Keeping healthy chickens is so much easier than you might have thought
Keeping healthy chickens is so much easier than you might have thought. There is such a wealth of information available that is so easy to access at the touch of a button and with the recent renewed worldwide interest, chicken keeping really is something to be experienced and the pleasure of eating fantastic tasting free range eggs laid by your own hens is not to be underestimated.
For a long time keeping chickens was not so much a hobby as a necessity, people lived on small holdings or farms, or were too remote from a store that they could not simply pop out to buy eggs. With eggs being so versatile and playing such an important role in our diet, keeping chickens was just something that you did and nobody paid much attention to it.
In these fast furious times we have moved away from taking simple pleasures in life but are gradually coming back around to realising that we have been missing out.
With intense chicken farming and the mass production of eggs needed to supply our constant demand, the industry really does not go anyway to cater for more the most basic needs of laying poultry’s welfare and this has been reflected in the quality and taste of eggs.
There is absolutely nothing to compare with the taste of organic, free range eggs laid by your own poultry. It has been shown that they contain one third less cholesterol and at least one quarter less saturated fat than caged produced hens eggs for a start.
If you are serious about keeping chickens, you will need to be able to address their specific needs but, they are very simple creatures and it only takes minimal effort on your part to keep them healthy, happy and producing tasty eggs.
The most important consideration is housing, not just the size of the coop but also where you decide to position it too. Chickens are susceptible to extremes of heat and cold so, to be able to supply adequate ventilation or heat depending on the weather is helpful. Obviously they need to be dry and protected from other elements such as wind or possibly snow. Above all, they need to feel safe from predators.
Your chickens will rely on you to provide them with the sustenance they need to produce good eggs and to enable them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So, by giving them a balanced diet with the correct amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals this is easy to achieve.
Chicken keeping can be extremely rewarding, you have the benefits of a constant supply of fresh organic eggs that not only taste better than eggs bought from your local store with extra added health benefits, also you can be proud because you are keeping healthy chickens that are able to endlessly provide eggs for you.
Building a hen house can be simple and is great fun when you are given the correct information. They are practical, easy to assemble and will save you a fortune.
There are dozens of poultry related websites that claim to offer visitors great hen housing plans, but few sadly seem to offer little more than a single basic design. However one of the best chicken house design websites online that has been endorsed by hundreds of chicken breeders and owners worldwide so far contains a wealth of chicken data and related information that is well worth reviewing. (http://www.chickenhousekit.com)