It's yet another rainy day here (well it is winter I suppose) and the lads and I have been discussing the logistics of getting our own free range chickens.
Question #1 - does our local council allow them? Answer: Yes but not roosters unless they don't crow. How likely is that?
Question #2 - do we have the space? Answer: Most definately.
Question #3 - can we build some sort of chicken run with minimal help? Answer: I think so. Might not be the flashest chicken run in town but as long as the chicks are safe that's all that matters.
Question #4 - is it cost effective? Now this is where the debate starts. Up until this winter I have not had to buy eggs for years. My X Mother In Law has hens and has always supplied us with our eggs free of charge. However this Easter they stopped laying and we have had to buy our own. Free range eggs here range from about $5-$7/dozen. Ouch. And we would usually use about half a dozen a week. I had no idea free range eggs were so expensive. And after eating them for years we enjoy the different taste and I couldn't go back to cage eggs. Now there is no point asking Mil for a costing as her hens are her hobby and she would have no idea how much she spends on grain, mash etc and I don't think she has ever kept a record of how many eggs they lay in any given week.
So with the big question out there does anybody have any ideas as to how cost effective free range chickens really are? I would imagine if we had 4 hens and averaged 2 eggs a day I could sell the surplus to a friend or two, maybe we could even get 6 hens. Also what are the downsides to these animals?
Off the chicken topic I have also decided to start taking note of what I do each day that saves us money. I'm curious to see how much I do that has become second nature. So I found an old unlined notebook and will start this today.
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5 years ago
Hi Choccy
ReplyDeleteMy four hens, eat grain rather than a mash mix or pellets. They get this in their coop at night(I have to take it out during the day as the wild birds eat it..lol
I give them scraps from the household and greens from the vegies(I grow extra for them)
A 18kg bag of free range grain costs me $22 at our local IGA may be cheaper from farm store. However my hens do not seem to like corn. As this seems to be a resonable percentage of the grain mix I am looking at mixing my own maybe. This lasts me about a month. A little less in winter as the girls are moulting.
They get any sour milk which they love. Yogurt left over and scraps. I get free bone meal from the butchers in my village they love it and wolf it down. They also get meat scraps.
I do a mash with oats or barley rolled and soaked in off milk or water. I add one small clove of garlic (i grow my own) some treacle or honey just a drizzle a little chili, kelp powder and a few other bits and pieces, this is done every month full moon time. worming and health tonic. I also add apple cider vinegar to their water or food.
My girls are currently giving me only one egg every 2-3 days as they are molting.
I have shell grit which they need to have free access to and small gravel for their crops as chooks do not have teeth they need the gravel to grind food.
My hens cost me $3-$5 a week maybe a little less. What they give me is hard workers tilling me soil, weeding it and getting grubs and bugs out of it. Eggs, and amazing fun and company. They are so entertaining. I would use about 8 eggs a week and will only buy free range that I know are! So we are doing with the eggs the girls are producing now only.
They are easy to care for but you do need to check them twice a day minimum. Mine have a huge run and are not aloud loose in the garden They are creating my fruit trees orchard. They can get sick and die quickly. But if you feed them well ensure they have fresh clean water daily, their home is cleaned regularly and they are free range and have things to scratch about in. I give them old hay bales which they make great mulch out of. They are brilliant. A great book is Linda Woodrow Permaculture and Alanah Moores chook book your library may have copies.
You would be able to sell the surplus I was giving away eggs when all four were laying I was averaging 3-4 eggs a day, so would have plenty and you could sell them for $5 dont be cheap as people will pay the going price for them. We never have problems selling excess for this price when people know they are free range, loved and organic.
Thanks Aussiemade. How many hens do you have? There would be no problem with the lads keeping an eye on things. They are so used to chickens. Funny but Xmil's chickens were the first time I knew I was afraid of birds. Long story I may share one day. Lets just say I will never make the same mistake again.
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly certain I could score free haybales from Xmil as well and she should know where to get chooks from as she must get hers from somewhere. I vaguely remember when Mr8 was a toddler going somewhere to get chooks but I was so afraid I stayed in the car. Hmmm now that sounds bad for someone wanting chooks!
Will check out the library for the Alanah Moores book - just had out the other one and was so bored and confused I couldn't make it past the first chapter. Total gardening and self sufficency novice here!
Thanks for your help. You may get email from me in the future with more questions.
Hello there,
ReplyDeleteWe have around 15 free range chooks and at the moment we are getting anything from 9 -12 eggs a day. The surplus eggs we sell for $3.00 a dozen and have no trouble finding buyers. We are lucky because my dad has access to free wheat,which saves us money, we do have to drive 1.5hrs to go pick it up though. Other food our chooks enjoy is pollen bran mixed with water, household scraps plus lots of greens to make the yolks a lovely yellow colour. The latter is hard to provide where we live because of low rainfall especially through the summer. Chooks make great pets too. I would say you wouldn't need many so long as they lay for you and you get enough for yourselves. Maybe 3 or 4.
I found your blog through Simple Savings and have become a follower.
Have a great day,
Tania