Top five reasons to have a flock

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In 1918 the USDA printed an article that stated “Uncle Sam Expects You To Keep Hens and

Raise Chickens”. It was a civic duty to provide for your family by raising chickens for eggs and meat. The Department of Agriculture gave several reasons to have your own flock but here are my personal reasons to keep chickens.

#5 Chickens are the perfect gateway animal into homesteading. Maybe you’re not ready to dive in head first by milking a cow twice a day or raising pigs. If this sounds like you then chickens are the perfect way to dip your toes. They are easy to care for and add a very tangible connection between your food source and you.

#4 Eggs...of course! What an amazing way to provide a protein source for your diet. Think of all the things you can do with eggs! In my very best Bubba Gump voice - Fried Eggs, Eggs Over Easy, Deviled Eggs, Egg Salad Sandwich, Dippy Eggs. Ok, ok...you get the picture!

#3 Chickens play a crucial part in our gardening. There is a beautiful symbiotic relationship between the chickens and our family. We feed the chickens many of our leftovers and scraps to reduce the amount of waste we create and in turn, the chickens create the most wonderful compost for our garden soil in the form of POOP!

#2 Chicks...need I say more? I mean honestly, there aren’t many things cuter than baby chicks. They are easy and fun

to raise. Never fear, there is a lot of easily accessible information on raising chicks. You can begin at the local feed store for knowledgeable staff and reference materials.

And the number 1 reason we keep a flock of chickens is because it is the perfect amount of responsibility for the kids.

The world needs a lot more kids empowered by responsibility. What better way to help our next generation grow. Chickens help them learn the connections between mankind, land, nature, life and providing for their family and community.

Uncle Sam says...errr said, “Even the smallest back yard has room for a flock large enough to supply the house with eggs...They require little attention - only a few minutes a day.”

I have provided 5 reasons why our family keeps chickens - the way I see it you have zero excuses to keep your own. Well, except maybe covenants - so check into those first!

Bear is a full- time wife, mom, lover of all things ranching, and real estate agent. She spends free time documenting her family life through photography and writing using various social media platforms. Her instagram account has 13,000+ followers from all over the world in which she connects with people who have a desire to learn about Montana and ranching.

All images are courtesy of Isaac Miller Photography