Stay at home Dad of 5 just bought a Coop with a half dozen layers of unknown age so we don't know If and when these ladies will lay eggs...thinking of finding some retiring commercial girls to produce in the short run while we look into raising chicks(on a very limited income..don't know what it will all cost in time and materials. I'm all ears.
! Great to have you here! I am not sure how many backyard chicken raisers actually come out ahead of the game, economically speaking. Most raise for the great eggs and/or meat - that they themselves know was fed a diet they controlled. Some just raise for the joy chickens bring to the farm. That being said, if one is thrifty, it needn't be too expensive to have birds. Re-used, or re-purposed materials can serve as the coop and run. Certain breeds are good free rangers, accounting for a portion of their food. Others (leghorns for example) are good producers of eggs while at the same time being small-bodied, thus eating less feed. So, while you may never be able to ultimately get a dozen eggs from birds you raised to be cheaper than a dozen you get from a super market, the taste difference and feeling of satisfaction of doing it yourself, offsets the cost, IMO. Add in a little creative savvy in construction and breed choice and you'll be doing okay! Good luck and best wishes!!
from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard. I agree with redsoxs. 
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