On average, how much do you spend on your flock?

[jessmccue]

Thank you so much for all of your responses! You've really put my mind at ease! I guess I should have elaborated more on my husband and I's current plans:

-We found a pre-made coop for $225. I was a little wary of building our own because I didn't want to mess up and not create enough ventilation or make it too big or too small.
-We're using an old dog crate for our brooder. The light I found for it cost $15, so I guess with feeders and shavings, the total cost will only be about $30.

 

[10 point]

Your calculations were about right and the benifits will out way the cons if you get joy out of your chickens

 

[MeowCluckBark]

I use horse bedding (wood pellets) for bedding in my brooders. It's $5 for a 40# bag and it works great for our rabbits and cats litter boxes as well. It cuts down tremendously on odor and dust. The girls outside have straw in their coop for the bedding on the floor. It's not really smelly at all. I built the run out of 2x4s lots of screws, and 3ft tall hardware cloth and chicken wire. I'd say my run cost me around $200 and that's estimating up a bit. The coop I got for free, it was old and it cost me about $80 to have it moved to my house (renting a trailer, paying for gas, buying a tow strap to pull it from the trailer, and feeding the boys that did the heavy lifting) I used parts from a large dog house that was given to me for free to make the coop double the size. I still need to buy new roofing, which I have estimated at $50. I used $6 worth of culled OSB at Home Depot for the walls of the coop after I expanded it.

If you look for free or cheap materials on craigslist, freecycle, habitat for humanity, the culled lumber or materials area etc you will save a lot of money. You might just have to be a little creative. I have 10 week old pullets, 7 week old pullets, 3 week old pullets, 2 week old pullets, and 2 day old pullets. They are all on starter grower right now. The babies all eat the most since they aren't ranging. I have a large run that has lots of vegetation in it and I always take extra fruit, veritableness, and grains out to the girls instead of wasting them. I just have to ask myself if I will be able to eat the entire bag of grapes before they turn or make a bit extra oatmeal and be sure not to add anything to the cooked oatmeal so any extra can go to them. It's fun to give them these 'treats' but it's healthy for them too. I'm about halfway through a 50# bag of feed and it's been almost 3 weeks. The girls outside don't eat a lot of it. I get all my food from a local company that has their own feed mill.

Food and water dishes can be made out of many things. You don't have to spend the big bucks immediately. If you have to feed them out of a pie tin for a few weeks while you get money for a more convenient feeder that's ok. Upgrade as you go if you want. Just make sure things are clean and they have food, shelter, and love!


So this is what I spend for monthly supplies at the moment The scratch will last longer than one month. I just bought it for the older girls and only give them about a cup a day. The feed will last me more than a month. The straw.... I will probably end up throwing a lot of it out before I use it. I expect it to mold before I'm able to get through the whole bale. This is for 16 pullets

50# bag of feed $15
bale of straw $5
40# bag of hen scratch $10

 

[MeowCluckBark]

Quote:
Yup, premade can be a lifesaver. Besides, your time is money right? If you aren't sure you can do it with scrap supplies yourself you might as well buy something well made for your 3 biddies so you don't have to stress on that.