Financially speaking, is it worth it?

[jhm47]

Making money on your chickens??? I would remind everyone that there are huge poultry farms that raise millions of chickens, and their profit margins are tiny, on a per bird basis. These mega farms have been breeding for efficiency for decades, and their birds and facilities are tremendously efficient. They have refined their feed rations to make their birds gain/lay so efficiently that their feed usage is measured in hundreths of a pound.

To think that we hobbyists can compete with these people is absurd. However, the satisfaction that we get from watching and caring for our birds is impossible to value in $.

If we are truly interested in at least trying to come close to break even, we must forget the pretty, ornamental breeds, and raise only the birds that are bred for commercial use. The leghorn hybrids are the best for egg production, and the cornish crosses are best for meat production.

 

[newbie coops]

We've spent endless hours and money on our "hobby" of raising chickens, primarily for eggs but of course, when they have outrun their usefullness, they will be fodder for the soup pot. We sell the eggs for $2.50 per dozen, which is around average for this area - especially for cage-free and often free-ranged chickens. The cost has been more than we anticipated or planned for, but the learning experience has been priceless.

 

[4biddies]

Every dollar that doesn't go to factory farming operations is worth many times that to me. But to literally make money from hobby farming? Not likely. Even larger family farms can barely keep there head above water in most instances. But if it is a labour of love, the peace of mind and personal satisfaction is clearly priceless.

My beloved dogs are nothing but money pits as well, but in exchange they give companionship and their love for life is contagious. Aside from the best eggs you can get, I suspect most of us have come to appreciate the little chicken quirks and personalities that they display as well. Whether basking in the sun, dirt bathing, excitedly scratching, or that quick waddle when they they run over to me looking for treats, to their odd little vocalizations...they are quite a joy.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Ah, but how many young and growing-up and waiting-to-be-selected-from chickens do you have room for? If you only have room for 30 chickens *total* I'd strongly suggest sticking with just ONE of those breeds, because there is just no way you can substantially improve on your parent stock with just like 6-10 birds per breed. You have to have room to keep a goodly number of birds around til they are old enough to let you pick the top X percent for further breeding. (Especially for things like phoenixes that have traits that take a year or more to really develop.)

And then, to make enough of a name that people will pay high prices for your stock, it's hard to escape doing some showing. Which has a bunch of additional costs associated with it (travel, etc).

It might be better to regard it as a hobby. Then if, some year in the future, you find that it happens to be paying itself back, neato -- but in the meantime you'll have been able to *enjoy* it

Good luck, have FUN

,

Pat

 

[purplepeep]

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I couldn't agree more with you. My thoughts exactly. Excellent post!

 

[Backyard Farm]

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Well said!

So true!! I have to keep my "day job" to support my chickens and other obsessions!!

 

[BigSkyChickens]

DBF just showed me the bill for the coop. Yikes! But in a way I don't care! We've only had the chickens for 5 weeks, but they are bringing pure joy into our lives. I adore the simplicity of their little pea brains! Scratch and peck, scratch and peck.....so simple!

 

[ChickBond 007]

Taking care of my hens gives me a little relaxation, non-brain-attack-big-thinking time, just some monotonous easy chores and satisfaction of finding a couple eggs of appreciation from my little 'girl-friends'.
I give them names like Tina Turner, Oprah, Jemima, Madonna. They make me smile and then I scoop their poop.
What is sanity worth in this busy world?
Finding a little down-time, enjoying a small easy life-style escape if even for 15 minutes in the hen house.

It may not make you money, but it might save you a lot of money in Xanex or some other goofy depression drug.
Chicken-raising...need a VISA but Sanity... it's Priceless

 

[vermontgal]

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This site looks promising - http://www.squidoo.com/How-To-Make-Potato-Vodka

 

[dnsnthegrdn]

Kudos!, Chillin With My Peeps. I have not had mine for long, but our family is doing this for self sufficiency and to stick it to the factory farm. I already have three people that want the eggs (not till I have enough for my family!). To have eggs/meat for my family that I know where it is coming from.

I would think if you wanted to make money, stay away from ornamental and go with a useful dual purpose chicken that will provide meat and eggs that you could eat and sell. Are you willing to clean birds? That is a good ? to ask. Luckily my hubby is the killer.

But to save on cost, things don't have to be fancy. Feeding scraps saves costs. I'm sure others know more about it than I. Look for free materials, we got free material to build the walls of our coop from someone doing renovations. We just got rid of some trash for them. Saw mills often have cheap lumber. I've seen the price of coops

If it is possible grow some of the food, seeds aren't that much, even a small yard could do some.

Oh, by the way Chillin With My Peeps, I have a recipe for home made laundry detergent if you want it. It works for me and is extremely cheap. Not to mention I make our cleaners (cheap and chemical free), always willing to share that info. One less industrial product being bought as well.

I haven't had chickens for long but I know how to make the most of what I have and the chickens don't seem embarrassed that I don't have a fancy coop for them.