watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 i been wanting a few chickens for years now,have quite a large garden but they would have to be cooped, got talking to a lad that has a few thousand on his farm he said, if you only have a couple it will cost you more money to feed than what your getting back out of them in eggs the more the merrier was his thoughts,so is it really worth keeping a few with the price of eggs relatively cheep or is more of a case just being able to say im eating my own eggs rather than shop/farm bought ones no matter the cost of keeping them to me. basicaly is it worth it?cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CarraghsGem 92 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 i been wanting a few chickens for years now,have quite a large garden but they would have to be cooped, got talking to a lad that has a few thousand on his farm he said, if you only have a couple it will cost you more money to feed than what your getting back out of them in eggs the more the merrier was his thoughts,so is it really worth keeping a few with the price of eggs relatively cheep or is more of a case just being able to say im eating my own eggs rather than shop/farm bought ones no matter the cost of keeping them to me. basicaly is it worth it?cheers think what he may have meant is that its cheaper to feed more birds as you would be buying bulk bags of feed rather than the small more expensive bags if i was starting out id buy 3-4 hybrid layers, 1-2 silkie x hens to hatch eggs and run them with a cornish game cockeral so that the offspring from the hybrids would be fairly good table birds. i wouldnt hatch any of the silkies eggs as the offspring would have black skin and be unsuitable as table birds Quote Link to post Share on other sites
watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 i been wanting a few chickens for years now,have quite a large garden but they would have to be cooped, got talking to a lad that has a few thousand on his farm he said, if you only have a couple it will cost you more money to feed than what your getting back out of them in eggs the more the merrier was his thoughts,so is it really worth keeping a few with the price of eggs relatively cheep or is more of a case just being able to say im eating my own eggs rather than shop/farm bought ones no matter the cost of keeping them to me. basicaly is it worth it?cheers think what he may have meant is that its cheaper to feed more birds as you would be buying bulk bags of feed rather than the small more expensive bags if i was starting out id buy 3-4 hybrid layers, 1-2 silkie x hens to hatch eggs and run them with a cornish game cockeral so that the offspring from the hybrids would be fairly good table birds. i wouldnt hatch any of the silkies eggs as the offspring would have black skin and be unsuitable as table birds so just as a rough example,difficult i know but how much would it cost me to keep the ammount you have said on a weekly basis bearing in mind all the usual food/table scraps they would be getting in addition to purpose bought feed thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CarraghsGem 92 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 you could probably get away with 3pound a week, if you were rearing young birds for the table it would be a few pound more depending on age and quantity, as you would be feeding them on chick crumb then onto broilers, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 you could probably get away with 3pound a week, if you were rearing young birds for the table it would be a few pound more depending on age and quantity, as you would be feeding them on chick crumb then onto broilers, the lad at work sells them to us for £1:30 a dozen so im guessing its not going to worth my while really,thanks for the info appreciate that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richie10 345 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Get some Hubbards, you can get 20 chicks for around £15, they grow fast but don't become dirty and smelly like Cobbs. Get great food to meat conversion. All the pure breds take ages to put meat on and then taste really gamey unless hung. Unless you can sell the eggs or you eat tons of eggs then there is no real point of getting loads of laying birds. They are cheap enough in the shops. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CarraghsGem 92 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 you could probably get away with 3pound a week, if you were rearing young birds for the table it would be a few pound more depending on age and quantity, as you would be feeding them on chick crumb then onto broilers, the lad at work sells them to us for £1:30 a dozen so im guessing its not going to worth my while really,thanks for the info appreciate that prices of feed in england are probably cheaper feed wise, geese are a great investment, mine dont eat much grain, they pretty much live off the grass. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 you could probably get away with 3pound a week, if you were rearing young birds for the table it would be a few pound more depending on age and quantity, as you would be feeding them on chick crumb then onto broilers, the lad at work sells them to us for £1:30 a dozen so im guessing its not going to worth my while really,thanks for the info appreciate that prices of feed in england are probably cheaper feed wise, geese are a great investment, mine dont eat much grain, they pretty much live off the grass. i can see myself getting a few just for eating purpose only rather than for eggs thanks mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterjohn 0 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 how long is a piece of string? depends on a number of variables that only you know Quote Link to post Share on other sites
watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 how long is a piece of string? depends on a number of variables that only you know just getting a rough idea mate thats all Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moll. 1,770 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 You will always spend more than you can make with chickens. If you do it properly, you have the cost of feed, (you cant buy in enough bulk to make it economical as it has a use by date) Bedding, ACV or vits you might want to use. AB's if/when needed. The prices of coops you will never get back. They are really more of a hobby than a source of income, even when selling stock and eggs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 You will always spend more than you can make with chickens. If you do it properly, you have the cost of feed, (you cant buy in enough bulk to make it economical as it has a use by date) Bedding, ACV or vits you might want to use. AB's if/when needed. The prices of coops you will never get back. They are really more of a hobby than a source of income, even when selling stock and eggs. i can see that now cheers,as i said might just bring a few on for the table Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richie10 345 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 You will always spend more than you can make with chickens. If you do it properly, you have the cost of feed, (you cant buy in enough bulk to make it economical as it has a use by date) Bedding, ACV or vits you might want to use. AB's if/when needed. The prices of coops you will never get back. They are really more of a hobby than a source of income, even when selling stock and eggs. Meat birds need mixed corn and growers pellets and access to grass/bugs, give them some cider vinegar in their water and you shouldn't need much more. Shed and run you can knock using things you can find, free wood people throwing away sheds. Buy a roll of chicken wire and build panels making sure you have excess wire to bury or place under paving stones. Water and feed hoppers are an essential buy and other than that it's only the food. Do enough birds to sell to friends and that offsets the cost. Birds can get to over 2.5kg and that is enough for a couple of meals, end up eating decent home grown chicken for the price of a crappy one from the supermarket that you can cook once. Also they reckon the poor standard of the supermarket chicken has led to more mental issues in the population. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
watchman 256 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 You will always spend more than you can make with chickens. If you do it properly, you have the cost of feed, (you cant buy in enough bulk to make it economical as it has a use by date) Bedding, ACV or vits you might want to use. AB's if/when needed. The prices of coops you will never get back. They are really more of a hobby than a source of income, even when selling stock and eggs. Meat birds need mixed corn and growers pellets and access to grass/bugs, give them some cider vinegar in their water and you shouldn't need much more. Shed and run you can knock using things you can find, free wood people throwing away sheds. Buy a roll of chicken wire and build panels making sure you have excess wire to bury or place under paving stones. Water and feed hoppers are an essential buy and other than that it's only the food. Do enough birds to sell to friends and that offsets the cost. Birds can get to over 2.5kg and that is enough for a couple of meals, end up eating decent home grown chicken for the price of a crappy one from the supermarket that you can cook once. Also they reckon the poor standard of the supermarket chicken has led to more mental issues in the population. cheers richie,iv got an old shed with a bit of coverting and a small run should do the job ok,got a local place to me that sells birds so will be taking myself up there soon for a look see whats on offer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richie10 345 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Get in touch with this chap in Lincolnshire, he does runs throughout the UK and delivers chicks to points along the A roads. 20 chicks for £12 to £15 for 20 and he usually chucks in a free one. Get a heat lamp and chick crumb and see them grow. local places just have the pure breds, by the time you have got them to a decent size to eat you realise you have been feeding them for 9 months. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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