Chickens

I will bet you my next paycheck that the cost of having chickens will be higher than the cost of you buying your own eggs. Having said that, it is, as you said, more about the whole experience. Just don't get chickens thinking they'll pay for themselves unless you set up a small egg selling biz.

 

Yes and no. Combined with free-ranging, most layer rations have plenty of calcium. But if you're giving them kitchen scraps anyway, just crush up the shells (so that they don't look like eggs--don't want to give them any ideas!) and feed them back to them. That'll ensure that they get more than enough calcium.

 

Ive heard its more expensive if you calculate feed cost vs egg production...but quality of backyard vs mass production eggs is well worth the effort...

 

you could probably crush your own but a bag of oyster shell will go a long way...you dont really have to feed them much of it compared to food/grains. You also will be able to tell if they are lacking by the thickness of their eggshells. If they crack too easy or seem to crush you know they need more calcium.

 

True that. It is a pretty grounding experience having chickens, plus it may teach some good skills to your young'un. And, as wilcam said, the quality of the eggs is mindblowing. Sounds like you've experienced that before. To have it available every day is pretty damn cool.

 

From what I've read you need to make the coop predator proof. We have raccoons, coyotes, and fox to name a few. Raised coop, fencing all the way around to include the top of the run, and bury it 12" in the ground. Chickens in at night and when we're not there.

 

I suppose you could, but I think a 50lb bag runs all of $7-8 at the local feed store, and that should last you for years.

 

chickens in at night period! They have automatic gates now that close up the coop.

 

Do they return to the coop on their own?

 

Ours do.
We have oyster shell. we also keep egg shells of the ones we eat, grind in a bowl, toast pieces in toaster, and make a mash and feed it back to chickens. Never had a problem with them eating their own eggs as long as the shell is toasted. Have also put them thru the blender but got tired of cleaning it.

 

Typically they go to roost at dusk, when we had them we never bothered with open and closing their pens until it was too much snow and and then we just closed them up for the winter.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Automatic-Chicken-Coop-Door/

 

Turkey, and pheasant also go to roost at dusk. There are many auto-door open/close out there. I think one with a dusk to dawn detector setting would be great since it changes a lot during the year.

 

Doing things right and a better end product usually doesn't mean cheaper. I'm ok with that.

 

After the massacre I got real serious... my post from a few posts ago...

I have a 10x10 dog kennel with 1/2" hardware cloth across the top and at the bottom 24" all around. All that is roofed with a heavy tarp / pipe / riser setup that can be had at any farm store. Inside, there is an actual coop. They are cheap enough to find, but usually they are built like crap and wouldn't hold up more than a year in weather. With it being under cover inside the kennel, it will last as long as I need it to.


I also have the hardware cloth extending out along the ground 24" and buried with dirt and grass. The only thing that can get in now are weasels and mink and rats. None of the first 2 yet, but we do have a resident rat that I'd like to take out with my 22. Little bastard doesn't go into the poison rat traps we have because the eatin is too good inside the coop.

 

Mine too. They go in and squabble over spots on the roosting bars at dusk, and by dark they've all settled in and don't hop down until in the morning.

 

All runs have a gate full size that are lockable. One coup I made a guillotine door with cable that comes to front but chickens go out back to a fenced area. Middle run right now is for younger chicks and last run is free rangers. They get the whole property . I saw a pic somebody used a toilet seat as a chicken run door. I liked that one.

 

yep, I think even though its more convenient to go to the store and get a dozen eggs for instance, farm raised are much better tasting and better for you...I also think we have lost a lot of the "farm" raised stuff and have figured out commercialized products arent as tasty and not as good for you.

 

Agreed. Raising chickens and getting your own eggs out of it is a small but very doable part of getting your food supply chain on a better course all around. As far as the quality... for pasta lovers out there, you aint had Carbonara until you've had it with fresh yolks. O. M. G.

 

geez. you guys are killing me! now im wanting chickens. what do you do when you have to go out of town for a week or so? just let em roam?

 

I have my brother house sit, because if I go out of town I also need somebody to take care of the dog and get ignored by the cat.