Chicken Keepers Are On The Rise

Chicken Keepers are on the rise, someone may need to break the news to the Cats & Dogs that they have a new competitor for Britain’s most popular pet.

Popularity in keeping chickens has grown significantly over the last few years, let alone with the pandemic and people wanting to become more self-sustainable there has been a growth spurt over the last couple of years. A survey by ChickenGuard found that in 2019, there were 1,028,000 chicken owners in the UK, rising to 1,338,000 in 2020.

So why are keeping chickens in the garden becoming more popular all across the nation? Why would you want these big birds flapping around your garden and pooping on everything? Are the eggs really that good? Yes, they truly are and we will get to that.

Here are some reasons why you may want to keep chickens.

Fresh Eggs

A bit of an obvious one first. Fresh eggs are incredibly rich in flavor, appearance, and texture, quite the opposite to some shop bought eggs. 

Home Schooling

A couple of words dreaded by most parents. But as with any pet where you can teach your children about health & hygiene, responsibility etc.with chickens you can also help educate your family around where your food comes from. Ysgol San Sior in Llandudno have introduced coops into their school grounds and sell their eggs from the school and at Bodnant Welsh Food Centre, teaching the children about not only where food comes from but also micro-enterprises.

Caring For Chickens Is Easy

Once you have initially set up their coop, the daily maintenance and work needed is minimal. Just like any other pet, they require food, shelter & exercise. Some love and affection wouldn’t go amiss either, give your chickens a cuddle.

Chickens Will Eat Your Insects

Your chickens will spend all day if you let them foraging in your garden, looking for a tasty treat. They will do a great job at keeping insects and weeds at bay.

Chicken Poop Is Excellent Fertilizer

What more can I say, their poop is full of nitrogen which is also found in good quality compost. By allowing your chickens to free range they will naturally knead this into your garden with their feet.

Entertainment

Just like any pet really, chickens have very individual personalities and quirky behaviours and as such are fantastic company for you and your family.

As you can see there are some fantastic reasons as to why Chicken Keepers are on the rise, but as a final thought, as with any pet, Chickens are for life. Like any pet they require love, care and attention but most importantly they require a commitment from yourself.

If you already keep chickens and don’t shop with us you may not know that we stock a full range of Poultry Feed and accessories, including Chicken worming products which for some of you, you may not be aware that you need to worm your new flock every 3 to 6 months to help keep them happy and healthy.

As always if you have any questions regarding keeping poultry don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team, you can pop into store or get in touch via any of our social channels or website.