Promise Acre: Our Journey

[promiseacres]

so hopefully won't regret it but to help solve my issue of not much barn space have decided to sell the layer flock.... then I can clean out their 16x8 coop for hay, tack, rabbits.... AM so frustrated as DH put some of his "JUNK" back in my horse trailer....just as I am almost down to half way empty with the hay. He thinks I have no plans to use it but WHAT the HECK! Now I can't use it at all if I do an opportunity to trail ride this fall (which is frankly my favorite time to ride)!!!!Very Surprised he okayed selling the chickens... but since we don't free range them well they really do cost more than eggs. hoping i can buy from friends. if not oh well. And if/when I get a barn then I can get more chickens. Might be good for a break from something.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Life is constantly changing and sometimes we have to make decisions that fit the moment. You are still young and the demands of life are great on ya right now. Once ya get a farm and things settle down a bit, ya can always get more and enjoy them. I truly don't know how ya do all ya do, so it would be one less demand on your time and $$....

 

[AClark]

Chickens really can eat, I can definitely understand why it costs more in upkeep on chickens than eggs cost if you don't free range. We free-range and I lock them up in the coop at night, I think they cost me $1 each a month to feed or so, but I'm getting a good 6-10 eggs a day now. I really have to sell some since my fridge is starting to get kind of full, and I have eggs in one of my mixing bowls since I ran out of cartons! I do feed mine as well, but I just throw a scoop of feed out twice a day and call it good.

Sucks about the horse trailer, my mom is famous for loading the trailer full of crap and then when you need to use it, either you give up, or have to unload tons of stuff. I don't do that, my horse trailer only has some stuff in the tack compartment, but it's ready to go any time.

 

[Bruce]

$1/month @AClark? My 17 are out all day every day if they like (and they DO like!) but they (and the wild birds , at least I'm not feeding woodchucks anymore) still went through about 50 pounds a month this summer at $11-$12/bag. Plus they get BOSS in the morning and scratch at night.

My costs for feed, shavings, other supplies make my eggs cost about $2.20/dozen. I can't compete with the cheap battery cage eggs but my girls' eggs are much better quality. Of course if I were a true farmer, I'd cull the older girls that are no longer laying or not laying much rather than giving them "social security" for life

 

[AClark]

I go through 80# of feed a month or so, so that's about $15-16 - I have 15 hens. I use the outer layer of the hay bales for their bedding so that's a "no cost" because I bought the hay to feed, I just won't feed the outer layer that has been rained on etc.
I only put out as much as they'll eat in a single feeding twice a day, there's usually not much left over so nothing else is free loading. They have all day to go peck through the pasture and eat worms, crickets, whatever is out and about. I imagine feed costs will be going up with summer coming to a close.

Cost of living difference I think Bruce. I know VT is expensive, and OK is one of the cheaper places to live.

 

[Simpleterrier]

I hope u got a good price on your layers. Here they are bring 7 to 10 dollars a piece at the sale barn and young roosters are 10 to 12 dollars and big roosters are 12 to 15 dollars apiece. I cut my flock from 90+ birds to around 25. About 15 of them were roosters made some good money this year for next to nothing in them.

 

[Bruce]

I think they cost me $1 each a month to feed or so

I missed the EACH part, I read too fast I guess. I'll have to pay attention to how much mine are eating since we are soon to lose most everything of value out on the "range". I had 12 girls the first year, 15 I think the 3rd year (some loss plus 7 new girls in 2015) and 17 now. I last bought two 50# bags on 9/19 (didn't start it right away though) and just started the second one today. Making a note in my spreadsheet

 

[CntryBoy777]

I don't keep up with mine....tho, having them out and about they do require much less in the way of pellets.

 

[Baymule]

We buy a non GMO layer pellet at $26.95 per 50 pound bag. I sell eggs for $4 a dozen. They are at almost break even on cost. Right now they can't free range because we planted grass seed and I don't want them eating the seed or scratching up the new grasses coming up.

Pullets are usually $20-$25 each, but we got some 4 month olds for $10 each at a poultry sale. Roosters for $5 on Craigslist.

 

[Bruce]

I'm a little "data driven". Might have something to do with my pre-retirement profession You can "leave" after 34 years but your brain doesn't change