Brainstorm Article Ideas - Raising Chickens During Hard Financial Times

[Nifty-Chicken]

Hey All!

I've been thinking about chicken-related articles that might resonate / help people during tough financial times.

Below are a few ideas, and I thought it might be good to see if y'all had thoughts and suggestions on these ideas, or other ideas?

1. "10 Tips for Raising Chickens on a Budget" - This article offers practical advice for keeping costs low while still providing for your chickens' needs.
2. "How to Build a Cheap Chicken Coop" - Building a chicken coop doesn't have to be expensive. This article offers some ideas for constructing a coop on a tight budget.
3. "How to Start a Small-Scale Chicken Farming Business" - If you're looking to generate some extra income during a recession, raising chickens for profit could be a good option. This article provides an overview of what you need to consider when starting a small-scale chicken farming business.
4. "How to Save Money on Chicken Feed" - Chicken feed can be one of the biggest expenses when it comes to raising chickens. This article offers some tips for reducing the cost of feeding your flock.
5. "How to Grow Your Own Chicken Feed" - Growing your own chicken feed can be a great way to save money and ensure that your chickens are getting high-quality, fresh food. This article provides some tips for starting your own chicken feed garden.
6. "The Cost of Raising Chickens: A Breakdown" - This article could provide an in-depth look at the costs associated with raising chickens, including everything from the initial setup to ongoing expenses like feed and medical care.
7. "How to Sell Your Extra Eggs for Profit" - If you're raising chickens for their eggs, you may find yourself with a surplus at times. This article could discuss how to sell your extra eggs to generate some additional income.
8. "The Financial Benefits of Raising Chickens" - Raising chickens can provide numerous financial benefits, from the savings on store-bought eggs to the potential for generating income through egg sales or selling chickens as pets. This article could explore some of the ways that raising chickens can help you save money.
9. "How to Budget for Raising Chickens" - Starting a chicken-raising operation can require a significant investment, so it's important to plan ahead and budget accordingly. This article could provide some guidance for creating a budget for raising chickens.
10. "How to Use Chickens to Fertilize Your Garden" - Chickens can be a valuable asset in your garden, providing not only eggs but also natural fertilizer. This article could offer tips for using your chickens to fertilize your garden and reduce your need for chemical fertilizers.
11. "The Financial Benefits of Raising Dual-Purpose Chickens" - Dual-purpose chickens are breeds that are good for both egg-laying and meat production. This article could discuss the potential financial benefits of raising these types of chickens, including the ability to generate income from both eggs and meat sales.
12. "How to Cut Costs When Raising Chickens" - Raising chickens can be an affordable hobby, but there are ways to save even more money. This article could provide some ideas for cutting costs while still providing for your chickens' needs.
13. "The Role of Chickens in Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency" - Raising chickens can be an important part of a homesteading or self-sufficiency lifestyle. This article could explore the ways that chickens can contribute to a more self-sufficient lifestyle, both in terms of providing food and other resources.
14. "How to Use Chickens to Control Pests and Weeds in Your Garden" - Chickens can be a natural and effective way to control pests and weeds in your garden. This article could offer tips for using chickens as part of an integrated pest management strategy.

Looking forward to your feedback!!!

 

[JedJackson]

I hate to be a negative Nelson, but there are a ton of factors involved and usually one is lucky to break even when raising chickens. That is the reality for just about everyone. You do it because you enjoy raising them and having fresh eggs/meat.

Maybe an article like 'reasonable expectations' or 'the reality of raising chickens.'

 

[NatJ]

4. "How to Save Money on Chicken Feed" - Chicken feed can be one of the biggest expenses when it comes to raising chickens. This article offers some tips for reducing the cost of feeding your flock.

