A couple of years ago during 2022 egg prices went up so much to the point that people
had to pay double and, in some cases, even triple the amount, egg prices should have
been. After this event it had me thinking what if people didn’t have to rely on stores to
obtain eggs but instead grow them. People should consider getting chickens because
they can save money, provide fresh food, and support a sustainable lifestyle and today
I’ll be going over chickens help financially, give food, and support your everyday life.
This leads me to my first point which is chickens can save and even make money over
time. Instead of repeatedly buying eggs from stores, you can make your own at home.
Over time the money you would normally waste on eggs starts to add up causing you to
save money in the long run. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023),
egg prices have increased by more than 60 percent in 2022, which shows how fast
store prices can change. The cost of buying eggs will always be unpredictable while the
cost of raising chicken will always remain the same in some cases you can make a
profit by selling extra eggs or chickens. In addition to money, chickens also provide a
great source of food. This leads me to my second point which is that chickens provide
high quality and fresh food. Eggs from store can sit on shelves for weeks unnoticed
before being bought, but eggs from chickens you raise are much fresher which affects
both the taste and nutrition. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (2022),
eggs maintain higher quality when they are consumed soon after being laid. When you
raise your own chickens, it also helps you know what they are being fed and how
they’re raised to make you more comfortable with what you’re eating unlike eggs in
stores. In addition to providing better food, chickens also support a more sustainable
lifestyle.This leads me to my third point, which is that chickens can help benefit the
environment by reducing waste. Chicken can eat food scraps like vegetables and
meats, which helps reduce the amount of waste people throw away as well as cutting
down the amount of trash you have. According to the Environmental Protection Agency
(2021), food waste makes up a large portion of household trash in the United States.
You also benefit from this because it causes chickens to produce manure which a
fertilizer used in gardens or sold. By raising chickens, you are essentially reducing how
often you have to take out the trash, making a profit, and making daily life more efficient.
Even though chickens have many benefits, some people have many concerns about
owning them. Some people may argue that chickens are dirty animals that smell bad. I
understand why that’s a concern while this may seem true chickens are not as dirty as
people say they are. Chickens instinctively clean themselves by taking dust baths which
remove dirt, mites, and ticks. According to the University of California Agriculture and
Natural Resources (2020), dust bathing is a normal behavior that helps chickens
maintain their cleanliness and health. With proper maintenance and a clean coop
chickens can be kept in a clean environment. Because of this concerns about chicken
hygiene can be reduced with basic care and understanding.
Overall chicken can be a very profitable and practical option for many people. They help
save money over time, provide fresh high-quality food, and reduce waste. While some
concerns may exist such as hygiene these issues can be dealt with. The benefits of
chickens considerably outweigh the cons and for these reasons people should consider
raising chickens to improve their daily lives.