Chicken Math Strikes another victim.
I must say the math hasnt been as hard on me as others!
Last Spring I decided to get 4 hens. I did a ton of reading on BYC and a couple other sites. Oh boy free eggs!
The coop was created from part of my shed and I bought a dog kennel for a run. From the research I did I decided Plymouth Barred Rocks would be best for us. By the time I was ready for the hens it was Summer. I decided it would be best to go with a few month old pullets. Besides I didn't want to have to have to start with raising chicks. We found a family that had a hobby farm and raised PBRs.
We went to pick them up and they fed the addiction big time. Right off the bat 4 turned into 6. My daughter had to go see all the chicks they were raising in their garage brooders. I'm loading the hens into the carriers into my truck. My daughter comes up holding a two week old chick..."daddy look what they gave me...." Aw crap!
On the way home we had to stop at Home Dopes and get a painters lamp, light bulbs, a tote and other supplies. Then next door (dead) PetsMart for shavings, and other pet needs. By the time we got home the "free" chick had cost me more than the six PBR pullets. Well as we all know one chick does not do well alone. Monday I had to pick up a chick for company to the "free" one. Of course none of the local feed and grain stores had chicks that week so I contacted a lady who had an ad for rare Salmon Faverolles. I went to pick them up after work, she would sell one and had to be talked into selling just two. SFs are sex linked by color, but not at the age for the chicks she had available. I left with two 1 week old chicks that cost the same as the 4 month old PBRs I bought.
Soon after the wife finds Black Australorps on Craigslist already laying. We call and get the last two from her Spring brood. Now we are up to 11.
Long story short....the "free" Bantam and both SF end up being Roosters! They get rehomed. The coop has taken over my WHOLE shed, the run took over my daughters swing set area she out grew. I'm working on a new run area for this years additions. We now shop for fruits and veggies just the chickens at the grocery store.
Right now we are waiting on the EE chicks we ordered through our grain store and I bought a Little Giant StyroBator off Craigslist. I ordered a dozen Copper Marans off Arielle on BYC.
I think each "free" egg costs me 2 dollars.
I must say the math hasnt been as hard on me as others!
Last Spring I decided to get 4 hens. I did a ton of reading on BYC and a couple other sites. Oh boy free eggs!
The coop was created from part of my shed and I bought a dog kennel for a run. From the research I did I decided Plymouth Barred Rocks would be best for us. By the time I was ready for the hens it was Summer. I decided it would be best to go with a few month old pullets. Besides I didn't want to have to have to start with raising chicks. We found a family that had a hobby farm and raised PBRs.
We went to pick them up and they fed the addiction big time. Right off the bat 4 turned into 6. My daughter had to go see all the chicks they were raising in their garage brooders. I'm loading the hens into the carriers into my truck. My daughter comes up holding a two week old chick..."daddy look what they gave me...." Aw crap!
On the way home we had to stop at Home Dopes and get a painters lamp, light bulbs, a tote and other supplies. Then next door (dead) PetsMart for shavings, and other pet needs. By the time we got home the "free" chick had cost me more than the six PBR pullets. Well as we all know one chick does not do well alone. Monday I had to pick up a chick for company to the "free" one. Of course none of the local feed and grain stores had chicks that week so I contacted a lady who had an ad for rare Salmon Faverolles. I went to pick them up after work, she would sell one and had to be talked into selling just two. SFs are sex linked by color, but not at the age for the chicks she had available. I left with two 1 week old chicks that cost the same as the 4 month old PBRs I bought.
Soon after the wife finds Black Australorps on Craigslist already laying. We call and get the last two from her Spring brood. Now we are up to 11.
Long story short....the "free" Bantam and both SF end up being Roosters! They get rehomed. The coop has taken over my WHOLE shed, the run took over my daughters swing set area she out grew. I'm working on a new run area for this years additions. We now shop for fruits and veggies just the chickens at the grocery store.
Right now we are waiting on the EE chicks we ordered through our grain store and I bought a Little Giant StyroBator off Craigslist. I ordered a dozen Copper Marans off Arielle on BYC.
I think each "free" egg costs me 2 dollars.
