How much does it cost to feed chickens?

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Here is a copy of a simple spreadsheet I use to help determine the feed and chick costs for pricing my eggs. The calculations DO NOT include costs for non-feed/chick variable costs such as packaging, utilities, labor, veterinary nor fixed costs such as buildings or equipment.

Based on current feed costs and basic production assumption it costs me almost $1.50 for just the feed and chick per dozen of eggs produced!!

feed/day/hen 0.3
laying efficiency 0.8
feed $/50 # bag $12.00
Hen Feed $/dozen $1.08



Chick cost $2.00
starter feed (lb/bird) 7.5
Starter feed $/50# bag $14.00
Starter feed $/hen $2.10
Grower Feed (lb/bird) 12.5
Grower Feed $/50 # bag $13.00
Grower Feed $/hen $3.25

Total costs to POL (90% survival) $8.17
Cost/dozen eggs (assumes 24 dozen lifetime production) $0.34


Total Cost/Dozen $1.42


Jim

 

[BayCityBabe]

My family broke into chickens this spring. We have 26 chickens and go through a bag of food every 3 weeks. DH has been feeding them garden pullings, veggies, ect.
Chickens were part of our "hunker down at home" plan this summer. We dine in because its more fun to be near them. My teens are spending less time at the mall!!!! We also reduced our cable to just basic because there is never, ever really anything on T.V. in summertime.
I feel like this entire enterprise has been great fun that has only cost as much as a couple of nice dinners out. HOWEVER, my only caution to anyone is that you have the funds to deal with a veterinary emergency. Chickens only cost 2 bucks at the feed store, after that, all bets are off.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Oh my! 1 1/2 lbs. per chicken per day??? Are you talking about chickens or ostriches, LOL

 

[BantyHugger]

Hmmm. Maybe its just cheaper down here. I have 37 birds (lets call it 40) and every day they get exactly 10lbs of feed. We buy 50lb bags at $10.00 a bag. It costs for us $60 a month. Sooo:

OUR COSTS: 40 birds/10lbs of feed/$60 a month
YOUR COSTS:10 birds/4lbs of feed/$15 a month

Now, do you eat 70 eggs a week? If you only eat 24 eggs a week that gives you 3 dozen to sell for $2-3 bucks a week. Sell to your neighbors so theres no gas cost to deliver eggs. At the end of the month you will have between $8 and $12 profit from eggs. That means you pay a whopping $3-$5 dollars a month in feed.

If your worried about building costs look for free pallets. Check craigslist. It takes only about 10 pallets to make a chicken house with a sliding wall. You'll have to buy nails but thats pretty cheap. If you want designs i can get some for this type of house for you. Our original chicken house for 6 hens and 5 ducks (the ducks made it cramped) was built like this.

Treats aren't necessary. Mine only get table scraps and what ever greens that grow in the yard.

edit: Oh yeah, i recommend a hen about 6lbs. Nothing 8 lbs and up.

 

[silkiechicken]

The type of bird you choose too will make a difference in the cost if you are offsetting for eggs price wise. For example 4 leghorns will be much "cheaper" than 4 Giant Cochins. Leghorns will start to lay at about 5 months old, and lay like mad, jumbo eggs nearly daily from their slim 3lb bodies. However, those Giant Cochin girls, maybe they will start at 5 months, maybe 6, maybe 8, and then a dozen later, sit down and try to hatch rocks for the entire summer, then take winter off. Mean while, they are eating you out of house and home to support their 6-7lb bodies and you have maybe 4 dozen eggs to show.

Most figures and facts found is books are based off the leghorn so can be low compared to other heavier breeds.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Oh my! 1 1/2 lbs. per chicken per day??? Are you talking about chickens or ostriches, LOL

That Should be PER WEEK .....

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Oh my! 1 1/2 lbs. per chicken per day??? Are you talking about chickens or ostriches, LOL

That Should be PER WEEK .....

That is much more sensible!!!

We have 84 pullets right now. We let them feeders run virtually empty on Sunday afternoon. By Wednesday afternoon the feeders contained 16 lb feed, which equates to a feed intake of .33 lb/pullet/day.

Jim

 

[Julie08]

20 bucks a month is pretty close for 10 hens.

 

[cajunlizz]

A 50# bag of Laying pellets ranges from 11.00 - 14.00 per bag.

It sure don't take 50 lbs. for 10 hens a month . NO WAY

 

[Julie08]

I pay 22 bucks a bag.