I'd love to help other people get on the chickenkeeping train!
If you spend $7 weekly for a dozen farmers market eggs, then yes, raising chickens probably will save you money, says Sarah Cook, founder of Sustainable Cooks. "If you stock up when eggs are 99 cents at the store, then your backyard flock will never be able to match the price of factory-farmed eggs."
Tips for Raising Chickens in Winter
Chickens are much tougher than many people would have you believe. Chickens were taking care of themselves long before they were domesticated and even today's domesticated breeds can still take pretty good care of themselves with a minimum amount of help. The main one- don't crowd your chickens.
Steps on How to Start Raising Chickens
In general, you can expect a dozen eggs per week for every three chickens. So if you buy two dozen eggs per week, six hens would likely fit your needs. It's not recommended to keep fewer than three chickens at a time because chickens are social animal and they need friends.
Treats That Will Make Your Hens Lay More Eggs
Chickens are quite hardy and can tolerate temperatures below freezing, but they prefer a warmer climate. The ideal temperature for chickens is about 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
While they may not love the cold, chickens will easily survive even when outdoor temperatures are in the teens – especially when they are provided a properly winterized coop to stay safe and dry in!
Can chickens freeze to death? This is a question everyone asks, and the answer is simple: Yes, chickens can freeze to death, but the main reasons it happens are that either they aren't in good health and you didn't know it or that their coop isn't prepared for the winter.
per chicken, which would equal 10-11 chickens in a 4x8 coop. However, several different websites advertise their 4x8 chicken coops can house 15-20 chickens. Most sources say you should allow 3–4 square feet per full-size laying hen, so that would work out to 8–10 birds.
A single chicken will not thrive in a solitary existence. Like other social birds, chickens like to eat and forage, roost and dust-bathe together. Unlike most other birds, they will lay eggs in common nests and often raise chicks communally. If you can't keep more than one chicken, you should consider another pet.
Keeping chickens is one of the easiest ways to live more sustainably – they help eliminate scraps, produce an all natural fertiliser, assist with composting, and not to mention- all those eggs! Keeping chickens is one the easiest and most rewarding ways to start living green.
Yet No Comments