“The definition of poultry is simple: any bird that is raised specifically for their eggs or meat is defined as poultry. This extends to birds outside of what is considered standard fare in certain geographical locales. An example would be Ostrich – by definition poultry – but not by the majority of inhabitants of North America. Poultry generally consists of several varieties of well-known domesticated birds – including guineas, geese, chickens, pigeons, and turkeys.”
Whether you are trying to save a bit of money by raising your chickens for meat and eggs or looking to add some organic home-grown food to your table, raising chickens at home is a terrific way to start. Anyone can raise chickens, but you need to live somewhere that has the space for them. A moderate-sized backyard would be fine for a few chickens, though many cities do have bylaws that would make this illegal. Check out your city rules before trying to raise chickens in an urban yard.
You don’t need acres of farmland if you want to raise chickens, but don’t cram too many of them into a tiny pen either. Stressed chickens don’t lay too many eggs, and they will fight more when crowded. A secure little house should have at least 6 sq. ft. of space per chicken. More room is better if you can manage it. Your chickens should have a sizable, fenced pen so they can move around and get some exercise and fresh air. Allow for about 12 sq. ft. per chicken, for the outside area. Letting them roam free is better but be prepared to lose some chickens to loose dogs or cats – and free-range chickens might end up in your neighbor’s yard.
Feeding your backyard chickens is a bit more complicated that just tossing them some corn. Make sure you have decent food for them, and they’ll stay healthy for you. A mixed feed is best, containing cracked corn along with a number of other whole grains and feed pellets. It should have good protein content too. You can save a bit of money on your chicken feed by feeding your backyard flock leftovers from the kitchen. That’s right, you can toss your vegetable cuttings, fruit cores and even leftover pasta into the chicken pen to give your birds some variety and extra nutrition. Always leave them fresh water too, preferably in a shallow chicken waterer. ※
Source: Vital Force Wellness / “The Backyard Chicken Site“
