Why Chickens?
Chickens are often the gateway livestock for small farms, market gardens, and homesteads scaling into professional operations. They require relatively low startup costs, provide a dual revenue stream in eggs and meat, and integrate naturally with crop enterprises through pest control and soil enrichment. For beginning farmers and ranchers, chickens represent both a cash flow starter and a systems learning tool.
🐔 Poultry Selection: Choosing the Right Birds for Your Farm
For newcomers, nothing sets the stage for long-term poultry success like choosing the right birds. Chickens (and their cousins in the poultry world) are not all the same. Your selection should align with your farm’s purpose, whether that’s producing meat, gathering eggs, or even harvesting specialty feathers for craft markets. Below, we break it down into the most common categories — the ones you’ll need to weigh carefully before you ever bring your first chicks home.
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