True cost of starting a backyard flock.

[grannysu]

Just an old granny's thoughts on this:

If you didn't have the money in your hand, you didn't spend it. It is like the people who saw the value of their homes plummet recently. If the new, lower value is still equal to or more than they paid in the first place (and they didn't refinance, etc, during the boom) then they haven't lost anything real. The supposed value was never money in their pocket; it was potential earnings, but not real.

So what you actually spend is your investment. I've had chickens for 35 years, and haven't spent a great deal at any time on them. When you live in the country, there is usually some scrap lumber, tin, slabwood, logs, etc you can use to build a coop and nesting boxes. Our largest expenses have been for fencing and with the influx of coyotes heavier wire is required these days. I've gone to auctions and bought waterers (before the crafters decided these were cute to paint they were pretty cheap), galvanized nesting boxes, and feeders. We have bought 3 waterer heaters in 35 years. We use old hay for bedding. I learned by doing; no time on research initially, and then just reading time here and there. You can get as involved as you are willing to spend time on, of course.

For us the real cost of having hens is the feed. Usually I sell enough eggs to pay for the feed costs, but when the hens are moulting it's just outlay. Still, I cannot imagine not having a flock. Even if my eggs cost twice the store price (they don't) I'd still have my hens for the convenience of eggs when I need them, right here and not 20 minutes away.

Granny Sue
http://www.grannysu.blogspot.com/

 

[wifeofyoyopro]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is the cost of raising chickens from babies vs. raising from pullets. Raising from babies is more expensive. You have the added cost of heat lamp and the 5 months of feed before you get your first egg. (But I think the cost is definitely worth it.)

I think that we spent approx. $100.00 on the first day for:
Chicks (8)
heat lamp and bulb
feed
bedding
1 roll of chicken wire
small plastic waterer and feeder

Then over the next few months approx. $150.00 for
5 treated posts for run
a few 2x4s and a few sheets of plywood
Hinges, nails, etc
(then used scraps and old cabinet for nesting boxes.)

But I think the thing that have cost me the most (unecessary purchases, etc.) ..was my ignorance. There are several things I would have done differently, knowing what I know now. But the education that I have gotten from it is priceless.

The only regret is that I did not build a bigger coop to start with. I did not know how addicting these little things would be.

 

[carolpeep]

Once we decided to have chickens, we made the mistake of a pre-fab hen house that stated it would accommodate 4 to 6 birds. Big Ha! If they were pigeons. It was expensive in that to accommodate our five birds, we needed a better situation for them. We retain it now in case we have to host an ill or injured bird. We built another hen house and run, used greenhouse roofing for one end and one back side to accommodate some heat build-up in the winter. In the summer they will sleep outside in their run which has two roosts. We used half inch hardware cloth to protect against predators. We went from 5 black sex-links to include 7 white leghorns for a new total of 12 hens. The house is 8 feet wide and the covered run is 10 feet. Like cargo, we have at least $1200 in their accommodations, but feel it was worth it. We ran an outdoor electrical cord from an outlet in the well house to be sure their plastic heated pet bowls keeps their water unfrozen. We also used the cord to supply a light for inside the house in case we need it. Love having chickens and always looking to improve.

 

[okracefan]

I took a ole lean shed that is attached to my stand alone garage and wrapped it in chicken wire. I paid $10.00 bucks for 8-10 chicks about 3 yrs ago. I have ha dthe usual predator problem that come with livng in the country and have had to replace some. I now have between 25-30 chickens ranging RIR, cochins, brahmas, silkies, frizzles, and BTW japs. I am going to have to enlarge my pen but they only sleep in there, I free range them during the day. I am considering getting a couple of ducklngs to help control the wasp and stickers.

I am lucky to have a friend who does new home construction site clean-up so I have access to all teh wood that I need. We also have a poultry auction here in Blanchard, OK twice a month. And 2 others auctions within 30 miles once a month so I have plenty of chicken fixins to satisfy addiction.

I have been instructed by my mothr-in-law, wife, and friends not to ever get rid of my chickens. Mother-in-law loves the fact that we do not have nuch of a tick or flea problem, wife and friends LOVES the convience and TASTE of fresh eggs. I gave up goats for chickens.

 

[Dogfish]

I'm in my coop for about $2,000 now, but it is overbuilt, has a covered run, and houses about 35 birds.

 

[haygrif]

Affordability is really relative when it comes down to it. Some people get chickens out of necessity, some for hobby. If you've got expendable income and time to build a fancy coop it's bound to cost you a bit of money and time, but if you're in a bind and need to get them chickens producing ASAP you'd be surprised what you can pull off.

My situation happens to be somewhere in between. I don't have kids or really -need- chickens as a subsistence matter (though it certainly helps me out), but I also don't have expendable $$ or much time to throw into charting out and designing any fancy housing. Therefore, I spent months designing and building my coop from salvaged (i.e. FREE) materials in whatever free time I could find, and used some very basic building techniques (it's not too pretty, but it's sure functional).

