Why have a backyard flock when you can buy Extra Large Eggs for 73 cents per dozen?

[gtaus]

I often get asked why I even bother to have a small backyard flock of laying hens when you can go to WalMart today and buy a dozen of Extra Large eggs for only 73 cents!?

I suppose that is a rational question to ask, but as you know, many of us owners are "crazy chicken ladies" even if we are men! So, I'm trying to come up with some reasonable responses and thought others could help fill in some blanks that maybe don't immediately come to my mind.

My reasons for having a small backyard flock are 1) just for enjoying the chickens, watching them run around, and having a bit of fun with them, 2) they make great compost from all my yard waste, 3) they eat just about all our food scraps and leftovers, and 4) I get fresh eggs as a bonus.

Anybody out there want to share their reasons for having a small backyard flock? Would love to hear your thoughts.....

 

[Angel07]

You know what’s going into your chooks and what you‘re eating. Or maybe you don’t like the way some chooks are kept? Or if you hatch you could say that you love how cute the chicks are? Just some suggestions.

 

[gtaus]

You know what’s going into your chooks and what you‘re eating. Or maybe you don’t like the way some chooks are kept? Or if you hatch you could say that you love how cute the chicks are? Just some suggestions.

Yes, my backyard eggs have a much more darker orange yolk than the commercial eggs at WalMart. I don't know if my eggs taste better and/or are healthier, but I like to think so.

My chickens have a pretty good life. Lots of room in the chicken coop and a large chicken run full of compost for them to enjoy.

 

[Dingleberry]

Fresh eggs are awesome. love watching chicken tv as no electricity required

 

[Chookchicken]

1. Your not supporting factory farms (not that I’m saying all eggs you buy from a store are factory farm eggs, but normally the cheaper they are the worse the hens are treated).

2. Fresh eggs generally are better for you then store bought.

3. You feed them veggie scraps and they give you eggs in exchange.

4. They‘re poo is really good for gardens.

5. They are great pets that don’t need a lot of attention.

6. You know where your eggs have come from

Chickens are a key part of sustainable living. You provide them with food, they provide you with fertiliser, eggs, and possibly even meat.

 

[gtaus]

love watching chicken tv as no electricity required

I built my chicken coop and chicken run in my backyard. I can see them from my kitchen, dining room, and my home office. So I have chicken TV all day long when I'm home. That is one thing I definitely did right. Love chicken TV.

 

[gtaus]

1. Your not supporting factory farms (not that I’m saying all eggs you buy from a store are factory farm eggs, but normally the cheaper they are the worse the hens are treated).

2. Fresh eggs generally are better for you then store bought.

3. You feed them veggie scraps and they give you eggs in exchange.

4. They‘re poo is really good for gardens.

5. They are great pets that don’t need a lot of attention.

6. You know where your eggs have come from

Chickens are a key part of sustainable living. You provide them with food, they provide you with fertiliser, eggs, and possibly even meat.

Lots of good points. With my current flock of 3 year old laying hens, I am to the point where I have to consider the meat option. I only get about 1 egg per day from my 8 hens for the past few months. So, at this point, it costs me more in feed cost than I would ever get back in egg production. I might not carry them over for the winter. In any case, I'll have to replace them next spring with new chicks. But I bought dual purpose breeds knowing that at some time they might end up on the table. Next flock I will plan on replacing them after 2 years. My chickens are not my pets, but I was hoping that their egg production would be worth keeping them a bit longer than what I am seeing.

 

[Angel07]

Fresh eggs are awesome. love watching chicken tv as no electricity required

I took the bedroom that faces the chicken paddock. It's great to see everyone walking around and enjoying themselves first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

 

[Folly's place]

Egg production will be more consistent if you get chicks every year, or at least every other year, so some birds are a year or two younger than the others. So starting with fewer, then there's room to add more.
Hindsight is great, isn't it?!
Our birds have good lives, good food, and are entertainment for us too. Some stay for life, some leave for one reason or another, and their eggs are terrific. We do eat chicken, and it's not from the store.
Battery hens have short and miserable lives, awful!
Mary

 

[Crazy Maizie]

You rarely get good stories from store bought eggs.
Just yesterday we were adjusting our coop with a jack that had settled over the years due to the chickens rearranging the soil underneath it. We had to remove the ramp to do so. One of my hens decided it was time to lay an egg - so she jumped on a piece of wood we were using as a buffer between the jack and coop and then proceeded to jump into the coop.
We also crated our young cockerel because he has a habit of spurring new things in the run - like the other day it was a watering can. The hens were surrounding his crate - chrp..chrp.. boi what you doin'?
Most days they could care less about him.
Nah, I've never gone to the store and had a good laugh about where the eggs come from. Even if they cost me $$$, it is worth it.