There are many benefits to learning how to keep chickens on the urban homestead. Raising chickens for eggs is just one. A couple more benefits include keeping chickens in the garden; it is good for both the garden and the chickens. Raising chickens for food, both eggs and meat as a healthy alternative to the mass processed chicken and eggs found in large chain stores. Getting eggs produced from battery hens, which are used to provide for the grocery stores, has a higher risk of food born illness, as well as getting residual antibiotics in the meat and eggs.
Once you decide you're going to be raising chickens for eggs, you should think about what you will need to do and how to start. This article is to give you ideas to help determine a general starting point. We will only be discussing the female birds, as a rooster is not necessary for egg production, only for fertilization if you want to hatch chicks.
One of the first things you will want to do is count the cost. No, not for feed or a coop, but what it costs you in time. Chickens require daily care. Not a bunch, but enough that you can't leave them for a long time without feeding and watering, and protecting them from predators. Who will feed and water them if you go out of town? How will they be secured each night from predators? These are not necessarily deal breakers, but you should consider these things before you set up your chickens rather than after. There are some automated ways to take care of them as well as the possibility of having someone come and care for them, but it's better to think ahead on this one, especially if you happen to be planning a month long trip to Europe.
Before getting any chicks, you will want to look at your local rules to find out you can have the birds, and if so, what limitations you might have to work with. Once you know you can legally keep chickens, determine how much space you have, and how many hens you will need to get the egg production you desire. You will want to think about chicken house plans that will work well in the space you have available.
There are various factors that go into how many eggs a chicken will lay and how often. You can generally figure that three hens should give you and average of two eggs per day. The age and breed of the hen will factor in to how often she lays. Young pullets typically start laying at about 4-6 months of age, and some hens will produce for years, some into their teens. While not the only productive breeds, Australorps, Leghorns, Orpingtons, and Rhode Island Reds tend to produce well. You will want to research breeds that also do best in your climate, if you want to have the simplest operation.
The time of year and temperature can affect a chickens laying capacity and regularity. Shorter days of winter can slow down a girl who normally produces an egg a day to one every other day. Cold temperatures can also slow down your hens ability to lay daily. Chickens also molt annually and do not lay during this time.
On the flip side, if all variables line up well, it is not unheard of for a hen to lay two healthy eggs in a day. Sometimes a hen will lay more, but they are not necessarily optimal, meaning they may have a soft shell, or even no shell. If you hen is laying two good eggs daily, that's okay. If she is laying 3-4 and is overly producing, this is not good for the chicken, and you may want to decide to take appropriate action if the over production continues for any extended length of time.
Overall, you are in control of your egg production. You decide what breeds, how many hens, what they eat and when, how clean and healthy their environment is, and what to do if you have a sick bird. The better care you take of your animals, the better food source they will provide for you, making raising chickens for eggs beneficial both economically and physically.
Once you decide you're going to be raising chickens for eggs, you should think about what you will need to do and how to start. This article is to give you ideas to help determine a general starting point. We will only be discussing the female birds, as a rooster is not necessary for egg production, only for fertilization if you want to hatch chicks.
One of the first things you will want to do is count the cost. No, not for feed or a coop, but what it costs you in time. Chickens require daily care. Not a bunch, but enough that you can't leave them for a long time without feeding and watering, and protecting them from predators. Who will feed and water them if you go out of town? How will they be secured each night from predators? These are not necessarily deal breakers, but you should consider these things before you set up your chickens rather than after. There are some automated ways to take care of them as well as the possibility of having someone come and care for them, but it's better to think ahead on this one, especially if you happen to be planning a month long trip to Europe.
Before getting any chicks, you will want to look at your local rules to find out you can have the birds, and if so, what limitations you might have to work with. Once you know you can legally keep chickens, determine how much space you have, and how many hens you will need to get the egg production you desire. You will want to think about chicken house plans that will work well in the space you have available.
There are various factors that go into how many eggs a chicken will lay and how often. You can generally figure that three hens should give you and average of two eggs per day. The age and breed of the hen will factor in to how often she lays. Young pullets typically start laying at about 4-6 months of age, and some hens will produce for years, some into their teens. While not the only productive breeds, Australorps, Leghorns, Orpingtons, and Rhode Island Reds tend to produce well. You will want to research breeds that also do best in your climate, if you want to have the simplest operation.
The time of year and temperature can affect a chickens laying capacity and regularity. Shorter days of winter can slow down a girl who normally produces an egg a day to one every other day. Cold temperatures can also slow down your hens ability to lay daily. Chickens also molt annually and do not lay during this time.
On the flip side, if all variables line up well, it is not unheard of for a hen to lay two healthy eggs in a day. Sometimes a hen will lay more, but they are not necessarily optimal, meaning they may have a soft shell, or even no shell. If you hen is laying two good eggs daily, that's okay. If she is laying 3-4 and is overly producing, this is not good for the chicken, and you may want to decide to take appropriate action if the over production continues for any extended length of time.
Overall, you are in control of your egg production. You decide what breeds, how many hens, what they eat and when, how clean and healthy their environment is, and what to do if you have a sick bird. The better care you take of your animals, the better food source they will provide for you, making raising chickens for eggs beneficial both economically and physically.
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