With the rising cost of food many families are considering growing their own food in order to lower their food expenditures. Savvy city dwellers are starting to raise their own suburban chickens. Chickens can provide an inexpensive source of fresh eggs. Before you embark on raising chickens, be aware of these 5 challenges you might face.
Challenge 1: City Ordinances
Some cities or counties make it illegal to raise chickens in an
suburban environment. Other areas allow you to raise chickens but they
place limits on the number you can have. If you have roosters, which are
notorious for being loud, you could run afoul of your city’s noise
laws.
Challenge 2: Living Space
You will need to have chicken coops to not only protect your
chickens but also to provide a space for the hens to lay their eggs. The
chicken coop needs to be big enough for the chickens to move around. It
is possible to build your own coop or to order them for suppliers.
Challenge 3: Food Costs
Feed for the chickens will be a big cost. Feed comes in two
different types: pellets and crumble. It can be a challenge to find a
feed store in a suburban environment so you may be required to ordering
freed from the Internet. Care must be taken to constantly fill up your
feeders and to make sure that the food is never wet.
Challenge 4: Health Concerns
Chickens are prone to getting illness that can easily be spread to
every chicken in the coop. It is possible to lose all of your chickens
due to illness. Before you begin raising chickens you need to make sure
you have access to a veterinarian that can check on your chickens.
Having a veterinarian doing a house call to check on your chickens can
be expensive.
Challenge 5: Smell
Your chicken coops will require you to constantly clean them out.
Failure to do this on a regular basis can result in a smell that will
drive your neighbors to complain. You will also have to wipe down the
chicken coop and clean out all feeders on a regular basis.
Raising suburban chickens can be a cost effective way to combat rising food prices. In addition they can provide a steady stream of fresh eggs and meat.