Just saved myself $100 from not throwing out old stuff!

[Sally PB]

Yeah, I think it's the lids that hold the smell. I don't the imagine the glass jars retain any smell. Depending on the type of jar lid, maybe soaking it in baking soda water for a day or two and then letting it dry out really good. Don't know. Just have about 4 or 5 of those large bulk pickle jars on the storage shelf looking for a second life.

I'm going to try the baking soda thing, but it'll be awhile before I have an empty pickle jar. If it works, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

[TJAnonymous]

For me, it's wet snow in the early winter that takes down my bird netting for the season. As far as sagging, have you considered putting up a support pole somewhere in the middle and letting the netting angle down to the fencing? As for leaves, I get some in the fall, but I just take out my leaf blower and blow them off.

[/QUOTE]
We did the same thing with the leaf blower but it was only partially helpful. Now that the majority of the leaves have fallen, we aren't getting overloaded with leaves but the trees still drop sticks and dead branches which causes the nets to rip. I have at least 5 giant oak trees that impact the netting with falling leaves & sticks. Of course, these same trees provide critical shade during the oppressive heat of summer so I won't cut them down or back. If I had something sturdier overhead, such as the posts with welded wire, it wouldn't be such an issue because they'd just fall through the wire or at least hold up more weight until I could use the blower to get it off.

As long as my bird netting is tight, I don't have to bend over in the chicken run. But, I might take my own advice this spring and add some 8 foot support poles in the middle so the netting so it will angle down towards the 6 foot tall fencing. Should help keep leaves off in the fall and maybe next winter will help the netting stay in place when we get wet, freezing snow.

[/QUOTE]
We have a setup like this now. We drove 5 ft metal T-posts into the ground and then made 8 ft PVC T-posts that slide over the top of the metal posts. I used rope to give some support for the nets between the posts and the fence. It looks like this -

We still get sagging issues which is exacerbated by the leaves, etc...

That's a bigger bill than I am willing to commit to my small backyard flock! But, yes, I can believe how expensive those supplies add up. Where I live, a dozen eggs at the store is less than $1.00. I knew when I went into raising a small backyard flock it was not going to be to save money on eggs. But we enjoy the fresh eggs from our own chickens, we sold extra eggs for feed money when the hens were younger and laying good, and they have made lots of chicken run compost for my gardens. And, of course, they have just been fun to have.

We also sell extra eggs to help offset cost of feed...but overall, we are definitely upside down on the costs. I have honestly though about seeing if I can get a tax write-off....

 

[gtaus]

I'm going to try the baking soda thing, but it'll be awhile before I have an empty pickle jar. If it works, I'll be sure to let you know.

I know what you mean. The bulk pickle jar I buy from WalMart last me about 3 months. Since the glass jar is so huge, I will take some pickles out and put them into smaller jars. I have one pickle jar for pickles cut into quarters and another jar of pickles sliced the long way which I use on sandwiches. The large bulk glass pickle jar sits in the back of the fridge until I can empty it.

 

[gtaus]

If I had something sturdier overhead, such as the posts with welded wire, it wouldn't be such an issue because they'd just fall through the wire or at least hold up more weight until I could use the blower to get it off.

I use bird netting over my chicken run because it is so inexpensive, plus, I don't have falling branches coming down on my run. The only thing I have a problem with is the wet, freezing snow early in the winter.

We have a setup like this now.

What a nice setup. Thanks for the picture. Made my day.

We also sell extra eggs to help offset cost of feed...but overall, we are definitely upside down on the costs. I have honestly though about seeing if I can get a tax write-off....

I am not a tax accountant, but it appears that you have some other livestock in your setup as well. I grew up in farm country, and our farmers had many ways to cover their losses. Some even got paid for not growing crops, which I kind of understand, but it was a good deal from some of our farmers. Having said all that, most of the farmers I knew in the 70's and 80's lost their farms.

Our small town school used to have about 40 kids per class in the 1950's when my dad graduated, mostly farm kids. That was down to 20 per class by 1980 when I graduated. And today they only have 8 kids per class, and from what I understand, that is with open enrollment and the school gets kids from other towns where the child did not do well. Maybe only 4 or 5 kids locally. I only mention this because the days of the farmer growing livestock and small animals on the family farm is long gone. The only ones left "farming" in my area are really large agribusiness corporations growing a single cash crop, like sugar beets. In many ways, my small backyard flock of chickens represents family farming better than what we see today with our new type of corporate farming.

Anyway, if you find a way to take advantage of tax policies to keep your chickens and livestock expenses under control, please pass that on to us. I would think it worthy of a special thread dedicated to the topic. As much as I like having chickens, I never recommend it to people who think they will save money by having a backyard flock to get all those "free" eggs. At least where I live, I could never compete with the under $1.00 per dozen eggs at the big box store.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I use bird netting over my chicken run because it is so inexpensive, plus, I don't have falling branches coming down on my run. The only thing I have a problem with is the wet, freezing snow early in the winter.



What a nice setup. Thanks for the picture. Made my day.



I am not a tax accountant, but it appears that you have some other livestock in your setup as well. I grew up in farm country, and our farmers had many ways to cover their losses. Some even got paid for not growing crops, which I kind of understand, but it was a good deal from some of our farmers. Having said all that, most of the farmers I knew in the 70's and 80's lost their farms.

