Creating Self - Sufficiency with Chickens

Keeping chickens is a big step on the path to self sufficiency.        Just one look at the news lately will tell you that many things we have always relied on is on shaky ground. Food shortages, supply chain problems, inflation like we've not seen in a very long time.

How much peace of mind would it give you to know that with a small garden and backyard chickens your reliance on "the system" is minimized. 

This is the main reason I got started with chicken keeping. I know with confidence that if I cant get food from the grocery store all I have to do is be a good steward of my garden and my hens so I will have protein (from eggs) and vegetables to sustain me. 

 My first two eggs on the first day of hens arrival. I was so excited!

Swiss Chard from my garden

Gardening and keeping a small flock of hens really compliment each other well. The garden helps feed the chickens with garden scraps and weeds and in turn the chickens help feed the garden with their waste after it is properly composted and becomes fertilizer. Synergy! 

The garden can help cut the cost of feed by growing certain crops like Sunflowers.

When you take control of your food sources you place yourself in an empowered position instead of being controlled by your food sources. 

 

 Chickens can play an important role in managing insects and pests in the area they are in like your backyard or garden. I will only allow my hens to roam the garden after the last harvest so they don’t destroy the plants still producing. They dig up the larva in the top soil, eat any bugs they find, eat weed seeds, and leave behind manure that compost over the winter and enriches the soil. 

 

Egg production:

Not only are you getting a versatile protein for yourself and your loved ones you now have a valuable commodity to sell or trade. Eggs are a necessary ingredient in so many recipes and a foundational breakfast food. When the economy really takes a dive your eggs will be in demand. These days I’m getting 3-4 eggs a day in December. That’s 21-28 eggs per week. I expect a lot more in the spring when all the hens are producing. I have already preserved enough eggs to last throughout winter. 

  

Meat Production:

I have dual purpose birds so in the event that if we had to; we could slaughter a chicken for food. This is an unpleasant idea and it would have to be a dire situation but at least I know that if it comes down to not being able to access food any other way and the hen no longer produces eggs then it is a possibility.

Other people have no issue with killing a chicken for food and my hat is off to them. In that case they have another asset to sell or trade.

Creating Compost:

As I mentioned earlier chickens and gardens go hand in hand. A valuable by-product of chickens is manure, feathers, and egg shells. These ingredients make wonderful compost for your garden.  When combined with kitchen scraps and piled up in a compost heap the manure heats up the pile and after turning the pile once a week you end up with great compost after about 8 weeks. This helps replenish the lost nutrients from your last harvest. 

  If you’re concerned with food security it makes sense to provide what you can yourself. Raising chickens and gardening has given me a sense of security and accomplishment.

 

Are Chickens Right For Me?

If you have enough space and friendly neighbors keeping chickens could help you be more self sufficient.

 

Being responsible for any living creature requires time, energy, and resources. Keeping chickens is pretty low maintenance once you get the hang of it. 

When I first got my "chickers" I was obsessively cleaning their coop and my bricked back walk way since I let them free range the backyard. This was exhausting and, as I've learned  unnecessary. I quickly adjusted my expectations on how pretty I wanted my backyard to look in favor of the health and happiness of my chickens. 

  A Happy Compromise

I love my hens, but I also want some space in the backyard that was not Chickenized  The solution is to divide the yard into their area and mine. I devised a fence divider so if and when I want to contain them for a while I can.                                                                                                   In answering the question of whether chickens are right for you consider the following and then ask yourself what is more valuable to you.

1. Do you have enough space to contain them?

This really depends on how many chickens you have. If you live in an urban area there is a limit. You will have to check with your city ordinances which will be specific on how much space per bird you will need to provide. For example my limit is 6 hens and I need to provide at least 3 square feet per bird inside the coop. 

2. Do you have enough time during the day?

Daily care doesn't require ton's of time, only 15 minutes takes care of getting fresh water and food, clearing the poop out of the coop, and collecting those delicious eggs. Other time requirements are coop maintenance and socializing with you new friends. 

3. Will your neighbors object?

Most places will not have a problem with it if your girls behave and stay in your contained area. Older hens know the rules but younger hens can be quite adventurous and the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Containment is key. It also goes a long way to have an attractive set up for your chicken area. Places with HOA (Home Owner Associations) are probably not going to work. In my case I occasionally give my closest neighbor a dozen eggs out of the blue to improve my chances of staying in their good graces.

4. Cost

The reasons to keep chickens are many, but it doesn't make your eggs cheaper. This may come as a surprise to some, It did to me. I though to myself " I will have free eggs as long as I have chickens." Nothing valuable in life is free. 

The start up cost can be as little as your ingenuity allows. My second coop cost very little because it was made from found pallet wood. It only cost screws, nails, some roofing, and time. The first one I bought wood from the local home improvement store and everything brand new, still it cost around $300 total. Not bad considering the pre-fab coops costing around $500. 

Then there is the feed and that cost rises every year with inflation. The basic feed cost's around $13.00 for a 40 pound bag that lasts about a month and a half. I supplement with heathy greens, oyster shell, and canned Mackerel. This makes for wonderful nutritious eggs and happy hens.

Only you know if you can make this adjustment. As for me I think the compromises are worth it. I never thought I would be a chicken Mom, but here I am, lovin it.