Make sure to include the really obvious points:
--avoid waste (spilled feed, rodents eating the feed, feed that gets moldy from improper storage, etc)
--skip the treats (mealworms and most other thing sold as "treats" are much more expensive than basic feed)
--buy a cheaper brand
--don't pay extra for special labels (organic, corn-free, soy-free, etc)
--keep fewer chickens
--have some idea of how much feed your chickens should need, to help avoid starving them or wasting large amounts (1/4 pound per day per adult chicken is a good starting estimate. Half that amount is probably too little, unless they are bantams or there are special circumstances; twice as much probably means a lot of wastage.)

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Great article ideas! When these articles are written, are you going to post the links to them on this thread?

Maybe an article saying how much a chicken eats according to weight would be helpful? Or how to estimate grain costs? Being on a low income, and getting paid monthly, I have to estimate how much my birds are going to eat in a month so I don't run out of grain when I have no money. I'm pretty simple at that with really no special way, but maybe there's people who could use some help on that with something a little bit more accurate?

 

[Kiki]

#4 & #5

Buying pelleted or crumbled chicken feed is cheaper than trying to create your own feed.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

On a feed to egg ratio, bantam chickens are more economic than regualr chickens , of course, it depends on the breed, if you get exotic chickens like silkies , don’t expect too many eggs, but bantam Welsumers lay almost as big eggs as regular chickens but consume way less feed

 

[Kiki]

#2
YES!
Craigslist's free section.
Neighbor's trash pile.

 

[Perris]

I think these topics tend to ignore that fact that backyard chickens are luxury items. They neither make money nor save money. To come out ahead financially compared to store-bought chicken and/or eggs requires a silo, buying a tanker truck of feed to fill the silo, enough birds to eat it all before if goes bad and an inexpensive building to crowd them in to. You can't do that in your back yard.

You've missed the point, and if this is really your experience, you're doing it wrong!
I have none of those things, and my chickens' surplus eggs earn as much as the whole flock costs me. And they enjoy the highest welfare standard, to boot.

 

[Perris]

I would like to see your financial analysis.

I keep simple cost and expenditure accounts; I am not a commercial operation so nothing more complicated is required.

Last year I spent £191.62, I earned £91.50 from surplus egg sales + raised 7 pullets (and 3 cockerels), worth at least £15 each, + we ate eggs all year long.
The year before I spent £216.99 and earned £195, + grew 9 chicks, + we ate eggs all year long.
In 2019 I spent £183.55 and they laid £225.75 worth of eggs. I trust 3 years' figures are sufficient for you.

In addition, uncosted but valuable nevertheless, we got their gardening services, eating bugs and scarifying the lawn for example, and their fertilizer all round the garden.
Plus, again uncosted but of great value to me, I love to see them wandering round the garden and I love to spend time with them every single day.

 

[Perris]

You must have really inexpensive feed if you are only spending fifty pense per day to feed ten head.

The local food stores sell whole chicken for about $1.50/lb. dressed weight.

My flock is 21 currently.

A 20kg sack of premium grain (mostly wheat) currently costs £11.49, up from £9.25 at the start of this year and £8+ last year. I ferment it, which makes it more nutritious, and add mealworms from my own farm (cost of bran included in my figures), and I only supply breakfast and evening meal; I collect the bowls 20-30 minutes after putting them out so I'm not feeding local wildlife. The flock forages for anything else dawn to dusk. I am not trying to maximize egg production or weight gain so do not overfeed, and the flock needs to be fit enough to run and hide from predators. They are getting better at that as they gain experience. I have lost no birds to predators this year, not even a single chick, who also ate home made food by the way. Really it is possible to cover your costs while giving great food and welfare. I'm not paying middlemen and processors for additives and delays I don't want and my birds don't need.

I was selling the eggs for £1.50 per 6, but raised it to £2 in September when I realized the jump in grain price in May that I didn't pass on (indeed, I'd been selling at that price since 2017) had tipped me into losses - I only aim to cover costs, not make a living out of this. And there is no issue selling them; I have regular customers. They are not like store eggs, and I have a waiting list of people wanting them when I have them.