Backyard Chickens: Are They Worth It?

By Alex Martin

(Alex joined Alabama Outdoors in October 2018. The Lexington, Ky., native has a background in social media marketing and retail. She grew up spending summers at her grandparents’ farm and also has spent many years on working horse farms learning about the equine industry. With a love for animals and the outdoors, she hopes to own her own flock of backyard chickens one day soon.)

field-backyard-chickens-womanMore city dwellers are warming to the idea of backyard chickens as more people look into ways to grow their own food. But is raising chickens in your backyard really worth the investment?

We did some digging, some market research, and even hung out with some of these trendsetters and their chickens to better understand the trend. Here’s our list of top reasons people commit to becoming chicken parents:

Fresh eggs that are organic + non-GMO

This one is pretty obvious and usually the No. 1 reason people raise their own chickens. They want to know what they’re putting into their bodies and what they’re feeding their families. 

colorful-fresh-eggs-backyard-chickensSo how many eggs can you expect from your chickens? The short answer is that it depends on the age and breed of your hen. Egg count naturally decreases as hens get older. But well-fed backyard hens can lay up to 250 eggs in their first producing year.

Free-range eggs have several advantages over store bought-eggs in their nutritional value. Your farm-fresh eggs compared to store-bought eggs will contain less cholesterol, less saturated fat,  and increased vitamin A, E, and D. 

Backyard chickens have educational value

Owning a flock of chickens can provide your children with a better understanding of what it takes to put food on the table. They get a chance to literally see what “farm to table” means and all the work that goes into caring for chickens and getting eggs. Plus, they can learn about responsibility and empathy for animals.

Egg-onomics

  • You can expect to pay around $3-$6 a chick if you pick up your chicks at a Tractor Supply but you are committed to buying six. 
  • You’ll also need to invest in a chicken coup which can range anywhere from $200-$1,000 depending on the size that you want.
  • A 50 lb. bag of chicken feed costs around $16. Each laying hen will consume about ¼ lb of feed a day. 
  • Your time also has a price. What is your time worth to you? You can expect to spend time every day caring for your chickens: collecting eggs, letting them out of their coop in the mornings, and securing them safely inside at night, refreshing their food and water supply. 
  • Lastly, to raise chickens in a residential area you will need to comply with your local ordinances. If there are permits or fees they are not much different from a dog or cat license. We found a helpful resource if you’re wanting to check out what regulations apply to where you live. 

Overall, yes it is cheaper to purchase eggs (even organic ones) at your local grocery store but you can experience so much more from raising backyard chickens. You’re helping fight the cycle of animal cruelty in the egg industry by raising free-range chickens and not investing your money in factory farming.

A source of therapy: Entertainment + companionship 

backyard-chickens-mother-childIt’s not breaking news that spending time around animals has many health benefits. One of the most notable benefits being reduced stress levels. Spending time with your new flock can be a nice way to end a stressful day.

A relatively new chicken owner of only three years, Emily Black, values spending time outside with her family watching their hens. “Watching my kids learn about raising livestock is such an amazing benefit of owning chickens. They love searching for eggs every day. It’s like nature’s own scavenger hunt.” Emily shared her thoughts with us on how her children are gaining new experiences from raising chickens. “Hanging out with my flock on the weekends is so fun and honestly they have such a calming effect on all of us.” 

Many people become quite attached to their flock by naming them and spoiling them as if they were pets. Chickens likely won’t take the title of Man’s Best Friend from dogs anytime soon, but, with their rapidly growing popularity, they seem to be making a name for themselves on the “best pets” list.

Pros and cons of owning chickens

However, if you’re not in the market for pets and are solely interested in eggs that are higher quality and cost less than ones that you can buy locally. this might not be an endeavor you want to take on. Chickens are low maintenance, but they can be noisy, messy, and smelly, and they can tear up a backyard. 

But they will let you test out your city farming skills before you commit to a more rural setting and more time-consuming livestock like goats or cows. Just make sure you are ready for the challenge before you commit to becoming a chicken parent!

 

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