Having a balanced diet packed with nutrition and the vitamins we need for survival is crucial. Many people struggle with what to do about meat WTSHTF. Some people fear they can't raise and butcher their own meat. To remain healthy, we have to have protein in our diet especially when we may be working harder then we do now.
One way to avoid butchering animals is to keep chickens for eggs. Eggs are considered a superfood. Forget all the stories about the bad cholestoral in eggs because the new research is proving that is not true. Eggs are simply good for you. They contain all the vitamins and protein we need to survive. Ignore the push to only eat the eggwhite because the yolk contains most of the nutrition and discarding it also means you lose the goodness that's packed in there. The only vitamin that an egg doesn't contain is vitamin C and it can be found in many of the plants which are easy to forage. For example rose hips and pine needles are high in vitamin c and free for the taking.
Eggs also store for a long time with no refrigeration if kept in a cool place. Each chicken produces another egg almost every day. They can be easily and quickly cooked as well as provide an easy storage system right in their own perfect package.
Raising a few chickens for eggs requires very little. Chickens don't need a huge house or fancy supplies. They need a place to keep them safe from bad weather and predators. They need a place to perch and a place to lay eggs. A feeder and a waterer are the only real equipment needed and they can be homemade or repurposed from other objects. The hutch or even a chicken tractor can also be made from repurposed materials or even free pallets.
Whatever you build will probably last for years. Size is determined by how many hens you have. They will each provide about 6 eggs a week. So how many chickens you need will be determined by how many eggs you can use a week.
All chickens have times when they molt and egg production will stop until they regrow their feathers. Weather and the length of daylight will also play a part in egg production. Hot days means they won't lay as well. Shorter winter days also means a decrease in egg laying unless you provide a light for part of the night.
Chickens are very good at foraging for their own food. They will hunt for bugs and seeds if allowed to free range. A chicken tractor is also a good way to let them hunt and peck but also keep them contained and safe from predators. They will eat almost all kitchen scraps as well. It's also easy to grow feed specifically for the chickens since they like vegetables, fruits and grains. Even on a small piece of property a few chickens are easily kept. It only takes five minutes a day to take care of chickens.
The eggs will not be fertile without a rooster but if you can have a rooster it is very easy to replace the flock with new hens when they get older and stop laying. Either way, a few hens will still produce eggs to enjoy and provide the protein in your diet without having to hunt or learn to butcher for meat. I do raise animals for meat but I understand how it can be difficult for some people to do.
If you want the perfect food, raise chickens for their eggs. If you are sure you won't be able to eat the chicken when they stop laying then get a strictly egg laying breed. If you want to use the older hens for meat eventually or you want to raise a batch of chicks occasionally for meat then get a chicken more suited for meat AND eggs. Don't forget the rooster if you want a clutch of biddies. Leave him out too of it suits you.
Now get started on providing easy nutritious food for the future. You'll be glad you did when you're eating that first egg.
Southern Wood Elf