You ask people who grow chickens why they’re growing chickens, and they’ll probably tell you that having your very own chicken backyard can be a very fulfilling experience.

This is despite of whatever misgivings people may have about keeping these birds as pets. This probably comes from the norm that the chicken is more of a source of commodity than an animal you would want to keep around the house.

While this may be true, truly enterprising individuals still strive to raise their own birds for the experience. The effort one puts into a successful chicken coop can be more rewarding than taking care of your average household pet.

The benefits of the chicken backyard experience are manifold:

1. Chickens are happy creatures that are not high-maintenance. The daily maintenance probably wouldn’t take more than twenty minutes out of your day.

2. At the very basic, chickens are a good source of food. Both their meat and their eggs are household staples the world over.

3. They are a natural method of pest control.

4. Chickens, especially the chicks, make for adorable pets.

But you can’t just raise chickens right off the bat. You have to remember that to make sure that you have a chicken backyard that you’ll be proud of, you need to have a solid plan on how you’re going to go about taking care of the birds.

First, what are your reasons for raising chickens? Do you want to try your hand on growing alternative pets? Or are you after the chicken meat or the eggs? It’s best to make sure what you’re after before you start any planning. That way, you will have a better idea of how to go about the business of raising chickens.

Backyards are a great place to grow your chickens, but know how much space you’ll be using for your chickens.

There should be enough space for a run, an area for their coop, with still plenty enough space for your family. Your available backyard space will also be instrumental in determining how many chickens you will be raising.

No matter what happens, though, make sure that you have no less than two chickens in your chicken backyard at any given time. These animals are social creatures, and the happiness of your chicken will depend on the company they have available.

Chad B. is an advocate for backyard chicken care and has been involved in raising chickens since he was little boy back in 1986. Find out more about chicken backyard and how you can get a free 10-lesson chicken raising mini-course by visiting Chad’s site at RaisingChickenSecrets.com

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