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 Sale in
Olanta, Pennsylvania
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Olanta Pennsylvania,
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. Olanta
Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Olanta Pennsylvania, 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 Olanta PA.
Raising Baby Quail Chicks in
Olanta, Pennsylvania
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Olanta Pennsylvania
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
Olanta Pennsylvania * 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 Olanta
Pennsylvania * 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 Coop in
Olanta, Pennsylvania
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
Olanta Pennsylvania 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 Olanta,
Pennsylvania Baby chicks are extremely
charming and also
hard to withstand,
yet it's best to plan for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare initially
by collecting not just the
proper materials, yet
likewise the correct
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
straightforward, you just should supply them with the following: A
clean as well as warm and comfortable
habitat A lot of food and also water Interest and also
love Habitat Your environment could be a
simple box, fish tank,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and
coverings (without any loose
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks utilize straw over paper.
Note: Avoid making use of just
newspaper or other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow
misshapen. You additionally need
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
meal from the feed store, or a pickle jar
cover for food as well as an animal bird water dispenser from a pet store. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you could introduce a perch
into the environment to get them
trained on perching. Warmth To
maintain your chicks warm you have to
provide them with a warmth resource.
This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat
bulb likewise function extremely well (my
referral). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 till their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which could take up to 2 months). The recently
hatched out need a temperature
in between 90 as well as 100 degrees,
and also every week this could
be decreased by
about 5 levels or
so. The heat resource need to be on simply one side of the cage
to permit chicks a variety of
temperature levels. The chicks are your finest
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
other edge of your heat
lamp, you need to
lower the temperature. If
they are surrounding each various other under the
heat (not simply curling up),
you should put some heat.
Home cleaning
Cleanliness is vital as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to transform
the bedding
typically and also
consistently offer clean
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks grow extremely quickly
which calls for lots of tidy
food and also water. Give
enough whatsoever times as well
as check
typically to
stop parched as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated and
also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
first two months, after that
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for another 2 months,
and afterwards to a somewhat
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others will not take
up that activity until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
enclosure, present a tray of sand or
dirt for them to shower in.
Attention and love There are a
few advantages to hanging
out with your chicks. First off, they will certainly probably bond with you and also
not run away as grownups. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
enjoy their behavior, you can
capture health problem or various
other problems previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other harmful
indications. Be sure to
also take a look at
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could bring about matted plumes and blocked cloaca.
Lastly, it is important to watch out for social problems, such as the
tiniest chick obtaining badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently totally feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety of your residence
and move outside right into a cage. Look into our
section on chicken cages for more information
about cages as well as
proper coop environments.
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