The $729.94 Thrifty Egg Up On ebay Auction

[cockadoodle]

Awesome story telling.

My folks purchased an italian espresso machine about a year back, they looked at it egg'actly the same way. First cup of coffee came in around 5K, the rest are all free, or so they said. I probably shouldn't add up how much I spent on all of the chicken stuff. Ignorance is bliss as they say.

 

[fasbendera]

Don't bring the cost of coffee into this I am still trying to rationalize my chicken habbit.

 

[Simplethrift]

This egg story was carried on momlogic.com and one person had the following comment:

hehe…if the kind of logic used by this person counts as “mom logic” I fear for the children. Chickens are not pets, they are fast vegetables. If you had raised the roosters for 6 months you could have eaten them. If they are not laying eat them. I grew up with chickens. How you managed to spend almost $1000 taking care of a dozen chickens is beyond me. In the words of the Internet FAIL.

- NormalLogic


First of all, I think calling chickens "fast vegetables" is a bit harsh especially when you raise them and learn that they each have distinct personalities but the money issue may be a valid one.

We spent 500 dollars on a sturdy henhouse that included an enclosed pen. The other expenses were for feed, cost of chickens, and supplies.

If you were to advise average costs for someone who was going to start off being a backyard chicken farmer, what figures would you use?

 

[cockadoodle]

"If you were to advise average costs for someone who was going to start off being a backyard chicken farmer, what figures would you use?"

Tricky question... Their really isn't an average coop to base this on but since that is the largest expense up front, you would have to figure out that average cost. A "thrifty" person that wasn't in a big hurry could hit up craig's list over a period of months and get their entire coop built for free, along with free chickens. Only cost would be feed, which could be heavily subsidized with kitchen scraps, etc. Maybe 8 dollars a month for 3 chickens? That's better than breaking even.

Then there is the 'average' person who isn't that handy. I think a lot of noobs to backyard chicken farming first look for the ready built chicken coops at the feedstores or online. These can be had for ~250 dollars (not including shipping, and are substandard quality in every respect) a bag of 10 dollar commercial feed and 3 chicks @ 4 dollars each, a cheap feeder and waterer, you are right around 280 dollars or so, assuming you get everything locally. Add a run (not a good one, just 'average') and add another 100 dollars probably for chicken wire fensing that my cat could rip apart. My guess, average cost for an 'average' person is probably around 400 dollars and their chickens are probably living an 'average' life.

Most of us on this board are way above average when it comes to how much time and money we devote to this whole thing. I've probably spent 5 times the 'average' amount and will never break even, but I came to peace with that before I started.

 

[wegotchickens]

DH was trying to total the cost for my chicken hobby (addiction).
I said it was cheaper than a sweet set of golf clubs and the other associated golfing costs.
The eggs are a fringe benefit.

'My pets give me breakfast' indeed!

 

[Simplethrift]

Someone asked me in the auction if I was a BYCer. (oh how I love code) I hadn't realized that you have such a tight community here.

My response was that I was and then I plugged the site in a revision to the auction's description.

The auction ends in a little over 3 days. There's still time to get the bargain of the century.

 

[cphilip]

I calculated mine just yesterday and to date, its down to $36 an egg. But the girls are laying and so its coming down at a rate of 5 eggs per day to figure in.

 

[Simplethrift]

Maybe if I work hard enough at this, I too will someday have $36 eggs.

envious Wendy

 

[cphilip]

It was worse two weeks back when I too had a $700 plus egg but its amazing how fast it comes down once you get to two dozen and so forth.

Of course it needs be said, I went full out and didn't expect that pay back at all.... but I wanted good looking set up and I purchased nice excellent type birds just ready to start laying. I didn't spare any expense. I have and can easily do it all far cheaper.

 

[Simplethrift]

Well this is crazy. Tomorrow at 12:00 EST I'm going to be on Andy G. Schneider the Chicken Whisperer's radio show to talk about my egg on auction.

www.blogtalkradio.com/backyardpoultry

Should be a lot of fun,

Wendy