The Pros & Cons of keeping chickens

We thought it would be useful to list the pros as well as the cons of keeping chickens.  Make sure you read this before you go out and buy your chickens!

Pros

They make good pets!

One thing that hens are definitely not is boring – in fact they can be as rewarding as any other domestic pet. For a start each have their very definite and individual character and personality. You’ll get the brave one, the bossy one, the greedy one the clumsy one, the clown, the “mother” hen etc. One thing all hens have in common is that they are VERY inquisitive. Whatever you do in the garden they will be there having a good nose!
Compared with dogs – they do not need as much attention – you can leave them all day and they will not make you feel guilty when you get home. And they don’t need exercising – they do that all by themselves.
Compared to cats – they won’t ruin your furniture with their claws or sit on the very spot that you are trying to work.
Compared to small animals you don’t have to feel guilty about keeping them in cages because you know you can let them wander around the garden and they will always come back to you ... they know what side of the bread is buttered.
They are also much cheaper to feed and care for then most pets!
AND they reward you with a tasty egg nearly every day.

They can become a hobby

If you really get into your hens you can consider breeding them. There are over 160 breeds of chickens and bantams and you can buy fertilised eggs direct from breeders or from the internet. You will need an incubator – or even better a broody hen – to hatch them. If you really get into breeding you could even consider showing them – you never know, you may breed that prize bird! You may like to read this news article.

A money saving enterprise?

Unless you go into keeping chickens in a big way it is unlikely that you will make much money. The Poultry industry in the UK is very economical and efficient so the cost of supermarket eggs is very competitive – even the free range eggs. However if you keep three or four hens over a couple of years then you are likely to at least cover your costs. See costs for more information.

Peace of mind

As you “go to work (or school) on an egg” each morning you can have the peace of mind that no hen has been treated inhumanely to provide you with your breakfast.

Better eggs

Ask anyone and they will tell you that eggs from truly free range hens are far superior in taste to supermarket eggs. Research has shown that free range eggs contain higher amounts of nutrients including folic acid, vitamin B12 and Vitamin A than battery farm eggs. And you can be confident that there will be no traces of chemicals in the eggs because you have controlled what your hens have been fed. Supermarket free range eggs do not mean they are organic – and to keep chickens on a large scale which produce lots of eggs its likely that they will have been fed on food containing additives (ie: chemicals) to keep them free from disease and be more productive.  In some cases traces of these chemicals have been found in eggs.

Cons

If you love your garden - don't keep chickens

They love to scratch around and before you know it they will have scattered dirt and stones onto your neat lawn, dug up and eaten those newly planted seedlings, knocked over your pots on your patio and reduced your lawn to mud. If you want a bit of garden that you can sit out in and enjoy, then you need to be able to fence an area off for the chickens or have a large run that you can move around. HOWEVER – chickens are an excellent organic alternative to slug pellets and pesticides. They do love those grubs and insects – so if you can control their access to your precious plants they may help to keep those pests at bay. And of course they provide an excellent source of organic manure to add to your compost bin.

Could tie you down

Like any animal they can be a tie if you want to go away. However if you have a friendly neighbour who is willing to go and let them out each day and feed them, in return for those lovely eggs, then this should not be a problem.

You may lose them to predators – commonly to Mr Fox

You will need to take measures to protect them during the day and night.

Neighbours may object

Your neighbours may object because of the noise (if you keep a cockerel) or because they fear other pests. Chickens can be a little smelly too. A few eggs here and there should keep them sweet though!

Cleaning

You will need to clean out the coop regularly if you want to avoid smells and disease. Although frankly this is not an onerous task.