Basic egg laying question

[jnicholes]

My opinion is that saving money on eggs may or may not happen. Therefore make sure you're okay with the outcome even if it's the fact that you spent more. I think that if you're successful in saving money, it's a very small difference unless you're just not going to feed them (bad idea.) So with that being said, I find that Barnevelders lay later and less frequently. It's a roller coaster because when they molt and during winter you can go from 9-10 / day to 1-2. I feel the problem of what to do with to many eggs is a problem I'm happy to have. If I'm over run and I've already given them to friends, family and neighbors then dinner is "Taco Egg bake" I've made it with 30eggs.

You just gave me a great idea I need to think about.

 

[Krugerrand]

I haven’t raised chickens in a while, but I’m going to start up again, with egg prices the way they are. I figured it would be cheaper.

One more thing to add ... hopefully you have all of your supplies to keep your costs down. Without that, don't expect the chickens to be saving you any money. A big part of the crazy egg prices is because of the large scaling culling of birds because of Avian Flu. Those birds will be replaced and laying soon. The supply will return and prices will drop considerably.

Of course there are other costs. Feed, transpiration, etc. Inflation will likely to continue to keep those costs up. But, I'm of the opinion that the major spike in egg prices will drop considerably as flock sizes get reestablished.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

You just gave me a great idea I need to think about.

I did!? COOL. Let me know if you want my Taco Egg Bake recipe!

 

[CloneFly]

I did!? COOL. Let me know if you want my Taco Egg Bake recipe!

Ooooh! Would you mind sharing??? That sounds super yummy

 

[jnicholes]

I did!? COOL. Let me know if you want my Taco Egg Bake recipe!

Ooooh! Would you mind sharing??? That sounds super yummy

Actually, if you don’t mind, I would like that recipe. However, there is a bakers thread here on backyard chickens, called “any home bakers here?” I’m sure the people there will love the recipe, including me.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Taco Egg Bake

Ingredients:

• 1lb. Ground Beef
• 1 Packet Taco Seasoning
• 1 Chopped small onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 20 Eggs
• 1 small can chopped Green Chilis
• 1.5 cups Salsa
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar or Jack Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Half regular size bag tortilla chips, crushed to medium size (I use Juanita’s)

Instructions:
In a Skillet, Cook ground beef with onions, drain fat
Add Garlic and Taco seasoning, and cook per directions on packet, set aside to cool
Crack and stir eggs in a bowl (or directly in baking pan)
Add eggs to slightly greased 9x13 baking pan
Stir in cooled taco meat
Add Salsa and Green Chili’s, salt and pepper and stir
Crush and Fold in Tortilla chips and 2 cups Cheese
Sprinkle 1 cup Cheese on top, shake additional taco seasoning(optional)
Bake uncovered at *375 for 45minutes or until fork comes out of center clean

Top with Hot sauce, Sour cream, Salsa, whatever…
Calories and all that, no idea. This is a crowd please for Dinner with a Mexican Beer
or the next morning for Breakfast with a hangover.

 

[Coops Dad]

Instead of feeding a larger number of lower production hens, wouldn't it be less expensive to feed a smaller number of good production hens?

 

[Sally PB]

Yeah, fewer birds would be a cheaper way to not have too many eggs. Cheaper to feed, anyway. I wouldn't skimp of the size of the coop or run, though.

But, and this has been so true for me: once you have lots of eggs, you find ways to cook and eat lots. of. eggs. I never knew how much I liked fried rice. And omelets. And I learned about frittatas. And now Taco Egg Bake (thanks for the recipe!).

 

[David61]

This is so easy to do, go rescue some production chickens. They are about egged out and will not be laying daily. And you can always put a clown mask on and go scream at them at 2 a.m.
That or just get three chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd just go with a smaller flock, or slowly grow the flock over time. My 10 hens range from 2 to 6 years old, so the younger ones pick up the slack from the older ones.

As far as how to save up eggs, I just refrigerate (I have a fridge shelf dedicated to eggs and can hold about 96 eggs there). When we have a lot of eggs in spring and summer, we eat a lot of egg dishes for dinner. When fall rolls around, I start saving eggs instead. I'm still sitting on maybe 6 eggs from fall/early winter, and have 1 bird back in lay, so hopefully we can get through this period without having to buy any eggs.