Counting The Costs?

[ChickenCanoe]

Haven't we all.

 

[rjohns39]

Haven't we all.

X2

 

[BantyChooks]

Keeping chickens is not cost effective. Store bought eggs, especially if you shop the sales are much cheaper.

Taking care of chickens requires constant care. They need feed and water every day. They need to be monitored every day. Their coop and run need to be tended to, even if you do deep litter.

You will need to keep your chicken facilities predator proof, and exercise constant vigilance in that regard.

You need to constantly assess the health of your flock, and be ready with an action plan for external, internal parasites, injury, and illness.

You will need to collect eggs daily. Sometimes you have too many, sometimes you don't have enough. You will need a plan to manage those extras, as well as a plan to manage the lean times.

Take all of these needs into account, and you will realize that chicken ownership requires life style assessment to be sure you are up for the challenge.

I enjoy my flock. They provide: entertainment, exercise, fresh eggs, fresh meat, compost for my garden and orchard. They eliminate weeds, insects (including ticks and mosquitoes) and even till areas of my garden.

They also poop liberally any where they are allowed to range, and love to dig craters in my lawn and flower beds.

Fresh home grown chicken eggs have spoiled me. I find store bought eggs to be a shabby comparison. I feel the same about home grown veggies in comparison to store bought. Home grown is the real thing. Store bought: it may look the same, but it is like eating a cardboard photograph in comparison.

Great post. I spend about $4 per dozen right now, not counting coop costs---I just shelled out 2k for a new coop slash barn, so adding that to the price would be truly scary.

I have a record of costs and egg production for about 6 months now. The cost per dozen would be significantly better if I didn't have 6 laying hens in a flock of 35. Hopefully the pullets start laying and the adult freeloaders do too. They've been moved around quite a bit this year so I can't blame them.

 

[lazy gardener]

I had a chat with my girls yesterday afternoon. I showed them one egg of the 6 that was laid that day. Let them know that I know that they know that there are slackers in the coop. Gave a strong recommendation that since the solstice has now arrived, and as of today is passed... it's time for them to get to work. I did not give them a light this year.

 

[BantyChooks]

I had a chat with my girls yesterday afternoon. I showed them one egg of the 6 that was laid that day. Let them know that I know that they know that there are slackers in the coop. Gave a strong recommendation that since the solstice has now arrived, and as of today is passed... it's time for them to get to work. I did not give them a light this year.

I told mine that my Leghorns (4 of 'em) are giving me 4 eggs per day, they had better not complain about the low light. I even got 5 leghorn eggs from 4 birds one day. Now that was impressive.

The 5th was soft shelled, but usable.

 

[aart]

I had a chat with my girls yesterday afternoon. I showed them one egg of the 6 that was laid that day. Let them know that I know that they know that there are slackers in the coop. Gave a strong recommendation that since the solstice has now arrived, and as of today is passed... it's time for them to get to work. I did not give them a light this year.

That's interesting......maybe later this spring you could assess how that worked out?

The rest is funny.

 

[Morrigan]

I hear you! 3 eggs from 17 hens yesterday. I've got some pullets with very red combs I'm waiting on . . .

 

[lazy gardener]

Yep, Aart, this year is a trial. First year, no light. Had one girl of 5 who gave me 3 eggs/week. (EE). Following years, they had a light, and laid accordingly. Couldn't fault the production. This year, I think I have 27 girls. (sad, but I really haven't bothered to do a thorough beak count. The beaks keep moving, and I loose count!) Even the pullets are molting. I've not experienced that before. When they have supplemental light, the pullets hang onto their feathers until the following fall. I think I prefer the supplementation.

 

[aart]

Yep, Aart, this year is a trial. First year, no light. Had one girl of 5 who gave me 3 eggs/week. (EE). Following years, they had a light, and laid accordingly. Couldn't fault the production. This year, I think I have 27 girls. (sad, but I really haven't bothered to do a thorough beak count. The beaks keep moving, and I loose count!) Even the pullets are molting. I've not experienced that before. When they have supplemental light, the pullets hang onto their feathers until the following fall. I think I prefer the supplementation.

I'm back to using lights this year, pullets didn't molt but 2 went semi-broody then 3 weeks off laying. Older birds molted 'normally', some are back in lay, some are not done yet. Mine are pretty easy to track 8 olders(~18mo) and 8 pullets.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'd start a light now, but I'm afraid the hormone shift would result in me having a bunch of broodies in January! So, I'm gonna just wait it out this year. next year, I'll have my bulb shined up and ready to go in November!