Keeping Chickens

I've just added the Chicken Keeping website to our list of useful links.  I thought it had some great information on keeping chickens in your backyard.  Terry Golson, the brain behind the site, offers a lot of information on care, feeding, housing, troubleshooting, and more.  We just recently lost our rooster, Mac, to an illness that we didn't recognize until it was too late.  I wish I had found Terry's site sooner.  Her information on what can be done for sick chickens may have helped.
In spite of losing Mac, let me say that chickens really are not hard to keep.  We use a movable chicken tractor constructed of wood, PVC, chicken wire, and tarp (for weather protection).  We scouted out a friend's tractor for building ideas, and there are loads of plans available online.  Just Google it.
The tractor gets dragged to a new location every two weeks.  Inside are nesting crates that we fill with hay for them to bed down in and keep warm.  They've been mowing the backyard for us! What's more, the dirt left behind is fertilized, scratched up, covered with hay remnants, and ready for seeding.  Since we let them have the run of the backyard during the day, the hens don't always lay their eggs in the coop.  After taking the time to make up nesting crates that looked lovely to me, the hens gently let me know that those crates weren't so hot.  They made their own nesting sites in various spots throughout the yard.  Everyday is an egg hunt for us, and that's fine.  Whatever makes them happy.
Chickens are a great small livestock to keep in your backyard.  They bring a whole new dimension to your gardening efforts by giving you nitrogen rich fertilizer with their manure.  The eggshells are also great for the compost pile.  Chickens don't need a lot of space, and in return for shelter, food, and water, they offer eggs, meat, fertilizer, and entertainment.  Now that's an unbeatable return on investment!