Chicken Coops – Why Keep Chickens?

Chicken Coops

Why Keep backyard Chickens?

Keeping backyard chickens has become a popular trend recently in the U.S., but no one seems to know exactly why. I would like to find out why and so I though I would start by exploring my own reasons.

My wife and I began keeping chickens about six months ago. We have three adult hens, two Plymouth Rockers and an Aricanna. What I enjoy the most, to get to the point, are the eggs. There is nothing quite a delightful as getting up in the morning and going out to the chicken coop to collect a fresh egg or two (sometimes still warm from the chicken!) Cook it up and… yum. We receive about a dozen fresh eggs a week from our own back yard from our own chickens. No trip to the market involved. It feels good to know some food self reliance, at least in this small way.

I feel a connection to where our food comes from and that it is healthy. We feed only organic material to our hens and so we know that the eggs are organic, so in turn we know that our bodies are that much more clear of chemicals too. What goes in, is what comes out. Which brings me to the cycle of nature. The chicken manure is as valuable as gold for the soil. Adding it to our compost pile enriches and accelerates our composting which when added to the garden soil, restores the earth. Our vegetable garden flourishes and the kitchen scraps from the vegetables goes back to fee the chickens. In this way I feel more connected to the cycle of life rather than separated from it.

We live in a small 800 square foot cottage, on a lot which is only 60’ x 60’. and we have a small number of chickens that live safely in a small chicken coop and free range hunting for bugs etc. over 480 square feet of space. And it is enough. If we can do it here, just about anyone can do it anywhere.

Why do you keep chickens? Or if you don’t yet, why are you interested? I would like to hear your comments.

Happy chickens have happy coops!

Best,

Mark