Are chickens exspencive to keep?

[Roccomanchickens]

Quote:

How many birds are you feeding? I have a flock of 20 chickens and 4 ducks, cost me about $20-24.00 per month to feed them Flock Raiser.

X2

 

[stargazingmommy]

I have 3 chickies and 2 duckies. They cost me about 10/month in feed.

 

[Oldhound]

Midnightandshadow ! If what you want is a pair for pets, a pair of Bantams would be very cheap to feed. My guess , less than $5.00 a month. Good Luck to you. Bill

 

[gumbii]

a pair...??? LOL...


one word...



CHICKEN MATH!!!...






i just wanted one bantam rooster, and now i have over 50 chickens... but, since they're bantams, they aren't expensive to feed... about 15 dollars a month really... plus, i give my birds lots of left overs, greens and insects...

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I think that's two words.... Wait, are we talking chicken math or regular math?!?!?

 

[Animalian]

I have kept two bantam hens (a faverolle and RIR), giving us enough eggs for three people and two dogs for the past two years.

To set up
$279 for the coop off ebay
$20 for feeders/waterers
$20 for two feed bins
$30 for sand for the bottom of the coop
$2 for a colander to clean the sand
$30 for two 6 week old pullets

So thats $381 to start up


TOTAL COSTS OVER TWO YEARS
$80 on layer feed
$40 on scratch
$80 on straw for the nests in winter
=$200

So that's about 27c a day per hen for upkeep.

optional:
$15 for meal worms
$10 for plastic boxes to contain them to start my own meal worm farm

 

[stargazingmommy]

Quote:
oh when I add in meal worms and crickets my feed bill sky rockets.
The duck crack....errrr...peas....are cheap.

 

[Mahonri]

Chickens are VERY EXPENSIVE. I've got to downsize I guess or feed them less.

 

[jjthink]

You are smart to be asking questions. Too many folks get chickens and then haven't a clue when costs or problems arise. My best suggestion would be to read BYC threads for the next few months, with lots of time spent in each section (Coops, Emergencies, Predators, etc), so you and your dad can get a feel for what's involved. There is an absolute wealth of information to be had. I am not of the school that it's particularly easy or cheap, but that in part has to do with a philosophy of pulling out all the stops to keep them safe, happy, healthy..

Happy reading.
JJ

 

[chrissum]

To help with the initial start up cost, you can check craigs list for a lot of things and I've also found that just driving around and checking the countryside for unused equipment can be had for cheap or free as well. If you are starting out with just a few birds a small house is all you will really need.