Cost of keeping chickens

[JacinLarkwell]

Our basic layer pellets are usually 9.99 for a 40 pound bag (11.99 for a 50 pound bag) but when you go through more that one or two a month, it adds up very fast

 

[Vickischics]

I do not believe as someone stated " your privilege is showing a bit". What I do believe is that kind of statement is over rated/over used. The original OP says nothing that alludes to being "privileged".
The one thing I love about this forum is Freedom of Kind Speech.
Saying what you feel or what you have observed happening should not be a" Roasting".
If someone is offended then, perhaps the shoe fits, and they wear it.

I do take good care of my chickens but, I do not take them to a Poultry Vet.
I am all for preventative maintenance just like our western medicine has become but, sometimes diseases or attacks happen and if the good knowledgeable people "Experts" as I call them on this site, can't help me or recommends to cull, then that is what I would do.

Keeping a clean coop and run costs nothing. Feeding expensive food costs but, just like anything else, there are many alternatives for feed. All you have to do is ask on here what are some options.
It is in my opinion that making sure your chickens are routinely examined by YOU is the best preventative measure one can take.
Check that crop, check those legs, check for mites and lice, look at the poop, look at your chickens behavior, look at the comb and waddle coloring. Just LOOK at your chickens.
Take a mere minute and LOOK at your chickens, just like you look in the mirror everyday.....I hope! LOL By LOOKING, it can save a lot of heartache in advance.

Thank you OP for your post, it has provoked many pros and cons of saying an unspoken thought. LOL

Vicki

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I have 50 chickens. They get sick occasionally; or injured. I do my best to treat / prevent, but I will not bring a chicken to a vet. It is just way too expensive. But that does not mean I am an irresponsible person who lets my chickens suffer and die. They are spoiled and loved. However; they are livestock. I have 2 dogs whose vet bills are very expensive. I think if someone ignored their sick / injured chicken would be one thing... but no, I refuse to take a chicken to a vet. Most of the time if it gets to that point it’s too late anyway. And I live in the south (NOT born and raised here), where I’m surrounded by farmers and chicken people. A vet has never been necessary.
It also depends on what your chickens are to you. My neighbors are Mexican and their chickens have a tattered shack to sleep in and get table scraps only; if one of theirs get sick they cull and eat immediately. Their chickens are strictly livestock. Then there are others whose chickens are their pets, and that’s fine. I’m in between... love them like pets but at the end of the day it only goes so far. To each their own. I focus on initial proper care (my babies live in a huge coop that’s cleansed daily and get supplements, garlic, ACV, the whole 9 yards). But I don’t consider myself a neglectful chicken owner bc I won’t spend $100 on a chicken at the vet (which is just the cost to be seen - who knows what else you could be charged for or have to buy).

I totally understand your point of view. I have two dogs and they are treated well and go to vet whenever needed and are spoiled rotten and live inside etc. my nine chickens have a huge coop and run and are treated well and they most likely will not go to a vet because I can’t get vets to see a chicken from a small private backyard flock where I live. But can I ask why you have fifty chickens? If I could take one of my nine to the vet if they would see them I would take them. I just probably can better afford it because I have less chickens to start with. I’m not trying to be nosy or critical or judge mental at all so please don’t get upset. Please.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I keep seeing on here people saying they cannot afford good quality feed, vet fees, good coop construction materials, necessary equipment, medicines, etc etc.

I get that times are hard but why keep any animal if you cannot afford their upkeep?

I am all for being creative and saving money, using home remedies, growing my own food, bit of minor home surgery etc but for some this is not a choice. And sometimes it is not enough.

Even if you are raising livestock for consumption rather than keeping them as pets, you have a responsibility towards their welfare.

I hope I'm not being unfair to those on limited incomes, and I realise that sometimes people's circumstances change. I just feel a bit frustrated sometimes when I hear of chickens suffering because their owners got them and cannot spend what they need to to ensure they live a good healthy life.

Rant over

(I realise I am probably going to get flamed for this post)

You might be opening a can of worms yes. However you have a right to your opinion and I tend to think the way that you do. I think that if you are going to purchase or take over the care of or responsibilities of an animal or poultry that you should truly care for it properly to the best of your abilities. If you do not have the proper knowledge base, financial structure, shelter, and physical abilities and long term health to care for these animals and birds then you should not make an agreement or buy these animals or birds. It is wrong and or irresponsible for you to do such a thing if you do so and you do not have these things or abilities. That is my opinion and I will also add that if you don’t love and enjoy animals very much as well as want to learn about maintaining their continued health you should never take over the care of an animal or bird.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have almost 100 birds, will pass that number next season when my chicks for other projects hatch and are shipped.

But even if I had 3, theybwouldnt go to a vet. Too expensive for something that has a low chance of helping, plus there's no one here within any sort if reasonable driving distance.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I do not believe as someone stated " your privilege is showing a bit". What I do believe is that kind of statement is over rated/over used. The original OP says nothing that alludes to being "privileged".
The one thing I love about this forum is Freedom of Kind Speech.
Saying what you feel or what you have observed happening should not be a" Roasting".
If someone is offended then, perhaps the shoe fits, and they wear it.

