Get backyard chickens

by sarah gilbert

Three or four baby chicks (ask for "pullets" or little girl chickens) will cost $10 to $20 at a local feed store or garden center, and a waterer and feeder are about $15. You can keep them in a rubbermaid tub, cardboard box, or wire cage until they're 8-12 weeks old, then you'll have to build a coop; look for plans on the internet or in the library, most coops cost between $50 and $500 depending on the luxury of your building materials. You can feed chickens largely on kitchen scraps and leftovers, with a little purchased feed for supplementation, and they'll reward you with about an egg a day during the spring, summer and fall. Not only will you have "food security" but your eggs will be way healthier if you let your chickens roam a bit in your yard, they'll taste better, and chicken poop is compost gold. It's like the perfect little micro-economy, right in your backyard. Most cities and towns allow a few chickens; or you can bribe your neighbors with eggs not to rat you out.