I'm a wonderin' how much the annual cost is for you to maintain your current flock. Did you stay within your allocated budget? Suzy
I would hate to put a dollar figure on it. I am sure I would sell everything and get out of it. Not really. I hatch eggs and sell the chicks. I make absolutely no money at it at all if you count my time. I just do it because my kids like to see the chicks hatch. Wife does to. I just hatched 19 chicks for my uncle. His flock is very old and I have been providing him eating eggs for a year now. He culled all but 3 of his hens and is starting over with a new flock. They hatched on Sunday and Monday. He has a long wait. I have $350 in my chicken "house". Another $100.00 in a coop. I have $0.00 in another "house" that I use. It is my FIL's house. I have spent about $20.00 on a waterer for my big girls. I was given gallon drinkers from a buddy that has chicken houses. So that is $470.00 in coops and supplies. We could probably add another $100.00 for things I have probably bought but forgot about. We are up to $ 570.00. Plus the cost of my original flock, $50.00. That is $620.00 less the chicks and chickens I have sold this Spring. Guessing, $100.00. That is $ 520.00 plus the cost of feed. $10.00 per week in laying pellets. $10.00 per week for start and grow. I did however spend $15.00 on some turkey starter for the last batch of chicks. That is $1040.00 for feed in a year, give or take. So $1560.00 that I have spent in the past 12 months. Less the eggs that I have sold. No clue how much that is. But the enjoyment factor that these chickens bring me far outweight the $1560.00 that I have spent in the past 12 months. Darin
Ive decided to keep track this year of how much I spend on the birds (chickens, ducks and geese) So far, this year from Jan 1st to now, Ive spent $205.97
Oh how can I put a dollar amount on happiniess?! In other words I just don't add up the cost! Love is priceless! Plus the hens keep all the food scraps out of my fridge! My little feathered garbage disposals!