The Daily Tip Jar

After retirement, there is a lot of time that needs to be filled. At first, the free time will be thrilling. Soon it will lose its excitement, and you will be looking for things to do. Hobbies are a great way to fill the silence of retirement. If your neighborhood allows, chickens are an excellent choice for animal lovers. There are many benefits to starting a flock of your own. Along with companionship, there are other useful aspects of keeping chickens.

Eggs

The most obvious benefit is that they lay eggs. Green America’s research showed that chicken raised free-range produce healthier eggs. The eggs your chickens lay would be better for you and fresher than those you would buy at the store. Those with a larger flock space could get enough eggs to supply friends and family or even sell. The ideal situation would be to sell enough eggs to buy the chicken’s feed. Then your hobby wouldn’t be costing you a dime.

Feathers

Are you crafty? Collecting the feathers that the chickens naturally lose could be useful for art projects. Another hobby to take up some of your free time. With a little imagination, you could create some fantastic works of art. Feathers are also used to make lures for fishing. Any friends that love fishing would be grateful to have some unique feathers to improve their chance. Getting rare breeds or breeds known for their feathers would be useful in art and fishing.

Chicken Eggs

Fertilizer

The worst part of owning an animal is dealing with its waste. Chicken poop can be extremely useful in gardens and lawns. Letting your chicken free range will rid it of any pest and fertilize it at the same time. According to Homeguides.com, chicken manure is the best for lawns. It supports root development, which will help your grass grow better. Chicken manure is also less likely to contain diseases compared to other types of waste.

Garden

Letting a chicken free range in your garden while sprouting is not the best idea, but using chicken manure is. Just like it can help a lawn, it can help a garden. One thing to know is that it is best to let chicken manure sit for almost a year before mixing it into the soil. Luckily once dried out, chicken waste will not stink. Find a nice dry corner of your yard to create your pile. Along with adding good chemicals, it can also increase the water-holding capacity, which is beneficial for the biota that is in the soil.

Fun

Chickens are fun and will give you hours of enjoyment. Hand raised chickens love to be around their owners. They will even come when called. Watching chickens explore and interact could end up being the favorite part of your day. Country Living reported on a family who created and taught their chicken to do an obstacle course. The ideas are endless.

Your only a chicken coop away from the best hobby.

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