February 2007
by Cheryl Long
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Backyard chickens produce delicious eggs.
Matthew T. Stallbaumer
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Have you ever thought of keeping a few chickens so you can enjoy farm-fresh eggs? Fresh eggs from birds that eat their natural diet of grass, grain and insects taste far better than the pale-yolked orbs sold in supermarkets.
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Anyone can easily setup a small coop, but just be sure you choose a design that will keep the birds safe from predators and still allow them to forage on your lawn or meadow. (We have a new low-cost, portable pen design coming out in the April/May 2007 issue of Mother Earth News.)
Recent research has revealed that eggs from free-range chickens (or from birds that are confined in outdoor pens but moved daily so they can forage on fresh grass) are far more nutritious than eggs from poultry confined in factory farms.
Mother Earth News tested four free-range flocks and found the free-range eggs had only half as much cholesterol as the USDA's official average levels in eggs. Plus, the free-range eggs had about 50% more Vitamin E and four times as much beta-carotene and Omega-3 fatty acids. (Several other studies have confirmed these remarkable results.)
If you want more information on how to get started raising chickens, here are the resources I would recommend:
For general information (including more information about our egg nutrition testing, coop designs, care and feeding, etc.), go to The Chicken and Egg Page on www.MotherEarthNews.com.
To order catalogs from the hatcheries nearest you, go to the The Hatcheries Directory at www.MotherEarthNews.com, or check with your local farm store about when they will have chicks and if they can do special orders for you.
Our favorite book on backyard chickens is Living with Chickens: Everything You Need to Know to Raise Your Own Backyard Flock. (See below to order.)