Plenty of us have picked up a pet over the past two years of lockdown. But if you’ve ever wanted a pet that is good for the planet and for your mental health look no further than chickens.
Chickens are a rare combination of an animal that is both incredibly useful and incredibly fun to have around. Adding a chicken to your backyard can do wonders for the environment, especially your lawn, as well as give you some new companions to hang around with.
Not convinced? Allow us to tell you all the benefits bringing a chicken into your home can have.
The benefits of backyard chickens
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Chickens, hens in particular (roosters are generally banned in urban areas FYI), have some obvious benefits, one of which is fresh eggs.
As the folks at Chicken Guard explain, localised egg production is a definite step towards becoming self-sufficient and reducing your environmental impact.
Chickens can also be a huge benefit for your garden. Happy chickens equal a happy lawn so you get the best of both worlds.
According to Chicken Guard, hens are good for both eating your scraps and creating natural compost for your backyard.
Throw your green waste into the coop and your hens will do all the composting for you. Through their pecking and scratching your hens mix the materials with their poo, creating compost. You can even compost paper and cardboard waste.
Start a chicken scrap bucket to collect all the food waste you would usually bin such as skins, stems and cuts from fruits and veggies—these can all be fed to your chook. Once grounded or crushed up chickens will even eat their own eggshells, these are a great source of calcium.
Be sure to research what food is safe for your chooks to consume and do not give them mouldy or off produce.
As for the fertilisers, chicken waste is high in nutrients which makes for a healthier garden.
Poultry waste is high in nutrients and nitrogen so when handled correctly is great as a natural fertiliser. Ground-up chicken eggshells can also be used as a fertilizer for the soil because of their high calcium levels.
Your flock are helpful gardeners and will act as great pest control by snacking on pesky weeds and parasites and insects, so there is no more need for chemical herbicides or pesticides. Chickens help promote nutrient-dense soil which is extremely beneficial and can contribute to a flourishing garden.
On that note, chickens are also a natural form of pest control and will rid your garden of insects and weeds, so you don’t need to spray your own pesticide.
Along with the benefits to your lawn, chickens, like most pets, give you an undeniable mental health boost. Chickens make for amazing companions and being out in the yard with the fresh air is the perfect way to get some Vitamin D and those endorphins flowing.
Plus they have personalities! The team at Chicken Guard say that watching your chickens can become a major form of stress relief.
Chickens are hilarious creatures with different personalities, watching them happily scratch and roam is highly entertaining. Observing your flock can have a major calming effect and serve as a form of stress relief. Hours can fly past whilst you sit back, relax and take in your happy hens cheeky antics.
You’ll also want to keep your newfound chicken friends safe from harm so be sure to invest in a decent coop and a good lock for it. Also, make sure you check on the local council rules about owning chickens.
If you’re not sold on a pet chicken just yet did you know you can rent one? I did not know this so please feel free to rent a chicken on my behalf.
If you’re looking for other reasons to get some quality time with adorable animals, here are some of the benefits bringing a dog into the office can have.
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