Keeping Chickens for Fun and Profit
Keeping chickens can be both fun and profitable
. From beautiful exotic types to the old fashioned barnyard breeds, pet chickens come in many colors, textures, sizes, and temperaments.
Are You Urban or Country?
Did you know that you can have pet chickens and even fresh eggs without a noisy rooster that wakes up your neighbors? Once a hen is mature she will produce eggs. No rooster is necessary unless you want fertile eggs that will hatch out baby chicks.
Hens are not noisy unless they are being bothered by a predator. Only the roosters crow. So hens can be kept in some towns and many city areas. If you are located inside city limits, just be sure to know your local ordinances.
Space Considerations
When planning your chicken housing area, you will need to decide how many chickens you plan to home, and the size chickens you plan to keep. You can choose Jersey Giants, which are big, fluffy 10 plus pounds at adulthood, or tiny 3 pound bantams. Several standard chicken breeds can be found in a bantam size. It's like the difference between a Great Dane and a Chihuahua.
Of course a bantam size chicken takes less space for housing and exercise, but they are not as hearty in cold climates, and must have secure protection from the elements. Even a standard or large size chicken will not do well alone in very cold weather. You must provide them with warmth and a dry coop in wet weather.
Protection from Predators
All chickens need a place they can "roost" after sunset. Off the ground and in an enclosure is best. If your home is in town you may never see a raccoon, possum, or skunk until you have chickens. These wild creatures love chicken and they don't mind pulling pieces of a live one through gaps in a fence, or digging under to get to the intended victim.
Cover the top of your chicken coop, even the run or exercise area. There are predatory birds, such as Hawks, that will remove your pet chicken from his fenced run without leaving a trace. Cheap chicken wire across the top will glint in the sun and keep these predators at bay.
Don't use chicken wire for the sides of your cage. Even a medium size dog can tear through it. Use a heavier gauge wire mesh for the sides.
Profit from Your Pet Chickens
If you have the space you can start a fun home business keeping chickens. You don't have to have a large flock to sell a few eggs. And if you go organic or free range them, the eggs will be worth more money. People will drive to you for fresh eggs, or you may find a local outdoor market that you can take them to.
Another way to make money with your pet chickens is to start out with a rare breed pair and sell the baby chicks. There are several hatcheries that carry rare and endangered breed chickens to get you started. Some of these are very old breeds that went out of vogue and became part of a dwindling supply; others are newer mutations of some standard breeds.
As your chickens loose their feathers you can clean them and use them for crafts to sell. Crafters use feathers for floral dcor, as part of dream catchers, purses, hats, and other accessories. With the variety of color, patterns, length, and texture in chicken feathers a good crafter is limited only by their imagination.
Keeping Chickens for Fun and Profit
By: Paul Cernay
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