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 For Sale Online in
Springport, Michigan
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Springport Michigan,
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. Springport
Michigan also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Springport Michigan, 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 Springport MI.
Baby Chicks Near Me in
Springport, Michigan
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Springport Michigan
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
Springport Michigan * 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 Springport
Michigan * 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 Incubator in
Springport, Michigan
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
Springport Michigan 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 Springport,
Michigan Baby chicks are really
adorable and also
tough to withstand,
however it's best to prepare for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first
by compiling not just the
right materials, but
also the appropriate
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is fairly
simple, you just should supply them with the following: A
clean and also warm
environment Lots of food and water Focus and also
love Habitat Your environment can be a basic box, aquarium,
pet cat provider, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without loosened
strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks utilize straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid making use of only
newspaper or other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand
misshapen. You additionally need
something to dish out food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container
lid for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Also, as the chicks get
older you can present a perch
right into the environment to obtain them
educated on perching. Heat To
keep your chicks heat you should
provide them with a warmth resource.
This can be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a
hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb likewise work effectively (my
suggestion). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which can take up to two months). The recently
hatched out require a temperature level
in between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and each week this can
be decreased by
about 5 degrees or
so. The warmth source should be on merely one side of the cage
to permit 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 need to
reduce the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each other under the
warmth (not just curling up),
you need to put some warmth.
Home cleaning
Sanitation is crucial and also it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to alter
the bed linens
usually as well as
constantly supply tidy
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks expand extremely fast
which needs plenty of tidy
food and also water. Offer
sufficient whatsoever times as well
as check
typically to
stop parched as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is different compared
to adult chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated and non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, after that
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
then to a slightly
lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking
filth baths, while others will not use up that task until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
room, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to bathe in.
Attention as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly more than likely bond with you as well as
not run away as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and
enjoy their behavior, you can
capture health problem or other issues earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
indicators. Make sure to
also look at
their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted plumes and stopped up cloaca.
Lastly, it is essential to watch out for social issues, such as the
smallest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently totally feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your house
and relocate outside into a cage. Look into our
section on chicken coops to get more information
about cages as well as
appropriate cage environments.
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