This is why I don't keep chickens primarily for eggs

[gtaus]

I wanted chickens more as pets than livestock. The eggs are a big plus, and mostly how I sold my husband on the whole thing, but I knew we were never going to come out on top financially by "investing" in chickens.

I have 4 young kids, all of whom have learned a lot about caring for animals and the beauty of life as we started with incubating eggs. It's been a project that has brought me great joy.

I am also a fan of chicken tv. So much in fact that if my kids aren't quite sure where I went they know to look for the chickens because that's where I am 90% of the time.

Honestly I think keeping chickens has been invaluable when it comes to my mental health. Store bought eggs might be cheaper, but I've never felt the same inner peace as I do caring for my own chickens. ❤❤

Well, I agree with all your comments. I especially appreciated the comment about your 4 young kids. I started raising small animals when I was very young. I learned everything from birth to butcher with my small animals and I think it taught me the value of where we get our food from.

 

[vpatt]

I remember walking with my grandmother when she fed her chickens. I love watching them even tho I seldom pick them up. If I have extra eggs I give them away. I'm still trying to rebuild my flock and I laugh every time I get new pullets because some of them almost always turn out to be roosters and I give them away. When I free ranged the extra roos were no problem....in a run it doesn't work as well. I love letting them hatch babies, I have four that are 4 weeks old and it won't surprise me if they are all roos. I am trying to get compost in the run....but I need to work on that more as they have flattened everything I've put in the run. I actually only have two hens that are laying and one that I am counting on to not turn into a rooster and she should begin laying sometime over the summer months.
And this afternoon I'm going to check out more "pullets", lol.

So I guess the bottom line is I just like keeping chickens, but no money comes in from them and I can't eat them either.

 

[gtaus]

Chickens tuned out to be more interesting than I expected.

Totally agree.

 

[gtaus]

I’ve always wanted chickens as a pet. The eggs are bonus.
I also sell my eggs for $2 a dozen and it all just pays for the feed.
I have people that will gladly pay the $2 over the keep eggs at the gas station because they are fresh, they get to see how the chickens live, and they are soooo yummy!!

Yes, I think if you treat the eggs as a bonus, you will always be happy tending a backyard flock.

 

[gtaus]

I look at it this way. The first egg probably cost $800. The rest are free.

That first egg from your flock is priceless!

 

[gtaus]

The paying goes on. I had another coop built this week.

I know chicken math hits a lot of people hard. I have upgraded a few things since I built my coop, but I am basically happy where I am with the chickens.

 

[gtaus]

So I guess the bottom line is I just like keeping chickens, but no money comes in from them and I can't eat them either.

I have raised lots of small animals over my 60 years. What I like about laying hens is that you can get eggs (food) from them without having to butcher them. Plus, they eat almost all our kitchen scraps and turn my grass clippings, leaves, and wood chips into compost along with their poo. Great stuff for the garden to grow more fresh food for the family.