chickens are so much work..........worth it

[artsy1]

So today my hubby and I finally finished the coop, run etc.
It was so much work and so costly even though, I found a shed for $100.00 off of craigslist. and We transformed it into the coop.
The whole run is covered by bird netting that I had to sew together, and ziptie. I have a hawk that swoops by the run everyday or two, trying to catch the chicks, hasn't got one yet.................it does look great and we used most all re-cycled wood etc. I really don't know how most people can afford it.


I do love my chicks. they aren't laying yet, they are 3 mths. old, I can't wait.
I would post pix. but I can't for some reason.

 

[mgw]

If you enjoy it like most of us do, the expense is worth it. It does always seem to cost more than expected though. Enjoy your chickens.

 

[carladababe]

We bought the coop/run pre-built, 16'x8' in total. Cost was about $1,200.00 with free delivery. A good chunk of change but a lot less labor and it's a great home for the girls. They are very spoiled chickens. I go out of my way to have fresh produce for their snacks, they don't care that cantaloupes are out of season. I get an extra 2-3 dozen eggs per week, not enough to go through selling them so I donate them to our local food pantry. I'll never make back the money I put in, but I don't care. I enjoy my chickens, they are a part of the family. The eggs go well with my $64.00 tomatoes.

 

[Ole rooster]

Even though I may not look at my chickens as pets, I do find them very interesting and entertaining. But mercy do they tear things up when they're ranging. If they attacked a hawk with the vengence they do my yard, there would not be any hawks found in Georgia. Around in amongst the trees where all the leaves are, it looks like little bombs went off where they've dug. I call um little two legged rototillers.

 

[allpeepedout]

I found coop/run construction was a huge amount of work and expense. But the chickens themselves so far are much lower maintenance than other types of pets and livestock. Very self-contained little units if their basic needs are met and they have an important job to do, like excavating a moon crater or demolishing a flake of hay.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The first egg costs thousands of dollars. After that they're free.
Financially, it's usually not worth it. But I know what my chickens eat so I know the nutrition I'm getting from my meat and eggs. That makes it worth it to me cause I'm a nutrition nazi. Along with raising a 3 season garden and the occasional venison I barely need to buy food.
Being frugal with materials, feed carefully and making everything as convenient as possible helps.

 

[Ole rooster]

That's very good. You know for sure what you're getting.