“So lucky, you get free eggs”

[gtaus]

I think after reading this I'll just spread it in an area of their run vs going through the trouble of transporting it from coop to compost pile. After adding some dried leaves that the girls LOVE to scratch through, they can then entertain themselves while helping me out with all the turning. Win-win.

Absolutely! Chickens love to scratch and peck in composting litter. Let them do the work instead of yourself. I went all in and converted my entire chicken run into a chicken run composting system, but a person could just have one area set aside, or a small framed in area, to hold the compost litter in a confined area.

In any case, I found that my chickens make compost months faster than I did just leaving the material in a compost bin and not turning it - the lazy composting method. Plus, the chickens will leave you some chicken poo in the compost litter out in the run. Just a bonus for your composting.

 

[RuralChick83]

Anyone else shaking their heads and rolling their eyes as people say “you are so lucky you get free eggs” as the price of eggs is rising. If I add up what I have spent on their coop, bedding, food, treats, and medicines, not to mention time and energy, I suspect my eggs cost way more than the highest grocery store eggs. I don’t mind the cost though. I love my ducks and their eggs. I just find it funny. Many of those people will be finding out the truth soon enough as hatcheries are getting more orders than ever.
What do you think?

I just went to my local Fleet Farm and they already started selling baby chicks. I saw a lot of people there who have never experienced raising or growing anything, buying chicks to have eggs. After hearing what their so called "experts" were telling people and seeing people trying to raise them with hardly any materials, I am wondering if this is going to be even more devastating than the bird flu. Most of the people I think are going to end up killing all of their chicks. The lucky ones will get rehomed.

 

[gtaus]

I just went to my local Fleet Farm and they already started selling baby chicks. I saw a lot of people there who have never experienced raising or growing anything, buying chicks to have eggs. After hearing what their so called "experts" were telling people and seeing people trying to raise them with hardly any materials, I am wondering if this is going to be even more devastating than the bird flu. Most of the people I think are going to end up killing all of their chicks. The lucky ones will get rehomed.

I have raised chickens, on and off, for almost 30 years. I'm still learning new stuff all the time and sometimes find ways that work better for me. Some of those new people with chicks for the first time will figure it out fast, some won't, and the chicks may die, others will find out that maybe they don't really want to care for a backyard flock of chickens despite all the "free" eggs we get without any work.

I hope many of these first timers will look towards BYC for help where we all can offer our experience to help. IMHO, we would have a better world if more people had a backyard flock of chickens. Well, it has made my life a little better...

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I have raised chickens, on and off, for almost 30 years. I'm still learning new stuff all the time and sometimes find ways that work better for me. Some of those new people with chicks for the first time will figure it out fast, some won't, and the chicks may die, others will find out that maybe they don't really want to care for a backyard flock of chickens despite all the "free" eggs we get without any work.

I hope many of these first timers will look towards BYC for help where we all can offer our experience to help. IMHO, we would have a better world if more people had a backyard flock of chickens. Well, it has made my life a little better...

Or ducks

 

[gtaus]

Or ducks

Or ducks...

 

[Bawkbok]

Hanging out on BYC? Laughter and friendship. Put a price tag on that? Nope.

Companionship: Having a bad/sad/mad day? I go sit with the chickens and feel better. Price tag on that? Do you know what therapists charge these days?!?!?!

I couldn't agree more. You're spot on with this comment.

Knowledge is 20/20 hindsight as they say, or something like that. If I knew before I started with chickens what I know now, I would have never started with chickens. The illnesses and unexpected deaths were emotionally devastating. I was not prepared for that so soon. We (I) have not had to cull one yet so that day is ahead of us (me). The chickens are really my desire and project and I do all the work. My husband enjoys the eggs and makes a killer omlet so he's on board with it all of course and helps out as vet tech when I need a second pair of hands.

Our start up costs for the first year reached almost $7k, so I stopped tracking the expenses because the net loss / gain was way too lopsided and depressing. I know we will never break even and that's ok because now I couldn't imagine life without chickens.

Name them, of course, until now. The day the newest pullets arrived last month hubby asked what I named them. I told him I was not going to this time around as it's too personal. So HE started naming them...... he also enjoys chicken TV as he watches the sky for predators so they can scour the yard. They are addictive to have and fun to watch.

I'm not sure what is going on with chicken sales all over the country but people are jumping on the wagon like crazy. Is it the cost of eggs? The unnecessary culling of millions of birds due to the bird flu "scare" and people are freaked out there won't be any eggs in the stores at all? They fear there won't be any chickens to buy in another year? What is the driving motivator? Newbies are not prepared for the cost and ongoing care required, not to mention the expenses and time required to observe normal and atypical behavior, etc. Crazy times we are living in.

Here's to the golden eggs in all our yards!!!

 

[gtaus]

Our start up costs for the first year reached almost $7k, so I stopped tracking the expenses because the net loss / gain was way too lopsided and depressing. I know we will never break even...

I think I have changed my mind on how to best get into the chicken business. I built a nice chicken coop, using reclaimed lumber and supplies for about half my build, but I still ended up putting in about $700-$800 dollars out of pocket. I had enough money, so I am not complaining about a project that I wanted to try out. I don't know when I broke even on my investment, but maybe in year two?

However, my chicken coop is only good for chickens. I have come to believe that many people might be better off doing a garden shed conversion into a chicken coop. That way, if they decide they don't want to raise chickens anymore for all those "free" eggs we love, they still have a perfectly good usable shed for other purposes. Just convert the coop back into a shed.

If a person builds a shed and converts it into a chicken coop, there is not much investment for the chickens except maybe fencing for the chicken run, supplies, etc... A person could reach a break even point pretty fast if you don't have to include the cost of the shed itself - as the shed can be used for other purposes if you stop raising chickens.

