Or, keep only as many birds as can freely roam outside in the sun, where they self-disinfect with UV light and soil. Squeezing too many members of a species in too small a place is cruel and makes the animals sick, doesn’t matter if it’s chickens or humans.
You have a lot of plant-based options: Legumes like chickpeas, quinoa or lentils, Beans, Soy in all its forms, Seitan etc. You can mix and choose whichever you prefer and is available to you.
Right and those things require intensive farming. Fertilizer growing conditions and shit tonne of water.
You are just moving the carbon from one thing to another. Yes it may reduce but Chickens provide eggs. One of the best things on life you can eat. Why would you not eat them ? Easy to raise a few back garden chooks. Feed them leftovers and have unlimited source of cheap protein.
Not only see you reducing down the amount of petrol used to move all these plants from one side of the planet to the other. Using bunker fuel. The absolute worst type of fuel. But you then need to drive to the shops and purchase them.
You lose money, time and clog up the roads.
No one in a standard home can grow anywhere near the level to satisfy a family of four with the correct protein levels. Also can’t produce all year round.
Edit
Also on a side note. Chicken tastes fantastic and those options don’t.
Similar boat. Just bought a place so will be getting chickens. Wife raised them when she was young. I think they are quite carefree. Hey s good coop and take out as many predators. I think predators are the biggest obstacle. Feed should be easy enough. Supplement with feed when necessary but they can just live off kitchen scraps. You should be able to tell health by the eggs they are laying. Try to crush up and give them their shells back to increase calcium
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