And the cool thing is they don't bother the plants.
I wouldn't count too much on that. Chickens love some greens and they're liable to scratch up seedlings in their constant search for bugs. But mostly they nibble at the outer leaves of plants and leave the growing shoots alone. But, all in all chickens never did any harm to my garden. They wont eat beans or any plants related to nightshades like potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers. If you want all your eggs to be homegrown you need two more chickens than your regular daily consumption(depending on the breed), and every few years you have to buy a few more as they slow down their egg production. Attrition and coyotes will thin their numbers so I never wind up with many extra birds. Most towns allow people to keep five chickens and no roosters, but if you're in a rural area it's best to have a rooster around to protect them from predators. The rooster will sacrifice himself to save his flock. And roosters are a hoot to have around.
A more manly man would perhaps stew the older birds but after they give me a thousand eggs or so I feel they deserve a dignified retirement. A chicken will lay almost daily(again depending on breed) for about three to four years then they'll slow down and eventually stop.
