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 How To Raise in
Mountain View, Hawaii
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Mountain View Hawaii,
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. Mountain View
Hawaii also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Mountain View Hawaii, 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 Mountain View HI.
Baby Chicks Types in
Mountain View, Hawaii
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Mountain View Hawaii
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
Mountain View Hawaii * 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 Mountain View
Hawaii * 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 Chicks Order Online in
Mountain View, Hawaii
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
Mountain View Hawaii 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 Mountain View,
Hawaii Baby chicks are really
cute and also
hard to stand up to,
however it's best to plan for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first
by collecting not just the
appropriate products, yet
additionally the proper
knowledge to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is fairly
simple, you just have to provide them with the following: A
clean and also cozy
habitat Plenty of food and water Focus and also
love Habitat Your habitat can be a basic box, fish tank,
feline service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without any loose
strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks utilize straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid making use of just
newspaper or other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow
misshapen. You additionally require
something to dish out food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
meal from the feed store, or a pickle container
cover for food and a pet dog bird water dispenser from a
pet dog store. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you could introduce a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
trained on setting down. Heat To
keep your chicks heat you should
offer them with a heat source.
This can be as simple as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a
hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat
bulb additionally work extremely well (my
referral). Chicks need this
warmth 24/7 till their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could use
up to two months). The recently
hatched out require a temperature level
in between 90 and also 100 levels,
as well as each week this could
be minimized by
about 5 degrees approximately. The warmth resource should be on simply one side of the cage
to enable chicks a variety of
temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are concealing in the
contrary corner of your warmth
lamp, you have to
decrease the temperature level. If
they are smothering each various other under the
heat (not merely cuddling),
you should add some warmth.
House cleaning
Sanitation is key as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Be sure to transform
the bed linens
usually as well as
constantly provide clean
food and water Food as well as water.
Chicks expand quite fast
which requires a lot of clean
food and water. Supply
sufficient whatsoever times as well
as examine
commonly to
stop parched as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated and
also non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, then
switch to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for one more 2 months,
then to a somewhat
reduced protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking
dust bathrooms, while others will not take
up that activity up until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
unit, present a tray of sand or
dirt for them to shower in.
Interest as well as love There are a
few advantages to spending time with your chicks. To start
with, they will certainly most
likely bond with you and also
not run away as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily as well as
see their behavior, you can
catch illness or various
other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other harmful
indicators. Make sure to
also check out
their poop, as diarrhea could lead
to matted feathers and clogged cloaca.
Lastly, it is very
important to keep an eye out for social problems, such as the
tiniest chick getting picked
on. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are now completely feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety of your residence
as well as relocate outside right into a
coop. Have a look at our
section on chicken coops to read more
concerning coops and also
appropriate coop environments.
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