Henkeeping benefits the environment – Every calorie of food and protein that we can produce on our own land saves pollution expended in the transportation of eggs to our plates. Henkeeping can also substantially reduce the amount of food scraps ending up in landfills. See Section IV of these materials for more facts on this issue.
Fresh eggs – Foodies and practical suburban homesteaders alike can unite around the idea of receiving a steady supply of fresh eggs. There is nothing quite like the taste of an egg from your own hens, with fresh eggs being rich in flavor, nutrients, appearance, and texture.
Property rights – Henkeeping and growing food are essential property rights. The most fundamental use of land is to produce food for human consumption and survival.
Health benefits of henkeeping – Gardening and henkeeping go hand-in-hand. The Blue Zones study of communities with a high number of residents who reach 100 years old shows that gardening is one of the best ways for people to improve their health and prolong their lives.
Health benefits of organic, free range eggs – Henkeeping allows a person to know exactly how a hen was treated and what it consumed on its path to producing the eggs on our plates. A Rutgers University study showed that “free range eggs are higher in vitamins, minerals, and lower in cholesterol.”
Animal welfare – There is a documented trend of abuses on factory farms that produce most eggs in the country. Raising hens in your backyard ensures the welfare of the animals.
Hens are teachers – Hens can teach adults and children alike about where our food comes from. Henkeeping can reunite us with an essential source of protein in the American diet.
Hens eat ticks and other bugs – Lyme disease is a growing and serious threat to human health. We live in an area where ticks exist. Hens are experts at hunting and eating ticks and other bugs, converting them from pests to protein. Chickens love foraging and will eat grasshoppers, termites, slugs, centipedes, snails, and other bugs. Chickens are a natural pest exterminator, reducing the need to use pesticides.
Food security – The COVID pandemic revealed how fragile our food supply chain is and how many people we rely on to grow, process, deliver, and stock our foods. Henkeeping allows people to maintain an element of food security, if the food supply chain is threatened again by an unexpected event. Also, an estimated 16.4% of children in DuPage County are food insecure and could benefit from the donation of surplus eggs to food pantries.
A natural fertilizer – Chicken manure is packed with nitrogen, which is an excellent fertilizer for helping your plants to grow.
Fun – Lastly, and most importantly, henkeeping is fun. We just wanna have fun. And we want you to have fun, too. Adults and kids alike love hens as their pets. The hens create joy and fun for the whole family. They are a source of entertainment. Hens each have a unique personality that are fun to observe and learn about. Henkeeping allows people to treat their hens with care and respect.