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 Online in
Anson, Maine
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Anson Maine,
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. Anson
Maine also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Anson Maine, 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 Anson ME.
Baby Chicks
Breeds in
Anson, Maine
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Anson Maine
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
Anson Maine * 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 Anson
Maine * 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 How To Care in
Anson, Maine
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
Anson Maine 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 Anson,
Maine Baby chicks are very
charming and
hard to resist,
however it's finest to plan for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare initially
by collecting not just the
appropriate materials, but
likewise the proper
knowledge to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
easy, you just have to offer them with the following: A
clean and also warm and comfortable
environment Lots of food and water Interest and
love Environment Your environment could be an easy box, aquarium,
pet cat provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
blankets (without any loose
strings!) to begin, and also after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only
paper or other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You also need
something to provide food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle container
cover for food as well as a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet store. Also, as the chicks grow older you could introduce a perch
right into the environment to obtain them
trained on perching. Warmth To
maintain your chicks heat you need to
supply them with a heat source.
This can be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb additionally function very
well (my
referral). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could take up to 2 months). The newly
hatched out require a temperature
in between 90 and also 100 levels,
as well as every week this can
be decreased by
roughly 5 levels approximately. The heat source need to get on simply one side of the cage
to enable chicks a variety of
temperatures. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are hiding in the
contrary edge of your warmth
light, you should
lower the temperature. If
they are smothering each other under the
heat (not merely curling up),
you should add some warmth.
Home cleaning
Cleanliness is crucial as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Be sure to transform
the bedding
usually as well as
always supply tidy
food and water Food and also water.
Chicks grow quite quick
which needs lots of clean
food as well as water. Give
sufficient in any way times and also check
commonly to prevent thirsty and
starving chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and also it comes
in both medicated and
also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
very first 2 months, then
switch over to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for another 2 months,
and after that to a somewhat
reduced protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want
to get a head start on taking
dirt baths, while others will not take
up that task till they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
room, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to wash in.
Focus and also love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will certainly more than likely bond with you and
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
see their actions, you could
capture disease or various
other issues previously. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or
other undesirable
indicators. Make sure to
likewise look at
their poop, as diarrhea could cause matted plumes and clogged up cloaca.
Last but not least, it is very
important to look out
for social concerns, such as the
tiniest chick obtaining picked
on. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are now completely feathery
and its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your residence
and move outside into a
coop. Check out our
part on chicken cages to find out
more
concerning coops as well as
proper cage habitats.
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