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 Supplies in
Tolovana Park, Oregon
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Tolovana Park Oregon,
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. Tolovana Park
Oregon also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Tolovana Park Oregon, 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 Tolovana Park OR.
Baby Chickens Mail in
Tolovana Park, Oregon
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Tolovana Park Oregon
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
Tolovana Park Oregon * 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 Tolovana Park
Oregon * 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
Breeds in
Tolovana Park, Oregon
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
Tolovana Park Oregon 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 Tolovana Park,
Oregon Baby chicks are extremely
charming and also
tough to stand up to,
but it's finest to prepare for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially
by compiling not only the
proper materials, but
likewise the appropriate
understanding to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
simple, you simply have to provide them with the following: A
clean and warm
habitat Lots of food as well
as water Interest and
love Habitat Your habitat could be a
simple box, aquarium,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without loose
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks utilize straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing only
paper or various other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow
misshapen. You also require
something to serve up food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
dish from the feed store, or a pickle container
cover for food as well as an animal bird water dispenser from an animal store. Additionally, as the chicks age you could present a perch
into the environment to obtain them
educated on perching. Heat To
maintain your chicks heat you have to
provide them with a heat resource.
This can be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb likewise function effectively (my
suggestion). Chicks need this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could occupy to two months). The freshly
hatched out need a temperature level
between 90 and 100 levels,
and also every week this can
be decreased by
roughly 5 levels approximately. The warmth resource ought
to be on merely one side of the cage
to permit chicks a variety of
temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal
thermometer- if they are hiding in the
other corner of your heat
lamp, you need to
decrease the temperature. If
they are surrounding each other under the
heat (not just cuddling),
you have to add some warmth.
House cleaning
Cleanliness is vital and also it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Be sure to change
the bed linens
often as well as
constantly supply tidy
food and water Food and water.
Chicks grow extremely quickly
which requires plenty of tidy
food and water. Supply
sufficient whatsoever times and check
typically to
stop thirsty as well as
hungry chicks. Chick food is different compared
to grown-up chicken food, and it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, then
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and after that to a somewhat
reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain 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
enclosure, present a tray of sand or
dust for them to shower in.
Focus as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will more than likely bond with you and also
not escape as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and also
enjoy their behavior, you can
capture health problem or various
other troubles previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
signs. Make sure to
likewise look at
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can cause matted feathers and also blocked cloaca.
Lastly, it is very
important to look out
for social issues, such as the
littlest chick obtaining badgered. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently fully feathered
and also its time for them to leave the
safety of your house
and move outside into a
coop. Look into our
part on chicken coops for more information
about coops and
proper coop habitats.
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