Pastured Poultry in Your Backyard

There's nothing like farm-fresh, homegrown eggs. The color of the yolk, the rich, buttery flavor, and the healthful attributes, like increased Omega-3 fatty acid and good cholesterol, all make the egg a true health food. Soaring food prices is bringing back truly healthful and densely nutritive foods, like free-range chicken eggs and naturally grown vegetables and grains, as we change the way we look at the value of our food. It was a common sight to see backyard chickens in the city until the 1960s, when most people were moving towards a lifestyle of convenience, and farms, in general, were considered dirty places. But the backyard chicken is making a comeback, and for good reason.

Instead of buying a dozen naturally-grown chicken eggs for up to four dollars, why not grow them yourself. Chickens don't need much space; they thrive on as little as three square feet per bird, although more is definitely better. Chickens need all the basic requirements needed for all livestock; these are shelter, food, water, and security. A dry, insulated coop and a large fenced yard can provide the shelter requirement, while the grower provides food and a source of fresh, clean water. Fencing and coop should be free of holes and tall enough to keep predators out, like foxes and raccoons. A predator in your coop can often lead to a complete loss of your flock, so keep an eye out, and take precautions. Electric fence works well to keep these predators out.

Laying hens can be fed a ration of 16% protein feed, with a little oyster shell mixed in to provide calcium for good egg-shells. Kitchen scrap egg-shells can also be fed to hens if they are pulverized enough to not recognize them as egg-shells, this will keep the hens from cannibalizing the eggs they lay. Food is also provided by the bounties of a pasture or grass yard, which can supplement 25% or more of your chicken's diet. Some breeds of chickens thrive on pasture, such as Manx Rumpy's and Minorca's.

A chicken can produce roughly one egg a day, but in reality, the hen will most likely lay 70 percent of the time or around five eggs a week. During the cold, winter months, when daylight is shortened, chickens will lay little or no eggs. They can be tricked into laying eggs throughout the winter with the use of a 40 watt bulb left on through the night, or long enough to illuminate the coop for 16 hours. Plenty of fresh straw for bedding should be laid out in the coop and cleaned regularly to prevent odors and disease. Fresh straw in the nesting box will also keep the eggs clean.

Some cities don't allow chickens in your backyard, so check the local laws. If your city doesn't allow chickens, you might try contacting a city manager to get these laws changed. Chickens are one of the easiest types of livestock to raise, and a small flock can often be very productive. Four or five chickens is all that is needed to provide a family four plenty of fresh eggs to eat throughout the year. Set up a flock in your own backyard and find out how easy it can be.