Of course we all love our dogs and cats, but have you ever considered a chicken as a pet?  You may think I am joking, but last spring we added 4 to our family and the rewards have been fantastic!  We have a coop in our backyard (yes we live in LA).  The girls have helped take care of feeding them and making sure they have fresh water.  We have decided to not use chemicals on our lawn and the chickens are fantastic because they’ll eat any garden pest they can get their beaks on (earwigs, grubs, beetles, even moles) and they’ll turn it all into treasure in the form of fertilizer. 

Another great reason to get a pet chicken is the benefits of eating hormone free and cage free chickens.  Everyday, I boil up an egg for each of the girls. What a great source of protein!  The freshness is also unbelievable. You’ll even see the difference in the yolks, which are a healthy orange - not the pale yellow you’re used to.  Not to mention, I think factory farming is terrifyingly cruel.

The good news is that by keeping a few pet chickens of your own, you’re reducing the demand for store-bought eggs and sending a message to those factory farms that you don’t want what they’re selling.  I can’t say enough great things about raising our chickens and the healthy benefits of eating their eggs, getting outside to take care of them, and not having to use anymore pesticides on our lawn! 

A great source for finding out more iswww.mypetchicken.com they helped us start our flock and are a fantastic resource.