How Many Chickens Do I Need? – Tips On Raising Chickens For The First Time
A person who wants to earn some extra money and who does not mind caring for animals may want to consider purchasing some egg laying hens and raising them in a DIY chicken coop. However, a person who intends to raise a few chickens and then sell the eggs should know exactly what he or she is getting into. Chickens are similar to pets in that they need care and attention. It is also important to realize that the local vet will probably not know what to do if the chicken gets hurt or sick.
A good question to start with is “How many chickens do I need?”. The fact is that the more chickens one has, the more eggs he or she will have available to sell. However, it is never a good idea to buy a large quantity of chickens if this is your first time raising these animals. Never start off with a large brood of chickens; the odds are that you will regret it. First off, you will want to check your city’s zoning laws and make sure you are allowed to raise chickens in your backyard, and if so, how many. Some cities allow a city dweller to keep up to eight chickens, while other cities only allow one to have three chickens. You should also see how much space you have in your backyard for a chicken coop.
Before investing in chickens, take into consideration that the law will not allow you to slaughter the chickens and sell or eat the meat. Once you have the chickens, you are pretty much stuck with them, unless you know of a farm outside the city that would be willing to take them off your hands if need be. Keep in mind that you do not need large numbers of chickens in order to profitably raise chickens for their eggs. Some breeds of chickens, such as Light Sussex chickens, lay hundreds of eggs every year; even if you only have three chickens, you will be earning a fair bit of extra money.
A wise buyer will always make sure the chickens being purchased have been “sexed”. This ensures that you do not accidentally get one or more roosters in the batch. You do not need or want roosters, as hens can lay eggs without them. Furthermore, roosters crow and will annoy the neighbors, who may then complain to local authorities.
A person who wants to make a bit of money on the side should consider buying a few chickens and raising them. It is fairly easy to build a chicken coop with a decent set of chicken coop designs. While one cannot slaughter the chickens and sell them for meat, it is quite possible to raise egg laying chickens and then sell the eggs as they are laid. You will want to start with just a few chickens; you can always buy more if you want but it is hard to get rid of chickens that you have already purchased. Consider local laws, as you can get into trouble if you buy more chickens that are permitted under your city’s zoning laws. However, in most cases buying three chickens to start off with is a good idea, as these chickens can be cared for relatively easily and have the potential to help one earn a decent amount of money.
