Feed question

[McCord6]

Im trying to calculate fiances and stuff for when I do get chickens so I know what to expect when I do get them. Im thinking about getting only 3 to start off. How much feed does a standard hen eat a week?
There is a 50lb bag at the S&S store right up the road for only $8 a bag. How long should that last for 3 laying hens?

 

[digitS']

May I have a little fun first?? :

Thinking about "fiances" when you get them and baby #4 is on his/her way??

795 BYC posts and you still don't have chickens??

Okay . . . I hope you didn't mind

!

A light breed chicken will eat 1/4 pound each day. Larger breeds will eat about 1/3 pound each day.

1/3 x 3 = 1 pound/day

50 pound bag . . . 50 days.

Steve

 

[ranchhand]

McCord6, if I recall, your power was shut off last week for non-payment. You had to borrow fron your awful FIL to have it turned back on. And farm 3 kids out for the duration.
You still have an unspayed female dog on a chain. Just gave away her litter of pups.
Your DH still doesn't have reliable employment.
Your Mom pays for your internet and phone.
Bob the donkey went for 3 days with no food because you had no money to buy some.
You lost your goldfish and want a whole new tank setup.
Your/his truck still isn't running.
And yes, child #4 is on the way soon.


And you want to buy more mouths to feed? Not only is there the relatively minor feed cost- but housing, bedding, worming, etc. will eat at your non-existent budget. Your pen plan is not predator proof at all and needs to be rethought.

Please rethink this- this is when you need to save money, not spend any. You are a smart woman, you just haven't been taught to priortize and budget very well. Sometimes you just have to do without the wants in order to keep the needs!

 

[HEChicken]

I'm glad you are thinking ahead, researching and planning this, rather than just jumping in. I started keeping chooks again this year as a way to provide higher quality food for my family in these hard times (also started a vegie garden that will be expanded next year for the same reason). It sounds as though you are thinking about this from the right standpoint - how to "do it on the cheap". I was determined that my chooks would pay for themselves within a year and so far I am on track to meet that goal. Many on here though have spent hundreds if not thousands on coops, equipment and feed. If it is for a hobby and not to save money, that's great. But if you, like me, are looking to feed your family and NOT have this cost more than it would have cost to just go out and buy the eggs, you do need to be careful about your startup costs and realize that at least in the initial phase, it will cost more than it will save. Even if you are able to buy point of lay pullets, at the minimum you will have the cost of the pullets and cost of a bag of feed. And that's if you are able to build a coop, run, feeder & waterer out of materials you already have on hand. Also, even point of lay pullets probably won't lay for the first few weeks you have them due to the stress of the move, so you would be feeding them without any return on the investment to begin with. What needs to be weighed is whether you have the money for the startup costs now, or whether you are better off buying eggs in the short term and making chicken raising a long-term goal for when other finances have stabilized out.

 

[Jess N Jeff]

Please just keep in mind that you may have a lot on your plate right now. Maybe chickens are not the best thing for you to invest your time and finances in.

I'm not trying to get down on you at all, its just that your time and energy may be best put into the kids and pets you have.

Sorry if it sounds harsh or judgmental. Its not meant to be.

 

[McCord6]

Im doing more research and planning for FUTURE, doesn't mean NOW.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

Don't forget that in the winter their food consumution goes up, to help them stay warm!

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

It sounds like chickens should not even be in your future forcast. Prices and costs can change dramatically in this economy so researching now is probably a waste of time........ time that could be spent dealing with your more urgent immediate problems.
Personally, I would think you would be looking to rehome the current animals you have so you can make your electric payment and not have to farm your children out in the future.
Chickens cost money to house and secure, please reconsider your efforts to aquire chickens......This of course is just my opinion no malice intended.

 

[McCord6]

My question was...How much does an average chicken eat and how long a 50lb bag of feed should last NOT rather it is a good idea or not for me to get chicken. Can we please get back to the actual question?

 

[twentynine]

Look out ranchhand!!!!!!!

The thread won't make morning!