Farm raised, free range chickens eat many things. Chickens are omnivores - when they are allowed to scavenge on their own, they eat lots of bugs of which this protein goes into the egg - making it much richer.
So - I'm thinking about raising chickens. Let's look past the bird dogs for a moment.
How do you figure out what it's worth? Yes they are better, yes we like eggs, yes they would be better for the environment and the chickens, yes they would be antibiotic and hormone free - but the initial investment is not cheap.
Basically to get started it is going to cost me 800 dollars ($700 house, $50 dollar posts/wire, $50 dollars for birds/supplies). 
I can buy a dozen eggs from the local farm for $3.5 dozen. (We will not count what I can buy them from Costco, because they really are not equivalent)
This enough for 6-8 egg layers. They will average 40 eggs/week, 170 dozen/year. At 170 dozen a year - it would pay for its self in less than 2 years.
However - we really can only eat a dozen/week. So I'll have to give the rest away (not interested in selling), so then it will take us 4 and 1/2 years, and I'll be sharing the benefit with friends.
The house will still be worth while in 5 years, though I will have had to replace the chickens at least once.
What is the worth of being "ONE" with the food you eat? Egg laying chickens have a horrible life.
What is the worth of doing the right thing for animals that produce your food? How do you figure out that price?
6 comments:
I have often wanted a chicken coop, but what do you do when it gets really cold outside? or when it gets really hot? how much protection do the birds need?
And are you going to get the cool "Martha Stewart" birds that lay pastel colored eggs? :-)
And how do you keep Ripley out of the chicken coop!
Rumor has it that they don't need heat, provided they have a coop. To hot - you open the windows to catch a breeze?
I know they need extra light in the winter to produce eggs
Yeah.. Ripley the bird dog slayer.
I've sort of worked through this in my mind. They will have a small fenced in area, and will only roam free when I can keep the dogs inside.
Not perfect, maybe I should buy a few extra. :-)
Why do you have to replace them every few years?
I think its fantastic idea, but you might need a bigger area than you think...what happens when their small fenced in area becomes COVERED in chicken crap?
I know some of the farms around here have a rolling chicken coop that they move about 3 weeks behind the cattle movement. They always have fresh grazing area and the few weeks old cow patties have had time to draw tasty bugs.
Yes, laying chickens have horrible, horrible lives...as to chickens that become your fajitas. Any commercially raised animal has a horrible life.
We are taking your lead and finding a farm to buy a share in for the summer and buying beef locally this fall!
I have seen the ones you move ... but I can't find one locally.
Yes, cleaning cow/horse patty's are the best for all...
Egg layers only lay eggs for 2 years. Then they become fajita meat.
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