Everybody Needs Chickens

They are the most important thing on your homestead!

  Growing up on our small farm in upstate New York, We had all sorts of animals, but the most important and valuable creature on the farm was the chicken, without a doubt! Most people think chickens and homesteading, and they think primarily of eggs. Sure, the eggs are useful, but that is hardly all there is to chickens. They are amazing little creatures, that fill MANY rolls on the homestead.

A Food Source

   Properly raised and taken care of, A single chicken lays approximately 200-300 eggs a year. So a small flock of a dozen chickens has the potential for at LEAST 2400-3600 eggs! Thinking about JUST the eggs, That's a LOT of food alone.

  Now lets consider the meat! Out of those that you decide to hatch, some will be roosters. You only really want one rooster. They will fight otherwise. It's just a fact of life. You butcher them, And eat them. The quality of hormone free, chemical free, farm raised chicken, is simply amazing. If all you have ever eaten is store bought chicken, you will be in for a real surprise. The juicy tender meat that farm raised free range chickens offer simply is the best.

Fertilizer 

  This one goes without saying. Chickens poop. A LOT! It is prized as a fertilizer once properly composted. It is VERY hot with nitrogen however, So you NEED to compost it. I cant stress the importance of this step enough. Added FRESH, it will burn the plants.

  Another important fact with chicken manure for fertilizer, is they fully digest all seeds they eat. This means when you use it for fertilizer, your not planting unwanted weeds seeds with it.

Financial

  This one is a no-brainer folks. Sell the eggs, sell the chicks, sell chickens, sell fertilizer, And sell meat! When running a homestead, every penny counts! And any extra source of income helps. A LOT!

So all in all, Think about it folks. Chickens are a great investment. Ill post more later on breeds, raising tips, etc.. So stay in touch!

~John~