There’s so many reasons why keeping chickens is such a great hobby, and why chickens make such wonderful pets. You’ll never hear a chicken barking, and although a rooster crows there is absolutely no need for you to get a rooster. And kids love having chickens, I know my kids spend hours playing with the chickens.

And on top of that you have an added bonus. Eggs.

So many people consider exotic pets like ferrets, failing to consider that chickens make one of the best pets around. However before you tell the kids you’re heading out to buy some hens for them you need to consider where you will house them. You need a good hen house .

The henhouse needn’t be enormous. If you only have 3 or 4 hens then a modest size henhouse will house them admirably provided it has a nesting area and rungs for them to roost on at night.

A good hen house is easy to build. A large part of the chicken house is simply wire mesh, and building a chicken house is a simple matter of building a frame of treated timber and covering the frame with wire. It is usually unnecessary to have a floor on the house as it sits on the ground.

For a small number of chickens, say 3 or 4, it is not necessary that it be particularly large. For 3 or 4 chickens it’s perfectly possible to build a hen house with handles on one end and wheels on the other so that you can move around the garden. During the day most people allow the chickens to free range in the garden eating those pesky bugs that have been attacking your vegetables and flowers.

If the kids want chickens as pets then get them involved with you building a chicken house . It’s a great handyman project for you to do with the kids on the weekend. You should find plans to get houses on the Internet and it’s not particularly expensive or difficult to do.

So if you’ve been searching around for a great idea for a pet for the children and consider getting your own chickens. Spend some quality time with the kids showing in your handyman skills building a simple chicken house and you’ll have happy kids, happy chickens and lots of eggs for dinner.

Then all you need to do is learn how to make omelettes and you’re happy as well As the kids.

Technorati Tags: chicken house, chicken houses, hen house, hen houses