List Your Top 3 Best Investments.....And Top Worst....

[Ma]

Awhile back I asked for you to list your top three mistakes, and I earned a wealth of information. thank you!

Now I ask for your top 3 all time BEST investments. Not home made, but something you actually paid money for. And, while we're at it, how about your all time WORST investment?

 

[jenichick]

1/4 inch wire mesh for all of run enclosure into 1 foot of concrete = $800 very good investment, not many animals can dig through a 1 foot concrete footer or tear through that mesh. A bear might be able to rip off the screen door, otherwise nothings getting through.


Worst investment? Large 7 gallon water fount with a float $35 float always sticks, don't use it anymore---- the $24 3 gallon waterer with no float is definitely better.

 

[Wynette]

I like your man cave, egh! Very nice!

I'd have to really think about top three best investment, but I can tell you, as far as critters, my very BEST investment has been my wheelbarrow. It was expensive - biggest one we could find. I use it EVERY day - it was worth the bucks!

 

[patandchickens]

1) Buying a property with a nice insulated boarding-kennel building even though we had no earthly use for a 10-run kennel (current dog population = zero, likely to stay that way til baby gets past barbarian stage, and we'll never have more than 2 dogs nor keep them outdoors). I still want to build a proper coop next year but it is SO great not to have had to stress out about it while on the early part of the chicken learning curve!

2) Couple of plastic kitchen whatsits (a tupperware type storage canister, plastic bulb dish, flower-printed plastic lid from heaven knows what, etc) bought for a total of 75 cents at local reuse-recycle type thrift store, used to make 2 really nice functional hanging feeders.

3) The electricity it takes to power my computer while I'm logged on to BYC, without which both my chickens and I would be in trouble! (books are good but no substitute for being able to ask questions or learn from others' experiences)

WORST investment: a hundred-dollar (or so) roll of 4' electric poultry netting plus $75 charger, bought with intent of fencing around tractor for additional nighttime safety and to let the girls out sometimes during the day. There is nothing whatsoever wrong with the netting or charger mind you -- the only reason it was a mistake is that I am stupid stupid STUPID! I did not think, til too late, that everywhere around the house that I could possibly set the fence up is too near buried wires, pipes etc to put the ground for the charger. Next year I will either use it (for the chickens) out in the front horse pasture where I *can* put a ground rod in, or put it in the yard after all but with a loooooong double-insulated wire going to safely distant charger. Sigh.


Pat

 

[FutureChickenMan]

3 Best investments in order of importance.

1. Bible
2. Education
3. Real Estate


3 Worst Investments

1. Gym Membership
2. Oldsmobile Alero
3. Cheap tools

 

[jenichick]

Quote:
While I agree with your list (it's about the same as mine but instead of and Olds Alero it was a Renault Alliance).....

I think he meant chicken wise not life wise ha ha ha..

 

[KingsCalls]

My top 3 best investments.....1-our land(7 acres with pond) & home
2-education(probably will jump to #1 with time)
3-my daughters education

My bottom 3.............................1-gym membership(just can't find the time)
2-motorcycle for my wife(she won't ride it)
3- my ex-wife(spent alot & not much return)


My plan : learn from the past!

 

[firechicken]

The best

1. It is infinitely useful and only cost me $800

2. These have earned me about $30,000 total and they cost me around $4500

3. You can't put a price tag on fun and joy. Not to mention about 55 mpg.

The worst

1. 16 mpg!!! I feel like I am burning a hole in the ozone just sitting at a red light.

2. Heh, turns out Im not too great of a tattoo artist.

3. I payed a giant, rich corporation a LOT of money to slowly kill myself for ten years with these. (quit almost three years ago)

 

[Ma]

Um.........yes, I kinda did mean for your chickens:/......I should have been more specific.....so sorry. Best and worst chicken investments. We'll start another thread for the life investments, that is a great topic!

Thanks, Ma

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Best
1. 1/2" hardware cloth.
2. Automatic coop door.
3. Electricity in the coop and the coop cam are tied for 3rd place.

Worst
Hmm. We haven't really had a problem with anything that I can think of.