Just off the top of my head, I'd estimate that I spent this:

$30 chicken wire (had to buy a supplemental amount towards the end because I used up the salvaged stuff I had obtained).
$5 screws
$15 tub for raising the babies indoors
$10 for bulbs and lighting for raising babies

All the lumber came from a demolished shed and free wood I obtained from craigslist. That is also the origin of most of the fencing materials I used. I fortunately was able to use an already existing roof from the shed, as well. I also built a henhouse to go inside the fenced-in frame I built.

I laid chicken wire beneath the dirt around the edges to prevent predators. I ended up with a very secure, sturdy, weatherproof shelter for my three Silver Laced Wyandottes (given to me by a friend who had too many).

With time and proper planning it's easy to make it cheap. I did put a lot of hours into the coop, seeing as how I spent most of the summer putting in an hour or two here and there each week. But I also had fun, and I did it in addition to my full time job, so... wouldn't have been paid for those hours anyhow. I think they were well spent.

I'm in year two of egg production and loving it. I get cheap grain and free veggie scraps from my local organic grocery store, supplemented at all times with organic formulated chicken feed (which they'll eat only when there isn't something yummier around, so I don't go through much of it). So, the chickens are fed only organics and it barely costs me anything (the scraps are free and they devour them). They also get to free range my yard during the day and eat whatever bugs and greens they can find.

Things are good. And I didn't go broke doing it, either!

 

[Nadia]

I gotta admit. I spent at least $1000 for my first egg. However, that Martha Stewart-esque coop was worth every penny. I look out at it and my ladies every morning and smile. Starts my day off right. AND it protects them from our long-tailed weasels!

I might suggest that we save in maintaining our flocks by asking a local establishment or two to put aside all or some of their vegetable and bread scraps for your chickens and you pick them up once a week. It is a win-win-win. They don't have to pay for extra trash pick-up. Your local landfill doesn't fill up as they food doesn't biodegrade in anoxic (no oxygen) conditions. AND you get free feed. You may have to train the kitchen staff or do some sorting, but it is worth it.

 

[queeneev]

I think I shared my cost info in this forum already once, but it's been awhile so if anyone is reading:

My annual costs are $2.10/dozen for my first year. Year 2 should be $1.75/dozen, then year 3 $2.50/dozen. I have spread the cost of the coop equally over 3 years, which is the life I think I will get from the ladies. Year 2 drops because I found a cheaper source for feed. Year 3 jumps because I expect the egg production to drop at least 25%. Year 4 I will start with all new pullets. If my coop holds up beyond 3 years, my costs will go down. Don't know that yet...

I have 4 hens.

I included:
layer feed
gasoline
cost of pullets
sand
cedar shavings
hay
electricity for water heating
fencing
homemade plywood & chicken wire coop + ongiong coop repairs

 

[ssovick]

I think that because raising chickens in the back yard is more a hobby or a 'side' than a way to put bread on the table, factoring in cost of labor is misleading because we would have done it anyway - - regardless of the cost, so it's not money invested. Looking at the raw cost of materials, however most certainly is.

I made the mistake (like several in this forum) of purchasing a coop on-line, thinking the free shipping would be a great saving point. For us, that certainly was not the case, as we purchased a coop that claimed to accommodate 6 hens comfortably. The coop was poorly ventilated, had zero room for the girls to move around with any freedom, and was severely lacking in structural integrity. So we all learn!
This coop will be repurposed to accommodate quail as part of a larger system - - that I have yet to design (I'm not allowed to raise any quail, yet!)

The material cost of my coop totaled around 1,200 bucks with only one component that was recycled from an old lexan saltwater aquarium refugium (the windows), and a Christmas gift from Santa in the form of a copper weather vane for the cupola. Next to lowest grade cedar shingles on the east and west walls and roof (18 bucks a bundle), and shiplap board on the north and south walls all enclose a 3x5 floor plan with a nest box on the north side of the coop. Cupola on the roof for ventilation, along with integrated ventilation in the floor, and on the ends of the east and west walls provide good circulation, and (in the case of the ventilated floor) easy clean out - - except when things are frozen like they are now...

The floor is 4x4 construction--treated wood, and the rest of the coop is 2x3s, with 1x2 sticks to mount the roof on...1/2 inch plywood; walls are also 1/2 inch plywood. The coop has cedar trim, front and rear cedar ramps, a sliding door that opens a large window for summer ventilation, and a 'man door' that is large enough to fit my 5'11", 220# frame through. I was able to build and paint the whole thing for just under 1K.

There are plenty of things I would do differently to save some money, and I might be able to shave off 100 or 200 bucks, depending. Still, the cost of materials if you are buying outright is the factor, IMHO. I planned to build a coop for two years, and saved enough to build one after I bought one that was a bust - - so I was lucky in that respect (I try to avoid credit as much as I can).

I'm sure the coop that I put together could have been built for less - - and even moreso for those folks who have free materials laying around (you guys are really lucky!) - - but to do it right for 6 birds, I believe you need to budget near 800 bucks to be sure you have all of your bases covered (of course, my neighbors call the coop 'The Mansion', and my wife has threatened to move into it because it's nicer than our house!)...

 

[Heckel's Hens]

Quote:
I'm usre mine will be that way, too. I am trying to do everything as cheaply as possible to get started, but in the end, everything up until the first egg is basically a sunk cost attributed to a hobby.