt their laying habits.

Their is a lot to know about raising chickens, but you don't have to know it at all. As you have your chickens you will become more interested and learn as you go.

Raising chickens and receiving the rewards from them is awesome. You can pass on that goodness to others by sharing your eggs.

Do your kids want a pet? Do you not want a dog or a cat? Try letting them have chickens in the back yard. This will not only teach them responsibility but they can see what rewards are received when they are taken care of as needed.

(Make sure you check with your city regulations on zoning and animals.) If you are unable to have them, make sure you take your children to a farm or someones house that has chickens.

Chickens are one of natures great creatures, that take little care, little space and are very rewarding. If you get them and just find you don't want to mess with them you can easily get rid of them. Sell them to a local farmer, give them away, or if you have the survival personality you can always have chicken soup.

NOT ME! These are my babies. But I will eat someone else's chickens. (MIND OVER MATTER HUH!)

Try chickens as a backyard pet. They can be rewarding and enjoyable.

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