When I saw the post title I thought this was going to be about a dilemma regarding the bird flu pushed and birds you already own. So I see both sides, catastrophe could strike.
I think you need to take into account the realistic likelihood of costs and benefits. I live in a town and rent. My significant other 1) doesn’t want chickens and 2) has pointed out, will we know how to care for them and 3) will it actually cost more?
No “answer” except to keep your preps real and don’t create more of a hindrance than a blessing. If different preps make more sense for you, that is what I would do.
I can say that right now it is not cost productive, with the price of feed. When I had them I sold eggs for $2 dozen. Break even was 3. It has gotten worse since then. I enjoyed having them and usually just gave away extra eggs anyway. However, peace of mind and ability to feed yourself is worth something too.
Raising grain-free chickens is a thing. Free range, lots of scraps and some easy tricks like putting blocks on the ground for while, then pick them up to reveal a colony of bugs and worms and let the chickens go to town, free high quality food right there! Also when they are laying, clean the egg shells as you use them then crush them up and feed back to the chickens and that provides them with the calcium they need. Just remember to clean and crush so they don't start to think they can eat their own eggs.
You can feed them leftovers and scraps and such to reduce bill. Calcium is the biggest need for layers.
I had 25-30 birds and went through a $10 a bag (50lb) every 3-4 days depending on season. Summer time they free ranged the several acres and that cut the cost in half or better. Although I lost some to predators. So $80 ish a month winter time and $40 a month summer time.
Eggs... once they are to laying age 6moths or so iir I got up to 2 dozen summer time and winter sometimes less than a dozen a day off of that many birds.
40 pound bag of layer feed is now $16 here in the northeast. We've had batches hens for the past 10 years and the eggs are absolutely awesome.
BUT, you have to invest the time to have a quality coop that will keep any predators out. I live in a very woody area and it seems like everything is looking to get dinner at my coop (fox, weasel, hawk, owl, coyote and even mice eat the grain).
If you get below freezing, you need to run an extension cord to heat their water in the winter also.
My six ducks eat a 20 lb bag in three weeks. So they make 35 eggs/bag of food. They also eat lawn clippings, cooking waste and table scraps but we do almost pure feed. They laying isn't normally effected by type of food. I just find it easier to think about them for the minimum time.
Oh and ducks are messier then chickens but they lay all winter. I have tons of fruit trees but in the winter it's nice to have something fresh.
When I saw the post title I thought this was going to be about a dilemma regarding the bird flu pushed and birds you already own. So I see both sides, catastrophe could strike.
I think you need to take into account the realistic likelihood of costs and benefits. I live in a town and rent. My significant other 1) doesn’t want chickens and 2) has pointed out, will we know how to care for them and 3) will it actually cost more?
No “answer” except to keep your preps real and don’t create more of a hindrance than a blessing. If different preps make more sense for you, that is what I would do.
I can say that right now it is not cost productive, with the price of feed. When I had them I sold eggs for $2 dozen. Break even was 3. It has gotten worse since then. I enjoyed having them and usually just gave away extra eggs anyway. However, peace of mind and ability to feed yourself is worth something too.
Raising grain-free chickens is a thing. Free range, lots of scraps and some easy tricks like putting blocks on the ground for while, then pick them up to reveal a colony of bugs and worms and let the chickens go to town, free high quality food right there! Also when they are laying, clean the egg shells as you use them then crush them up and feed back to the chickens and that provides them with the calcium they need. Just remember to clean and crush so they don't start to think they can eat their own eggs.
You can feed them leftovers and scraps and such to reduce bill. Calcium is the biggest need for layers.
I had 25-30 birds and went through a $10 a bag (50lb) every 3-4 days depending on season. Summer time they free ranged the several acres and that cut the cost in half or better. Although I lost some to predators. So $80 ish a month winter time and $40 a month summer time.
Eggs... once they are to laying age 6moths or so iir I got up to 2 dozen summer time and winter sometimes less than a dozen a day off of that many birds.
40 pound bag of layer feed is now $16 here in the northeast. We've had batches hens for the past 10 years and the eggs are absolutely awesome.
BUT, you have to invest the time to have a quality coop that will keep any predators out. I live in a very woody area and it seems like everything is looking to get dinner at my coop (fox, weasel, hawk, owl, coyote and even mice eat the grain).
If you get below freezing, you need to run an extension cord to heat their water in the winter also.
My six ducks eat a 20 lb bag in three weeks. So they make 35 eggs/bag of food. They also eat lawn clippings, cooking waste and table scraps but we do almost pure feed. They laying isn't normally effected by type of food. I just find it easier to think about them for the minimum time.
Oh and ducks are messier then chickens but they lay all winter. I have tons of fruit trees but in the winter it's nice to have something fresh.