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.
Yep. You can also put the clean dried shells in a high speed blender and turn into a powder to add to the garden to prevent blossom end rot on the tomatoes and peppers.
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.
Don't wash them and they will keep for many months. Once refrigerated they say to keep refrigerated . US is pretty much the only country that cools eggs. I've found weeks old nests in summer heat and never had a bad egg.
Yes you can glass them or candle them to make sure there is no developing embryo or blood spots before storage.
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.
Domestic duck are generally too heavy to fly more that a few yards. I had ducks. I hate ducks. Do not get ducks. Messy. Messy. Loud. Cute. Messy. Eat like pigs. Ducks are entertaining. They are cute. Don't get ducks. kek love/hate thing for me.
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.
Yep. You can also put the clean dried shells in a high speed blender and turn into a powder to add to the garden to prevent blossom end rot on the tomatoes and peppers.
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.
Don't wash them and they will keep for many months. Once refrigerated they say to keep refrigerated . US is pretty much the only country that cools eggs. I've found weeks old nests in summer heat and never had a bad egg.
Yes you can glass them or candle them to make sure there is no developing embryo or blood spots before storage.
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.
All true. I love love farm fresh eggs. Free range is the best. I've lost birds to all those. Weasel is the worst find...
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.
Domestic duck are generally too heavy to fly more that a few yards. I had ducks. I hate ducks. Do not get ducks. Messy. Messy. Loud. Cute. Messy. Eat like pigs. Ducks are entertaining. They are cute. Don't get ducks. kek love/hate thing for me.