by Carol Dunn

Created on: January 06, 2011

Benefits of Owning Chickens

Raising chickens can be a rewarding experience, whether it’s a few in the backyard or a larger production with dozens of birds.  Chicken producers can benefit healthwise and economically from raising their flock.

Raising chickens requires active participation in their lives.  You must feed them and provide clean water daily.  You will gather eggs and ensure that their home is secure and clean.  This level of exercise is akin to gardening and is feasible even for the elderly. 

Chickens are interesting to watch, whether they are in a barnyard pen or on free range.  They are usually active and foraging for food.  They chase each other when one finds a particularly juicy morsel, like a grasshopper.  They have an established social order, and the way this plays out in the flock’s daily activities is fascinating to watch.  Many flock owners report the relaxation of just watching their flock interact.  Some have domesticated their chickens to the point that they are pets and seem to look forward to human interaction.  According to the web site EmpowHer.com, raising animals brings out a nurturing instinct in people and fosters and teaches empathy, both valuable to one’s mental well-being.  

For families with younger children, raising a flock of chickens provides a way to teach children responsibility starting at an early age.  If children are involved in the day to day activities of feeding, watering and collecting eggs, they learn about the value of work and how important it is to be consistent and diligent in caring for animals.  As they grow older they will benefit from this work ethic.

One of the benefits of raising chickens is for eggs they produce.  Whereas almost all commercially produced fowl are fed antibiotics and growth hormones, you have control over what your chickens consume.  You personally know what chemicals your chickens have (or have not) been fed.  Thus you know what will or will not show up in the eggs.  The same holds true for the meat, if any of your chickens are bound for the stew pot.  Backyard flocks tend to be healthier birds, and that provides a certain peace of mind.  With the varied diet most backyard flocks get, including insects, seeds, vegetation, and kitchen leftovers, their eggs are richer and more flavorful.  Some flock owners collect enough eggs that they can sell them to friends and family to help pay for chicken feed or even make a profit.   

There are showy varieties of chickens, bantams bred to be very small, breeds for egg production and others for meat production.  If you choose the breeds that best suit your purpose, you can benefit from raising your flock for years to come.

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