Keeping Chicken The Do-It-Yourself Chicken House Building chicken houses from prefab is a good idea to many. For one thing, it will definitely save time. For others though, the cheaper route is better as every cost incurred when raising chicken will always add to the cost of every head of chicken produced. The Causes Perches -Bumble feet starts with a bruise in the feet that results later to small wounds that are infected. These are due to the habit of chickens to perch anywhere and everywhere that suits them. Perching in very narrow wires, runs on floors made of wires and perching on narrow edges and sharp corners causes bumble feet. Try throwing them spaghetti and see how they will chase each other over it. A place to hang around Anyplace. As long as it is a regular place that they could roost, lay eggs and be safe from the elements and their natural enemies, the list of which is longer. Chickens you see are very sociable creatures. Be very nit-picky, for it's your sole responsibility to ensure that your chickens are not only well fed, but also nurtured and yes, loved. Why keep a pet in the first place if you're not going to shower it with attention? If there are kids always hanging around the chicken coop, it might be advisable to choose the smaller breed, or in poultry talk - bantam chickens. Keeping Chickens For Meat Chicken meat has always been a popular food choice to us consumers, and while it is easily accessible in any supermarket, keeping chickens and raising them yourself for future meat consumption has been common not just in the farm, but also in urban areas. Aside from getting free eggs, an owner can have full control of the flock's dietary intake, giving him full confidence that the chicken meat he produces are free of harmful chemicals. I highly recommend using a hard horse rubber dish for the fact that it's relatively easier to remove the ice without breaking the dish. Providing roosts is also vital in avoiding your chickens' toes from freezing. A roost made out of wood is always better than metal or plastic because wood doesn't conduct cold.