Our small town school used to have about 40 kids per class in the 1950's when my dad graduated, mostly farm kids. That was down to 20 per class by 1980 when I graduated. And today they only have 8 kids per class, and from what I understand, that is with open enrollment and the school gets kids from other towns where the child did not do well. Maybe only 4 or 5 kids locally. I only mention this because the days of the farmer growing livestock and small animals on the family farm is long gone. The only ones left "farming" in my area are really large agribusiness corporations growing a single cash crop, like sugar beets. In many ways, my small backyard flock of chickens represents family farming better than what we see today with our new type of corporate farming.

Anyway, if you find a way to take advantage of tax policies to keep your chickens and livestock expenses under control, please pass that on to us. I would think it worthy of a special thread dedicated to the topic. As much as I like having chickens, I never recommend it to people who think they will save money by having a backyard flock to get all those "free" eggs. At least where I live, I could never compete with the under $1.00 per dozen eggs at the big box store.

Completely understand.... This is Tyson country. Tyson doesn't have their own chicken farms. Instead, they source chickens from selected private farms. I am NOT one of those private farms.... However, if there was ever a place where the local accountants might be versed in tax advantages for farms, it would be here. I haven't done it yet....only considering it because costs have gotten astronomical. I also have ducks, goats, and horses but not sure those would qualify since I don't sell them.

Anyway, I went to feed store this weekend. Layer pellets are up to $14.95/50 lb bag! I go through at least a bag of pellets a week. Duck pellets are$22.95/bag for a 40 lb bag. Black oil sunflower seeds are up to $25/50 lb bag. I legimately spend around $150 - $250/month in feed for the goats, ducks, and chickens. Horse feed is around another $120/month. I probably get $80-$100/month from the eggs I sell. Not anywhere NEAR what I pay just to feed these animals.

 

[Sally PB]

Since the glass jar is so huge,

Can you reach your hand into it? That is a HUGE plus to me, deciding what containers to keep. The big jar I have is for making kombucha, and I can't reach into it. That doesn't matter for brewing; I wanted it for the half gallon size.

"Free eggs" ha ha ha! Here's the secret: The first egg costs $1000-2000 (or more, depending on how fancy your coop/run are and what you had to purchase). The rest are for the cost of the feed/bedding/time/effort.

Joking aside, I haven't actually figured out what my eggs cost. I'm not sure I want to know.

 

[gtaus]

I probably get $80-$100/month from the eggs I sell. Not anywhere NEAR what I pay just to feed these animals.

I was able to cover my chicken feed costs with the eggs I sold for the first 2 years of my chickens. But now, in their 3rd year, I don't get anywhere near enough eggs to sell, let alone cover the cost of their feed. If I continue to raise chickens and expect to break even on the costs, I will have to replace the flock every 2 years.

I would keep track of your costs and talk to an accountant to see if you qualify for any write offs. You might be able to sell eggs or meat to yourself, or family, to justify the idea of a commercial operation. But if your animals are only pets, then I suspect that might be more difficult.

 

[gtaus]

Can you reach your hand into it? That is a HUGE plus to me, deciding what containers to keep. The big jar I have is for making kombucha, and I can't reach into it. That doesn't matter for brewing; I wanted it for the half gallon size.

The bulk pickle jars I get at WalMart are 1 gallon, with a 3.75 inch wide top so I can just fit my hand inside, although Dear Wife would have no problem with her smaller hands.

Joking aside, I haven't actually figured out what my eggs cost. I'm not sure I want to know.

I kept close track of my egg costs for the first 2 years, but now my 7 chickens are only averaging 1 egg per day total, I have kind of lost interest in knowing how much those fresh eggs are costing me. I will have to replace my flock this spring if I want to keep in the "free" egg business.

 

[Sally PB]

I kept close track of my egg costs for the first 2 years, but now my 7 chickens are only averaging 1 egg per day total, I have kind of lost interest in knowing how much those fresh eggs are costing me. I will have to replace my flock this spring if I want to keep in the "free" egg business.

I've read of people who have a 3 year system with their chickens. Add 1/3 new every year, cull 1/3 every year. New egg layers coming on line, pullets to lay through the winter.

 

[gtaus]

I've read of people who have a 3 year system with their chickens. Add 1/3 new every year, cull 1/3 every year. New egg layers coming on line, pullets to lay through the winter.

This is my first time experience with a backyard flock of laying hens. I though they would be laying good for 3 years. I started out with 10 hens. The first year I averaged about 7-8 eggs per day. The second year I averaged about 5-6 eggs per day. This third year, however, with 7 hens remaining (I lost 3 hens this summer), I am only getting 1 egg every other day.

I think location may have a lot to do with egg production. Our winters are long and dark. Maybe I would get more eggs if I added light into the coop. I have not done that thinking I don't want to be stressing out my hens in the dead of winter when we regularly get down to -20F at night, and have cold spells that go as low as -35F to -40F.

I have asked other chicken owners in my area and they tell me that they basically only get eggs the first 2 years. After that, very little. That is my experience with my first flock. If I go into a rotation system, I would have to cull the hens before they go into their third winter. I don't know if you would call that a 3 year rotation, or a 2.5 year rotation, considering 1/3 of the flock would not be carried over their third winter.