Many couples have chosen to start a food and herb garden over the years, and some of them have been very successful. Others found the best way to get the fruits and vegetables they wanted was to hunt through the local market, and they chose to continue that type of food gathering process. There are also couples determined to make their table a unique one, so raising chickens for fresh eggs might be a goal they consider working on together. It could be a rousing success for those willing to invest the necessary time and effort, but it could be a dismal failure for those unprepared for doing whatever it takes.
Building a coop
It takes some preparation before a couple is able to have their own fresh eggs coming from the back yard, and building a coop to house their stock is the first step. They will need to be prepared to reinforce it well enough to keep out the local wildlife, and they should plan to make it easy to feed their charges. Planning the coop is a good first step, but they should consider consulting professionals for the best ways to complete a design that will make it easy for them to get the eggs out while keeping their chickens happy.
Delivered by mail
Many people might imagine chickens are delivered by a service, but the vast majority of them are ordered online and delivered by mail. The couple who has chosen to keep and care for their chicks should be prepared to head to the postal office on the day their chicks arrive. They will be hatched already, and hunger and thirst will need to be slaked immediately. If one partner is good with advanced planning, the couple should have everything they need in place to get their livestock off to a good start. If they are not quite ready, they will have to hustle to get their last minute chores done or face losing a few of them.
Daily maintenance
Living creatures need to be fed and watered every day, so a couple with an interest in raising chickens should plan on being home all the time. If they love to travel or take occasional vacations, they will need to find someone to take over their duties on a temporary basis. Those who love them should be willing for short periods, but they might find that help is scarce if they have too many for a casual caretaker to handle. Planning on ways to make daily maintenance easier is a good way to entice temporary workers to help out, and it can be the couple a needed break when they want to visit other areas for a few days.
Raising chickens sounds like a great way to get fresh eggs on demand, but being able to care for them does take planning and effort on the part of the new owners. Learning how to design and build housing for them is a good first step, and knowing what will be necessary when the newly hatched chicks arrive is important. Good organization abilities will make it easier to take care of them on a daily basis, and enjoying the fruits of their labor with fresh eggs will be the goal of a couple working together to raise their livestock.