Newbies are not prepared for the cost and ongoing care required, not to mention the expenses and time required to observe normal and atypical behavior, etc.

Well, I agree. I have raised small animals, on and off, for about 50 years. I had a good idea of my expected costs when I got my first flock of laying hens 4+ years ago. I had experience in raising various small animals over the years. BYC forum was a great help in answering many of my questions. I spent almost a full year on the BYC forums, planning my coop build, asking many questions, etc... before I got my first flock of laying hens. It was a great help to me, and I think I was much better prepared for this adventure.

Prepared or not, I hope all the first timers are successful and get to enjoy their flocks. FWIW, I have raised ducks and geese, and they have different requirements, but a lot of the same concerns apply to raising any small animals.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I think I have changed my mind on how to best get into the chicken business. I built a nice chicken coop, using reclaimed lumber and supplies for about half my build, but I still ended up putting in about $700-$800 dollars out of pocket. I had enough money, so I am not complaining about a project that I wanted to try out. I don't know when I broke even on my investment, but maybe in year two?

However, my chicken coop is only good for chickens. I have come to believe that many people might be better off doing a garden shed conversion into a chicken coop. That way, if they decide they don't want to raise chickens anymore for all those "free" eggs we love, they still have a perfectly good usable shed for other purposes. Just convert the coop back into a shed.

If a person builds a shed and converts it into a chicken coop, there is not much investment for the chickens except maybe fencing for the chicken run, supplies, etc... A person could reach a break even point pretty fast if you don't have to include the cost of the shed itself - as the shed can be used for other purposes if you stop raising chickens.



Well, I agree. I have raised small animals, on and off, for about 50 years. I had a good idea of my expected costs when I got my first flock of laying hens 4+ years ago. I had experience in raising various small animals over the years. BYC forum was a great help in answering many of my questions. I spent almost a full year on the BYC forums, planning my coop build, asking many questions, etc... before I got my first flock of laying hens. It was a great help to me, and I think I was much better prepared for this adventure.

Prepared or not, I hope all the first timers are successful and get to enjoy their flocks. FWIW, I have raised ducks and geese, and they have different requirements, but a lot of the same concerns apply to raising any small animals.

I think I have changed my mind on how to best get into the chicken business. I built a nice chicken coop, using reclaimed lumber and supplies for about half my build, but I still ended up putting in about $700-$800 dollars out of pocket. I had enough money, so I am not complaining about a project that I wanted to try out. I don't know when I broke even on my investment, but maybe in year two?

However, my chicken coop is only good for chickens. I have come to believe that many people might be better off doing a garden shed conversion into a chicken coop. That way, if they decide they don't want to raise chickens anymore for all those "free" eggs we love, they still have a perfectly good usable shed for other purposes. Just convert the coop back into a shed.

If a person builds a shed and converts it into a chicken coop, there is not much investment for the chickens except maybe fencing for the chicken run, supplies, etc... A person could reach a break even point pretty fast if you don't have to include the cost of the shed itself - as the shed can be used for other purposes if you stop raising chickens.



Well, I agree. I have raised small animals, on and off, for about 50 years. I had a good idea of my expected costs when I got my first flock of laying hens 4+ years ago. I had experience in raising various small animals over the years. BYC forum was a great help in answering many of my questions. I spent almost a full year on the BYC forums, planning my coop build, asking many questions, etc... before I got my first flock of laying hens. It was a great help to me, and I think I was much better prepared for this adventure.

Prepared or not, I hope all the first timers are successful and get to enjoy their flocks. FWIW, I have raised ducks and geese, and they have different requirements, but a lot of the same concerns apply to raising any small animals.

I like your shed idea! And yes, ducks and geese have different requirements than chickens. On the duck page their are many people who go to buy chicks and come how with two ducklings in the box too, planning to raise and keep them together. I know it can be done, but there are also lots of “rehoming my ducks” posts. Research ahead of time goes a long way.

 

[Bawkbok]

I spent almost a full year on the BYC forums, planning my coop build, asking many questions, etc... before I got my first flock of laying hens. It was a great help to me, and I think I was much better prepared for this adventure.

Yes, I only wish I had learned about BYC BEFORE we jumped in or I would have taken the same approach. All in all, I have no regrets and don't intend to give up chickens now. If anything, we will grow larger over time to include a rooster. We just can't legally have one where we currently live now.
It definitely is an adventure! Never a dull day. Just spent an hour with the girls and feeling so much better now.

 

[ci_cyfarth]

"Free eggs" is an interesting concept under our current economic systems.

The last time we did chickens, we went in hard on building what in retrospect was kind of an indestructible, immovable monster of a coop. We put in a few hundred dollars, plus feed, etc., but didn't really track output. Likely the most expensive backyard eggs on the planet.

This time, I'm taking a full scavenger approach. I got some wooden pallets for cheap, I found a broken toddler bedframe when I ran the recycling, etc. My biggest cost so far has been brooder gear (heat source, feeder, waterer, etc.) and the chicks themselves, but I'll probably go in on good 1/2" hardware cloth to prevent predators/wild birds getting in, as well as decent barn paint to protect the wood.

Our first round of four chicks all have individual names, which is fine given that we'll likely top out at a flock of six-ish, adding a couple or trio of birds every other year.

"Petstock" has an excellent ring to it. I'm not sure culling our layers is in the cards for us unless it's medically necessary, and I'm hoping rotating some new birds in periodically will keep things fairly even on the egg front.

I enjoy treating a small flock of layers like pets, even if chickens are in that liminal food AND friend space. Depending on how this latest round goes, though, I might try some meat chickens or rabbits in the future.