Most of us enjoy an egg or two for breakfast every now and again, but have you ever thought about the ultimate fresh egg, handpicked by you in your backyard? The average chicken lays around 300 eggs per year, almost enough to feed one person breakfast for a whole year!

Chickens will do more than just lay eggs. They can be great for your diet and garden and can help reduce your carbon footprint. Their lively personalities also make them great pets.

Chickens living on a diet of vegetables, bugs, grubs and grains or pellets will produce nutrient-dense eggs filled with antioxidants, omega 3s and fat-soluble vitamins. So, while feeding your hen the food scraps you throw away (reducing waste) you're also getting delicious quality eggs.

If you consider yourself a green thumb and have a vegetable garden, chickens may help your veggies grow. Their natural scratching behaviour will help turn soil, pick up slugs and snails and their droppings can be used as fertiliser.

Chickens will thrive in a free range environment which will require you to have your backyard fenced. Whether you keep your chickens free range, or in a run, you will need a chicken coop. The size of the coop is dependent on the number of chickens you intend to keep. Remember, as they are social creatures, you should keep two as a minimum. It is also worth checking with your local council before starting in case there are regulations relating to owning chickens, the coop size or coop location.

Be considerate of your neighbours and remember dogs and cats can cause chooks a lot of stress so make sure any areas accessible by your chooks are secure from undesirable visitors or predators.

Finally, before taking the leap into the glorious world of poultry- talk to your vet. There is no better place to obtain information and advice.

- Dr Sasha Chapman, The Exotics Hospital, Petfocus Vetcare