Chicken & Egg Math

[7 Biddies]

I just posted this on another thread, but wanted to open it up to more members and get their feedback.

I just figured out that I spend $75 per month on organic feed ... alone. No grit, no oystershell, no meal worms. When all 7 girls start producing, I can figure on about 5 or 6 eggs per day, which is about 3 dozen a week. This adds up to 12 dozen a month ... in a good month. Divide $75 by 12, and you get $6.25 per dozen. *IF* I sell them!! And, that's not counting the cost of buying them, brooding them, the coop, or any supplies such as waterers, etc.

Talk about chicken math!!!

How much are your eggs worth?

 

[JeffOeuf]

Do you free range your birds at all? It is amazing to me how much less food my girls go through now that they are out of the pen most of the time. I haven't spent 75 dollars on feed yet on 5 birds that are 6 months old...but I am not buying organic either. I bought three small bags of chick starter, one 40lb bag of grower, and a 50lb bag of layer, the last of which is less than half empty.

 

[7 Biddies]

I live right next to the National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mtns; the ridge upon which the Appalachian Trial travels is right behind my house. As you can imagine, we have lots of predators here. So, my girls are kept in the coop except when I'm home. As much as possible, I put them in a chicken tractor and outdoor pen, which they love. However, since I work, it's mostly on the weekends.

This is one of the many reasons I can't wait to retire.

 

[JeffOeuf]

Are you emotionally committed to organic feed? I personally view it as a bunch of hype, particularly commercially produced "organic" products. The change from organic feed to regular could cut that cost in half or even less.

 

[7 Biddies]

Yes, I am. In fact, the entire reason I got into having chickens is because I don't want eggs that come from chickens who have been fed feed made with GMO corn that's been sprayed with Round-Up. When I told that to the Purina salesman, he said, "In that case, you're going to have to find organic." He even went on to explain why Purina had to buy GMO Round-Up Ready and *sprayed* corn and soy. So, I've had that particular fact verified for me.

But, thanks for the thought.

 

[Cindy in PA]

7 chickens should eat about 50 lbs of feed a month. What are you paying for organic feed? I think it's around $30-35/50lbs. here, so your total for the month is very high. I use a locally made soy-free organic & pay $30/80lbs., but of course it's mash. I like organic also, and will not buy Purina.

 

[Melabella]

Newbie chiming in here. Can anyone tell me some brands that are organic, and also some brands that make a soy free layer feed? I don't need the soy free to be organic, just soy free. For various reasons I want diet free of soy, and my chicks are 7 weeks old and would love to find something that has no soy product in it. Reading about the Round up makes me nutty too, I already go nuts with the feed bills for my horses, now I have the chickens to worry about!


Thanks!,
MB

 

[7 Biddies]

Newbie chiming in here. Can anyone tell me some brands that are organic, and also some brands that make a soy free layer feed? I don't need the soy free to be organic, just soy free. For various reasons I want diet free of soy, and my chicks are 7 weeks old and would love to find something that has no soy product in it. Reading about the Round up makes me nutty too, I already go nuts with the feed bills for my horses, now I have the chickens to worry about!


Thanks!,
MB

I use Countryside, as it's the only one I've found up here. They seem to like it ... too much!... and, my girls have been very healthy, laying great eggs so far. It's organic and soy free. I contacted them for local supplier. None of the other companies responded:

http://www.countrysideorganics.com/home.php?cat=51