Even though most of us do not live on a farm these days, if we have a backyard, we can have backyard chickens. That is, of course, if the area you live in does not have restrictions against “livestock”. Many areas are changing their ordinances to allow homeowners to have chickens. The economic times that we are living with today seems to be moving people back to the “land”, in the forms of gardening and having chickens.

Chickens are not to fussy, but they do need safe, comfortable digs. You can easily build your own chicken coop with just a few basic tools. You do not need to be a home builder to build a chicken coop–you just need good directions. Having chickens is so much fun, not to mention the great eggs that you will be enjoying. Of course, many people will also want chickens for the meat, however, after I have named my hens, I could not consider that. So, you may not want to name your food!

If you have neighbors that can see into your yard, you will probably want to build a chicken coop that is attractive and not offensive to your neighbors. If you share your eggs with them, they will probably be very chicken friendly.

There are so many reasons to have chickens. The eggs will be some of the best you have ever tasted. By feeding your chickens yourself, you will know exactly what they are eating. They love to scratch in the yard and will help with insect control. They love leftover veggies like leafy lettuces, cabbages, tomatoes and macaroni pasta. No sauce please.

Once you get your first egg, you will wonder why you did not have chickens before now. There is nothing like going to the coop and gathering eggs, some still warm from being freshly laid, nestled in the cozy straw of the nest box.

So many people have never even tasted a truly fresh egg. You will hope that you NEVER have to buy those tasteless eggs at the grocery store again.

So, if you are considering raising chickens in your backyard, you need to read up on the many different species of chickens. Then, when you decide which breed you want, it will be time to think about housing for them. Just be sure to not overcrowd your chickens. Start small so you can keep it all manageable. Build a coop that is easy to keep clean and remember that if you live in a snowy area, place it close by for easy egg gathering in the winter. 

Check out the egg-cellent CHICKEN COOP PLANS at http://www.chickencoops.addgs.com These are great. I want to build everything! Also, there’s some great BONUSES, too! Follow along as Sparrow Darling adds to her flock of chickens. Remember, you do not have to be a farmer and wear overalls to raise chickens in your backyard. (You can wear the overalls if you want. They are kinda fun!)

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