Backyard critters as an economic buffer?

[kstaven]

Guess we must be lucky in all this considering the replies. The animals, cows, goats, chickens etc.. do pay a very good chunk of the bills every month.

Has taken years to get to this point. I have to disagree that farming can't make money. Establishing markets is one of the tougher parts.

 

[freemotion]

I think for those of us who can't make it our living....wish I could....any steps closer to self-sufficiency can be celebrated. If a city dweller grows herbs in a window box.....yay!

And when you add tasks and build on skills and create new habits and tastes and values, gradually over time.....before you know it, it is relatively quick and easy to accomplish what seemed impossible a few years ago.

Tonight we came home from work late and tired, and I was hoping DH had ordered the now extremely rare take-out for supper, but alas. Together we put together a wonderful meal in about 30 minutes and then marvelled that it would've taken that long to decide, order, and pick up the Chinese food that then would've made us feel blah.

I threw some frozen home-made broth in a pot with frozen pumpkin puree, our rosemary and scallions, sea salt and pepper. He cut carrots and string beans while I rolled out some noodles from our eggs and wheat I'd ground previously. Some frozen cooked chicken, and YUM!

Just think, next year at this time, the same meal will be made from our own turkey!

Now THAT is a great way to end a long day. It may be cheaper to use bullion cubes and packaged noodles or canned soup, but that is like comparing a hand-painted silk scarf to a plastic bag.

Big

to everyone here who is getting it done....at any level.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Well said, freemotion!

This has been for me what I consider a "building" year. I added Dairy goats, more chickens, quail, turkeys, pheasants, and a garden, and fruit and nut trees. Fruit is expensive here.

It's been rewarding, heartbreaking (when I would lose an animal or a hatch wouldn't turn out), fun, and I wouldn't have done it any other way.

Thanks to people here and my Gram, I've begun to milk, process extra or mean roosters, and do all kinds of things that have made my life better. I know I'm saving money on milk, I get a gallon a day, I was paying $3.50/quart for goat's milk. My teeth are better for drinking the raw milk, and not having root canals from drinking ultra-pasteurized milk is a pretty big savings. Not to mention not having the pain involved. I haven't had tooth pain for about 7 months, since I switched.

In fact, I've become spoiled on my home-grown meat and thought the turkey I had at my brother's was rather bland in comparison to my quail and chicken dinners at home.

 

[kstaven]

to all those on the road to even a little more self reliance.

Some may say there is no savings in providing more of your own food and to that I have to answer " What is your health worth considering the state of our current food system?"

 

[leasmom]

The first reason I bought my first 6 chicks from a local man was out of pure curiosity and then it became quickly apart of our self-sufficiency plan. We gardened and stayed out of the store the entire summer/fall and that was on a small scale gardening which I plan to do much more of this coming year...and I put four birds in the freezer-(roosters)-and I'm now getting eggs daily from my 5 layers...one I'm waiting on to make it 6 laying hens and so I'm giving eggs away to family and friends but once my baby layers start laying, I will be starting a very small scale egg business. My goal is to be completely self-sufficient and to one day have goats as well. I want to raise chickens not just for eggs but for meat and to raise turkeys for meat. Its my goal to not be dependent on the rise and fall of the economy and living in Michigan not far from Detroit and the economic struggles we have already faced and still may face, being self-sufficient is the ONLY way to go. I haven't bought eggs since this summer and I only had one egg layer then that laid three times a week...but now I get daily eggs enough for me to keep some for my use and give away...that makes me feel proud. I am eating food I grew and canned. I want to opt-out of the whole dependency thing...

P.S. I am only spending about $20 a month for 11 chickens. I buy feed, wild bird seed and cracked corn...the feed costs between $12.99 to $15.99, and I buy the seed and corn by the lb at .39 a lb. I mix them together. I feed them oatmeal, cream of wheat, food scraps, peanut butter sandwiches, and make them hot mash. I have a chicken bowl that I add our scraps too and mix it with their mash or oatmeal. I created our coop out of free wood scraps...its not the best or prettiest coop in the world but it works...its basically a large long doghouse with two doors, one is enclosed and one is where I can access it. I have two long roosting posts...which were long pieces of wood...and the nesting boxes one was a free wooden box and the other was a basket and then just an area with free straw from Freecycle. So now costs there. The run cost me about $20 for the gating and post that I bought at Lowes, nothing expensive...the post cost like $2.99 for those green ones...and I enclosed the top of it with more gating. I also picked up a rabbit hutch for free from Freecycle for the babies...so no cost there. It doesn't cost me hardly anything for my 11 chickens. I just buy feed once a month.

 

[Wifezilla]

Awesome leasmom

Being in Michigan, I can understand why you feel the way you do. I am originally from WI and both my parents worked in factories. I vividly remember the 70's. I am just afraid the next decade is going to be the 70's part 2 (with a side of great depression thrown in).

I need to get my pen built. Found someone with some 4 month-old khakis for sale on craigslist. Told her I wasn't ready for them yet, but to contact me if they don't sell by next week

 

[leasmom]

Wifezilla, I used to live in Colorado and may move back in the next three years near my sister in Westminster...I was looking up Chicken areas there...are you close to Denver? Where is it allowed...besides Colorado Springs?-Sorry to be off-topic.

But, yes, Michigan has been hit pretty badly and you'd be surprised how many people are living in the suburbs with chickens...And I truly believe that we are experiencing a Depression...for sure.

 

[freemotion]

Hey, can't you put those khakis in a big box in the basement for a few days? That would get the pen done!