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.
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...