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
Chicks Information in
Essex, Iowa
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Essex Iowa,
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. Essex
Iowa also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Essex Iowa, 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 Essex IA.
Baby Chicks Habitat in
Essex, Iowa
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Essex Iowa
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
Essex Iowa * 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 Essex
Iowa * 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.
Raising Baby Quail Chicks in
Essex, Iowa
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
Essex Iowa 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 Essex,
Iowa Baby chicks are really
cute as well as
difficult to resist,
however it's ideal to prepare for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare initially
by collecting not just the
appropriate products, yet
also the appropriate
expertise to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
basic, you simply should provide them with the following: A
clean and warm and comfortable
habitat Plenty of food and also water Attention and
love Habitat Your environment can be a straightforward box, aquarium,
feline provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and
coverings (without any loose
strings!) to begin, and after a
couple of weeks use straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of just
paper or various other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You also require
something to dish out food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container
lid for food and a family
pet bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Also, as the chicks get
older you could present a perch
into the environment to get them
educated on perching. Heat To
keep your chicks warm you need to
give 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 shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb also function effectively (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which can occupy to two months). The recently
hatched out require a temperature level
between 90 and 100 degrees,
and also each week this could
be reduced by
approximately 5 degrees approximately. The heat source need to get on merely one side of the cage
to permit chicks a range of
temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
contrary corner of your heat
light, you need to
lower the temperature. If
they are smothering each other under the
heat (not merely snuggling),
you should add some heat.
Home cleaning
Tidiness is vital and it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to transform
the bed linen
frequently as well as
always provide tidy
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks expand extremely quickly
which calls for lots of tidy
food and water. Provide
enough at all times and inspect
usually to prevent dehydrated and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is different compared
to adult chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated as well as non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, after that
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and then to a somewhat
lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to get a head start on taking
dust bathrooms, while others will not occupy that task until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
room, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to shower in.
Interest as well as love There are a
few benefits to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will probably bond with you as well as
not escape as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily as well as
enjoy their habits, you can
capture ailment or various
other issues earlier. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or
various other unhealthy
signs. Make certain to
also check out
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can lead
to matted feathers and stopped up cloaca.
Lastly, it is important to look out
for social issues, such as the
littlest chick getting badgered. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are now fully feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your residence
as well as relocate outside right into a cage. Have a look at our
area on chicken coops to learn more
regarding coops and
proper coop environments.
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