Raising chickens v. buying eggs: which is cheaper?
Raising chickens v. buying eggs: which is cheaper?
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Some friends in Portland, OR have four pet chickens that lay about as many fresh eggs as poops in their backyard. I was curious if raising chickens saved them money so I asked them to break it down for me.
On a monthly basis they pay…
Pine shavings for litter: $5
Organic feed: $10
Total cost for four chickens: $15
Monthly egg yield: 78 eggs
Cost of 78 organic eggs in the store at $3/dozen: $19.50
Monthly savings: $4.50
But the monthly cost analysis does not take into account all the expenses so let’s look at the yearly investment.
Buying the birds: approx. $5 per chick x 4 chicks = $20
Cost of chicken coop: $500 (They made a very impressive coop themselves. One could be made for much less.)
Yearly upkeep (12 x monthly cost): $180
Yearly cost of chickens: $700
Yearly egg savings (12 x monthly egg costs): $234
Yearly savings: -$466
By this analysis, our friends are going broke raising chickens. However, there are other factors that have an intangible cost benefit. These are impossible to put a dollar figure on because each person values them differently.
These factors include the time spent tending the chickens, the money saved from eating less meat because you are getting more protein from eggs, the value of a constant source of fertilizer, pride in raising your own chickens, enjoyment gained from having perky pets, and the value of fresh eggs.
There is also the WOW factor when you show guests your chickens, which is generally offset by the poop everywhere factor.
Depending on how you value these factors, raising your own chickens could be just the thing for you. Just don’t hold chickens too close to your face. Peck!
A great resource for anyone interested in pet chickens is .
Thanks Alisa!
Baby Chickens 101 in
Montrose, Georgia
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Montrose Georgia,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Montrose
Georgia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Montrose Georgia, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Montrose GA.
Baby Chicks Outside in
Montrose, Georgia
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Montrose Georgia
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Montrose Georgia * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Montrose
Georgia * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby Chickens Sale in
Montrose, Georgia
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Montrose Georgia is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Montrose,
Georgia Baby chicks are really
charming and also
difficult to stand up to,
but it's ideal to prepare for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare initially
by compiling not just the
appropriate products, yet
likewise the appropriate
knowledge to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
simple, you simply have to supply them with the following: A
clean and warm and comfortable
habitat Lots of food and also water Attention and
love Environment Your environment could be an easy box, fish tank,
pet cat service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and
coverings (without loosened
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Note: Avoid making use of just
newspaper or other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
misshapen. You additionally need
something to provide food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
dish from the feed store, or a pickle container
cover for food and also a family
pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Additionally, as the chicks get
older you could present a perch
into the environment to get them
trained on perching. Heat To
maintain your chicks warm you have to
offer them with a warmth source.
This could be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb also work effectively (my
suggestion). Chicks need this
heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which could occupy to two months). The recently
hatched require a temperature
in between 90 and 100 levels,
and also every week this could
be minimized by
approximately 5 levels approximately. The warmth source need to get on merely one side of the cage
to enable chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
other corner of your heat
light, you need to
decrease the temperature level. If
they are smothering each other under the
warmth (not merely cuddling),
you should add some warmth.
Home cleaning
Tidiness is crucial and it maintains your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make sure to change
the bed linen
frequently and also
consistently offer clean
food and water Food and also water.
Chicks expand extremely quickly
which calls for plenty of tidy
food and also water. Give
enough whatsoever times as well
as examine
usually to
stop thirsty and
starving chicks. Chick food is various compared
to adult chicken food, and also it comes
in both medicated as well as non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, after that
switch over to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for an additional 2 months,
and then to a somewhat
lower healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want
to obtain a running start on taking
dust bathrooms, while others will not occupy that activity until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
filth for them to wash in.
Interest and also love There are a
few advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly more than likely bond with you and also
not escape as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily as well as
enjoy their behavior, you could
catch disease or other problems earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
other unhealthy
indicators. Make certain to
likewise look at
their poop, as diarrhea can bring about matted plumes and clogged cloaca.
Lastly, it is necessary to look out
for social concerns, such as the
littlest chick obtaining badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are now fully feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety of your house
and relocate outside into a cage. Check out our
part on chicken coops to find out
more
regarding coops and also
proper cage habitats.
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