Raising chickens

[Wulf202]

As far as scraps you have an odd view. Your design wasn't good. Your source of materials has little to do with that.

Spending thousands on a coop to get $2-6 worth of eggs a week makes little sense.

[clodhopper]

As far as scraps you have an odd view. Your design wasn't good. Your source of materials has little to do with that.

Spending thousands on a coop to get $2-6 worth of eggs a week makes little sense.

Seriously? Do the math. Keeping chickens at all is not worth the cost if you see no difference to the eggs in the store.


However, you may have misunderstood my point. I have no issues with recycled products. I am using them in the new coop. My point was to think it through. Slapping together some old pallet boards, not considering winter conditions and time investment on chore maintenance is a recipe to quit chickens and never go back. Put some research into it before you jump in with both feet and avoid headaches later on. I have spent enough time crawling around in a pooped up chicken coop trying to fix a problem or add a feature I had wished I though of initially. Seems like things only go wrong with it is 10 below or bucketing rain, which sucks for fixing stuff. I enjoy the convenience of the eggs, the wife likes the "pet" aspect, and it is good chore training for my sons. If I can make it convenient at a reasonable cost, then why not? Keep in mind, I live in town in a normal residential subdivision, it impacts some of the decisions I have made.

I don't know many people who have gotten into keeping chickens and didn't quit the crappy first coop and spend more later. Maybe save yourself a step if you intend to make this long term.

[clodhopper]

Raising chickens is a hobby. It will not save money, but there are many returns from doing it.

Hobbies don't save money. They are an excuse to spend some coin because you have an interest in it. Motorcycles? Boats? Jeeps?........... firearms? None of those things are necessary and none are cheap. And none stay low cost if you enjoy participating in it. Chickens are no different.

[RonMexico]

Sorry about the bad images but $108 and it's still a work in progress!

[clodhopper]

Sorry about the bad images but $108 and it's still a work in progress!

What is the plan for winter?

[RonMexico]

I'm in a rental out here in NC, so I'll have to get creative but I won't have to deal with the "real" winters Colorado has to offer( just a few cold months but not many days below 20degree). The shed next to the coop only stores my kayaks, so maybe I'll incorporate it into my winter plan but idk.

[Great-Kazoo]

I'm in a rental out here in NC, so I'll have to get creative but I won't have to deal with the "real" winters Colorado has to offer( just a few cold months but not many days below 20degree). The shed next to the coop only stores my kayaks, so maybe I'll incorporate it into my winter plan but idk.

Oh just wait. The rain starts slowly, temp drops within an hour or so. You're stuck 1/2 mi from the house, 2 hours later back home, because EVERYONE can't drive on anything but dry pavement.

Now tornado season gets interesting, with the potential for a good hurricane to work it's way inland. Yeppers, those CO winters are a bitch.

[RonMexico]

Oh just wait. The rain starts slowly, temp drops within an hour or so. You're stuck 1/2 mi from the house, 2 hours later back home, because EVERYONE can't drive on anything but dry pavement.
Now tornado season gets interesting, with the potential for a good hurricane to work it's way inland. Yeppers, those CO winters are a bitch.

In Feb everyone lost their minds durning a small ice storm but I stayed home bc you're right, NC drivers weren't prepared.


I am rolling the dice with $108... I want to see how cheap and efficiently I can raise a few birds. If they produce 1k plus eggs, Awesome; if I only get 50 eggs and cook three chickens, it's not a huge waste either. I'm not looking to spend a lot of money and I don't need a new hobby but a $100 experience is well with it to me as I would rather have a trail and error period now then when SHTF.

[rondog]

Always thought I'd like to have a few yardbirds, wife doesn't want a DAMN thing to do with it! Not really feasible where we live anyway. Maybe someday.

[Great-Kazoo]

In Feb everyone lost their minds durning a small ice storm but I stayed home bc you're right, NC drivers weren't prepared.


I am rolling the dice with $108... I want to see how cheap and efficiently I can raise a few birds. If they produce 1k plus eggs, Awesome; if I only get 50 eggs and cook three chickens, it's not a huge waste either. I'm not looking to spend a lot of money and I don't need a new hobby but a $100 experience is well with it to me as I would rather have a trail and error period now then when SHTF.

The satisfaction of knowing one can do it makes it all worth the time. Our daughter has a full house between cluckers & goats. Shes adding 2 cows and possibly 1 or 2 hogs.
These are the layers. The feeders, those they already processed and in the freezer. She said home grown birds are a big improvement (as always) over store purchased ones, both for eggs and eating.


They came home after processing their feeders and found these sitting on the steps. I told her they knew what happend and were there for retribution.