cost of raising birds...

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
That's a lot of food for 10 hens, Mine are so far eating 1 50lb bag a month between the 15 of them. They get corn on the side, and some hay to pick through in the run but that's about it. Oh and oyster shell of course.

 

[runamuck]

UMMMM bit embarrassed

But...... I spend weekly for the ducks (64) Chickens (52) Rabbits ( 35) and 2 goat 70.00 to 100 depending on if I have chicks or ducklings. My and the kidz hobby cost us a bunch but its worth it in the long run

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
That's a lot of food for 10 hens, Mine are so far eating 1 50lb bag a month between the 15 of them. They get corn on the side, and some hay to pick through in the run but that's about it. Oh and oyster shell of course.

I have always heard chickens eat between 1/4 and 1/3 lb. per day depending on the breed. I have 12 chickens and I go through about 100/lb per month give or take a day. So 10 isn't much different. At 1/4lb/day it would last 33 days and at 1/3lb it would last 25 days. My birds get a little less than a cup of BOSS & corn per day and some wheat sprouts. I am paying $11.85/50 lbs. right now

 

[the1much]

$250.00 a month
every week i go through,, 50lbs of,, scratch, game conditioner, game maintenance, chick starter, and every 2 week 50lbs of gamestart,, another 42 bucks added on

and i must have 30 or more birds easy,,, not counting the hundreds of chicks every month

 

[Bammony]

que removed

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
That's a lot of food for 10 hens, Mine are so far eating 1 50lb bag a month between the 15 of them. They get corn on the side, and some hay to pick through in the run but that's about it. Oh and oyster shell of course.

I have always heard chickens eat between 1/4 and 1/3 lb. per day depending on the breed. I have 12 chickens and I go through about 100/lb per month give or take a day. So 10 isn't much different. At 1/4lb/day it would last 33 days and at 1/3lb it would last 25 days. My birds get a little less than a cup of BOSS & corn per day and some wheat sprouts. I am paying $11.85/50 lbs. right now

I guess mine aren't big eaters then LOL. I give them hay in the run though, and they're picking through that most of the day. They also pick through the shavings to fine bits of corn and food they've left from previous feeder fill-ups lol.

 

[Buster]

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I spend about $50 a month to feed about 40 chickens and 6 ducks. A little more now that it's winter and they can't free range like before.

 

[digitS']

Quote:
$23.70/100 lbs. of feed (@$11.85/50 lbs.)
$2.40/chicken/month

That is just about what it is costing me (less than $2.50/chicken/month) even tho' my feed is a bit more expensive.

I'm not feeding BOSS & corn each day but a lot of leftovers from the house to go with that commercial feed. That keeps my hens at 1/4 pound of store-bought feed each day. (There's over 3 feet of snow in my backyard - no free-ranging here

.)

We can all do the math but at $2.50/chicken/month:

$10/4 chickens
$25/10 chickens
$100/40 chickens

I'm spending about $60-$70 a month to feed 40+ chickens, 2 turkeys and 1 guinea.

Laura, I'd say you are doing real good.

Steve​

 

[Bammony]

digitS' :

I'm spending about $60-$70 a month to feed 40+ chickens, 2 turkeys and 1 guinea.

Laura, I'd say you are doing real good.

Steve​

During the summer we of course don't feed as much because my birds free range, but this next year I want to grow most of my own feed. I know I can't grow all of it, I just want to try to grow some grains for them.​

 

[digitS']

Me too! I have grown wheat & some other things in the garden for the hens. They are happy with produce from the garden

.

The poultry scientists tell us that we can have productive laying hens with as much as 1/3 to 1/2 whole grains in their diets. Higher protein commercial feed and some thinking about other nutrients is required. I've little doubt that everything in their diet can come from the garden but it may take a lot of planning in order to keep the hens productive.

Steve
Merry Christmas Everyone!