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But why...? But eggs only cost $0.87 a dozen! Why go to all that trouble?!?! Most cheap eggs come from hens that live on farms that can best be described as concentration camps. They are packed 3-4 to a 2' x 2' cage from puberty for a few months, using the hens' most productive and economical egg cycle. Few commercial hens ever see sunlight, live beyond 2 years, scratch in dirt, or partake in anything that could be described as "life." There is also the question of quality food. When you raise your own plants and animals, you know how they were cared for and if chemicals were present. Plus, nothing is more satisfying than sitting down to a meal that you produce yourself and sharing that joy with your loved ones. Why not keep just Leghorn hybrids - they lay the best of all chickens, don't they? Indeed they do! I simply look for more than just eggs from my chickens. I think about it like this: Gardening would be a really boring hobby if one grew only white petunias because they have a lot of flowers all the time. I appreciate the many different shapes, patterns, personalities, and colors in poultry. Same with eggs - why raise your own chickens for eggs that you can get at the grocery store? Chicken eggs come in a plethora of colors: white, ivory, pinks, browns, chocolate, greens, and blues. Many are speckled and freckled with contrasting colors! They make a great economical and unconventional gift!!! Don't you need a lot of space to raise poultry and livestock or grow vegetables? No! Chickens and other birds are housed comfortably on most urban lots. Some people have their hens as house pets. I heard a great saying once, "What is the difference between a chicken and a parrot, besides $3000 and a chance of injury?" Suburban and urban folks could easily have enough space for a goat or two as well! Vegetable & herb gardening works great in containers. The most productive tomatoes I ever grew were in 5 gallon pails on the driveway! Many vegetable, herb, and fruit plants are decorative enough to be incorporated in an ornamental garden. I'm also seeing an increase in beehives in urban areas, for example I read a great article about a man who harvests 300lbs of honey from his hives every year on urban rooftops in the Bronx! Peter J. Willcütt |