Talkin' Chickens

For several years now I've wanted to keep chickens.  The idea of having fresh eggs available right out the back door is very appealing.  And with backyard-chicken-keeping being the latest craze, it is easy to get sucked into the whole process.

So, what is stopping me?

First, I didn't have a place where I could keep chickens (zoning).  Now I live in farm country and have neighbors with chickens.  That excuse is no longer valid.

Then there's the set-up:  I don't have a coop.  I'd have to purchase or build something.  Funds are getting low, and I don't really have carpentry skills.  This is not a huge hold up, but something to consider.

I've worked at places where we raised chickens.  They aren't all fluffy, friendly, funny little birds.  Some are aggressive, some are henpecked.  There are diseases, parasites, and predators.

Would I raise 'em just for eggs, or would I also do meat birds?  Would I have the guts to slaughter 'em myself (I've been involved with chicken processing, but never had to wield the axe), or would I pay to have someone else do it?  Then there's the winter care of the birds.

When one really puts one's mind to it, one begins to have doubts.  Still, I really do like the idea of providing my own eggs and meat.  It's one less thing I need to purchase from someone else, and I'd know how the animals are raised and cared for.

"They" say that chickens are the easiest of the livestock animals to raise.  Maybe I could just start out with some meat birds...they only hang around for a few months before it's time to do 'em in.  Less of a commitment.  Something to think about.