Can’t afford rising feed prices

[3KillerBs]

Our forefathers didn’t have a TSC to go buy feed, yet they managed to keep all their animals through the winter…

100 years ago farmers struggled to get a then-profitable 100 eggs per hen per year -- from Leghorns. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/poultry-for-the-farm-and-home.1443907/

I had a Brahma, the worst layer in my flock, who did better than that.

We do not have our forefathers' chickens.

But if you do manage to reduce your inputs far enough the reduced production *might* yield a net profit. There was a member a while back who was in a very favorable climate who managed a semi-feral flock of game chickens with near-zero input so the eggs he got and the meat he harvested (with a shotgun), were pure profit to him.

 

[PicoFarm]

I have 18 chickens and I go through a 50lbs bag every 2 weeks. They get treats including fruit and veggies and cracked corn before bed (more just on the colder nights than every night). I have a large family too so I understand not selling so many. But $2 where you are is crazy cheap compared to around here. When I drive around I see them for sale at $4 a dozen and if I look at Craigslist, more for the other farm stuff, they are around $5/6 a dozen. And the local grocery store has there eggs setting close to $5. I happened to take this picture to show my husband.

Holy smokes this steep for eggs!

 

[PicoFarm]

Hi… Feed isn’t a problem for me. It’s FREE..! Here’s my secret… Only us “Backyard Chicken Folks” buy our feed at TSC, or other retail stores. Instead, think like the big farms think. They buy feed by the ton. Make some calls and get to know your neighboring farmers. Here, I found a farmer who grows feed, mixes it and adds the supplements according to breed—cows, chickens, pigs, goats, etc.—He even makes starter, grower, layer mixed flock, and even molter mix…. The problem is, they come in 100 pound bags ($20), but by the time I get through about half the sack, the organic, preservative-free, feed may start to go rancid… So, I found a few other BYC neighbors, divide the sac up into 5gal. buckets, for $5 each, and deliver right to their door. That pays for the whole sac, plus a little bit for gas and my time… I get free feed, scratch and treats (corn, sunflower, etc.)…. I also have an extra garden where I plant my extra seedlings (I always plant more starts than I need). It looks crazy, no rows or space, just cram them in. I thin by cutting them back, and the roots send up new greens. Cucumbers and melons and gourds grow up the fence. Celery, beets, Swiss chard, radishes, spinach, kale, micro-greens, carrots, etc. grow very well when over planted, if you keep cutting them back. I also have gal. ziplock bags full of wild berries, grapevines, sunchokes, etc.
Lastly, find out where the wild crab apple trees are, or neighbors who have apple trees, and make a cold storage area—fill it with gourds, melons, potatoes, radishes, sunflower heads, etc… Properly stored, they’ll last until spring, when you’ll start all over again.
Remember this… Our forefathers didn’t have a TSC to go buy feed, yet they managed to keep all their animals through the winter… We’ve just forgotten how. So, ask around (the “Old Farmers” like me), and do the extra work instead of running to the store with your $$$…
Good Luck,
+Blessings

That's pretty clever to divide up 100# bags.

I found our local farmer supply (MFA - Made for Agriculture) sells 3.44#/1$ compared to farm&home type stores 3.07#/1$. Have considered working with local grocers for certain blemished fruits and veggies but it's hard to imagine they could consistently beat the 3.44#/1$ for non potato, onion, citrus...

 

[MROO]

Holy smokes this steep for eggs!

And our local WalMart had a box of 5 dozen commercial larges for $18.00. A single dozen was nearly $5 - for factory-farmed, three month old, bland-tasting, white eggs that my ladies would call "mediums." My girls picked a heck of a time to go "on strike!" I hate it when Winter and molting tag-team!

 

[Iluveggers]

And our local WalMart had a box of 5 dozen commercial larges for $18.00. A single dozen was nearly $5 - for factory-farmed, three month old, bland-tasting, white eggs that my ladies would call "mediums." My girls picked a heck of a time to go "on strike!" I hate it when Winter and molting tag-team!

The egg shortage is what convinced DH I can get 5 more next year…lol. We want to have enough to share with family & neighbors. I

 

[Sally PB]

The egg shortage is what convinced DH I can get 5 more next year…lol. We want to have enough to share with family & neighbors.

There are still eggs in the stores here. But the "cheap" eggs have gone from $1.88/doz to $4.79. I had to buy a dozen eggs yesterday, as I'm only getting about 4-5 a week, and that's not enough for us. When I told him what I paid and said, "That's why we need more chicks in the spring," he agreed.

 

[Perris]

luckily I'm getting 2-6 per day from last summer's pullets plus 1 hen that molted early and came out early. I think the extraordinarily mild winter we're having is responsible for it - they think it's spring perhaps (clearly the daylight rule isn't being followed here! I don't use supplemental lighting.)

 

[TropicalBabies]

The egg shortage is what convinced DH I can get 5 more next year…lol. We want to have enough to share with family & neighbors. I

Sometimes dh's are a hard sell. Good job

 

[TropicalBabies]

I'm getting 10-14 a day but have such a demand that we barely have eggs for ourselves lol. I sell $5 per dozen- less than Costco and no more than 3 days old. Heck, even my 5 yo hens are chipping in to fill those cartons (I usually keep theirs if I catch them) also, 2 more pullets close to POL.
Nice rhythm right now. Touch wood I know these things can change on a dime.

***#'s are slightly down after winter storm & low on layer feed.

 

[MROO]

The egg shortage is what convinced DH I can get 5 more next year…lol. We want to have enough to share with family & neighbors. I

Yup - 'cause everyone wants a share of those "free eggs" we're all getting, right?