Are there benefits to harvesting your own eggs? The cost-conscious families that want to explore the notion of raising their own chickens for eggs will ask themselves this question constantly.
They will be joining a growing number of families turning towards getting back to farming.
But is raising your own flock only for the rich or can the expense be absorbed by the average family too? The expense involved in buying food and that foods safety are driving families back to their roots, farming.
Industries that don't have enough watchdogs, like the food industry, in the past few years have seen its share of issues.
A few years ago there was a serious nation-wide issue with a recall on contaminated eggs.
This not only badly upset large egg-sellers profit margins but sickened many consumers; calling into question again the safety of the nations food.
This, needless to say, caused an uproar with consumers.
Response by people was loud and rightly indignant.
A tremendous number of people started their own backyard coops.
If government couldn't be trusted to monitor this area of food then the people would take matters into their own hands to ensure food safety.
If the nations unaccountability for its eggs safety isn't enough to show the benefit of raising your own eggs; then how about the fact that a true animal advocate would be shocked at the living conditions these large facilities utilize for their layers.
Imagine a caged hen that hardly has enough space to turn around.
It's horrific.
Then there is the cost of buying store-bought eggs.
It isn't unheard of to pay from three dollars to five dollars for a dozen eggs.
A family with even a small coop of six chickens can expect to get six eggs daily.
That's one dozen eggs every two days.
Even for a family of five that is a big return.
Especially if the prospective poultry owner were to research alternate feeding choice, such as not feeding grain but natural foods.
These natural foods can take many forms such as any and all items that fit their nutritional needs of protein and fats, vegetables and fruit, calcium and fiber.
Most people will find that they have scraps of these food items on a daily basis.
But if consumers were to balance the need for food accountability, friendly living and the cost of store-bought eggs they would easily see how cost-effective raising your own hens would be.