| You've been thinking about keeping chickens but | | | | wings. |
| aren't really sure if it's worth the effort? Here are | | | | Gardeners extraordinaire |
| some egg-cellent reasons why you should: | | | | Forget pushing a lawnmower back and forth under |
| Free, Fresh, Organic Eggs | | | | the hot sun. Let your chickens out for a run and |
| When it comes to breakfast, there's nothing better | | | | they'll happily clip away at long grass, loose leaves |
| than a fresh egg, right from your own back yard. | | | | and those pesky weeds. Even better, they'll eat bugs |
| You know where it came from, what it was | | | | and slugs that might otherwise nibble away at your |
| nourished on and how long it's been around. | | | | flowers. Disgusting to us but a delicacy to chickens! |
| Home-raised chicken eggs have big, rich, orangey | | | | You can relax in the shade with a book and a tall, |
| yolks full of flavor, unlike the tiny, pale yellow yolks | | | | cool drink, while your tiny gardeners do all the work. |
| that are often found inside store bought eggs. | | | | Best of all? They might do a lot of clucking but they'll |
| Since you've raised the chickens yourself, you know | | | | never ask for a raise. |
| what's gone into making the eggs - no chemicals or | | | | Pure Manure |
| growth hormones here! Plus, you know that your | | | | After neatening your lawn and clearing away the |
| chickens aren't living in cramped, unsanitary cages - | | | | destructive insect population, chickens will provide |
| they get a good, healthy run-around every day and | | | | your garden with yet another benefit - manure. |
| sleep in clean, healthy surroundings at night, | | | | That's right - manure. A good, old-fashioned, |
| transferring the benefits of their healthy lifestyle to | | | | naturally-sourced and free-of-charge fertilizer to help |
| the eggs you collect each morning. | | | | your tidy garden grow. |
| Home-raised eggs aren't just better on the breakfast | | | | Easy on the Upkeep |
| table, either. They will add richness and texture to | | | | Chickens don't ask for much. You don't have to |
| your baked goods, sauces and any other food you | | | | bathe, brush or walk them. They won't keep you and |
| decide to put them into. | | | | your neighbors awake at night; they won't dig holes |
| Waste Not, Want Not | | | | under your fence; they won't shred your newspaper; |
| Can't quite finish your dinner? Have some leftovers in | | | | they won't leave 'gifts' in your slippers. |
| the fridge that aren't going to make it back to the | | | | All a chicken wants is food, water and chance to run |
| table? What about that pile of vegetables peels, | | | | around for a while each day (and you already know |
| after a cooking session? And then there's the loaf of | | | | the benefits of that!). |
| bread that's gone hard and stale (and possibly a bit | | | | Their home will need cleaning and their beds changing |
| green). | | | | once every two weeks or so, but that's it. Job done. |
| Feed it all to your chickens because those birds will | | | | That isn't much effort on your part, considering the |
| eat just about anything you give them, reducing the | | | | free eggs and possibly even a small, extra income |
| amount of waste produced by your household and | | | | from selling the extras. |
| lowering your financial outlay on poultry pellets. | | | | So, go on... get some chickens and start reaping the |
| Chickens can help you save the environment and | | | | benefits of keeping these handy creatures in your |
| stick to your budget without even a flap of their | | | | own back yard. |