I do take good care of my chickens but, I do not take them to a Poultry Vet.
I am all for preventative maintenance just like our western medicine has become but, sometimes diseases or attacks happen and if the good knowledgeable people "Experts" as I call them on this site, can't help me or recommends to cull, then that is what I would do.

Keeping a clean coop and run costs nothing. Feeding expensive food costs but, just like anything else, there are many alternatives for feed. All you have to do is ask on here what are some options.
It is in my opinion that making sure your chickens are routinely examined by YOU is the best preventative measure one can take.
Check that crop, check those legs, check for mites and lice, look at the poop, look at your chickens behavior, look at the comb and waddle coloring. Just LOOK at your chickens.
Take a mere minute and LOOK at your chickens, just like you look in the mirror everyday.....I hope! LOL By LOOKING, it can save a lot of heartache in advance.

Thank you OP for your post, it has provoked many pros and cons of saying an unspoken thought. LOL

Vicki

Amen Sister! Well spoken! I think there is an educational thread that is entitled something like “The Benefits of Spending an Extra Ten Minutes in the Coop Today” or something along those lines regarding allowing us as chicken owners and keepers to take a good look at and also just make more time for our birds even when we have busy lives and a very full schedule of other things on our calendar that might be making it much more eventful than spending time sitting in the coop or run with the chicks and getting to know their habits, quirks, and keeping up on their health. The point is we really just need to take just a few extra minutes everyday as we do with everything else that matters and get to know our birds and their anatomy and what is looking right and what is abnormal so that when something goes wrong we can spot signs immediately. Chicks are prey animals they are taught instead really instinctively to hide pain and illness so it will be very bad when they start to show signs of a problem and it could be too late to cure when it is noticed. By spending these few precious minutes with them daily we learn our hens behaviors. What’s normal. What’s not. You are their Vet and their healer also. Having a proper first aid kit prepared can keep you ready and out of the vets office that is not available to us anyway and that most of us aren’t going to take chickens to anyway. That’s my input on that and my two cents.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

Meridian, MS and surrounding areas. $10 for 50lbs of feed. It’s name brand feed too. Purina, Nutrena and the like. I have to go to the feed store and get it myself. I’m already in town because of work. I do realize it costs more to live in different parts of the country. We’re very fortunate that this is not one of those places.

Yes. We are lucky. I’m in Tupelo, MS and right now chicken feed is not expensive the only problem now is finding it. Due to the pandemic every one is getting chickens and hogs. Finding feed now is difficult. It is flying off the shelves at the stores. As soon as it gets in stock it’s gone here. I have to go to Scruggs up here almost everyday when I’m getting low to get Nutrena to catch it in Stock and still keep my order coming from Chewy to insure that I have enough feed on hand and I only have nine girls.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

7000. a month is a lot of money each month. That's 84,000 a year. I certainly can't afford that. I definitely wouldn't have birds if I spent that much. I'm retired on a fixed income that doesn't even come close. Good luck and have fun...

That’s ridiculous! Nobody spends that! That is crazy. She’s got rocks in her head or that is a type “o”. No way she spends that on some chicken feed. What’s it made out of Gold?

 

[Vickischics]

Amen Sister! Well spoken! I think there is an educational thread that is entitled something like “The Benefits of Spending an Extra Ten Minutes in the Coop Today” or something along those lines regarding allowing us as chicken owners and keepers to take a good look at and also just make more time for our birds even when we have busy lives and a very full schedule of other things on our calendar that might be making it much more eventful than spending time sitting in the coop or run with the chicks and getting to know their habits, quirks, and keeping up on their health. The point is we really just need to take just a few extra minutes everyday as we do with everything else that matters and get to know our birds and their anatomy and what is looking right and what is abnormal so that when something goes wrong we can spot signs immediately. Chicks are prey animals they are taught instead really instinctively to hide pain and illness so it will be very bad when they start to show signs of a problem and it could be too late to cure when it is noticed. By spending these few precious minutes with them daily we learn our hens behaviors. What’s normal. What’s not. You are their Vet and their healer also. Having a proper first aid kit prepared can keep you ready and out of the vets office that is not available to us anyway and that most of us aren’t going to take chickens to anyway. That’s my input on that and my two cents.

That was two cents worth reading. Thank you.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I've got to agree with most people here. My birds will never see a vet. Harsh, but true. I can't afford seven hundred dollars a mon, let alone seven thousand. My birds don't care that they don't have a two hundred dollar feeder, they care that they have food that keeps them alive. They don't care that they have boxes made from office crates, they'll nest wherever the cluck they feel like it and still raise beautiful babies or lay healthy eggs.

I do the best I can to provide my birds with the best but unfortunately that isn't going to happen.

I think the majority of us chicken keepers that take the time to join this forum and read anything on here and do any research that it provides give a rip and a great deal of care about our birds and other animals we have. Many of us work, have busy jobs,lives,families,children,spouses, other responsibilities, yet we do the best we can to feed, water, exercise, clean and maintain our birds homes, coops, runs, etc. , We all do the best we can to observe our birds as much as possible for any illnesses or injuries and come here for advice if we need it and get any input if we don’t know how to care for their problems and go from there.