[pumpkinpatch]

Ok so iv been thinking of keeping chickens for the best part of 2 years now i dont think i will be keeping chickens for atleast another year and a half so i would like some info and also i have read all the aricals on the forum i would like some additional info. i would like to have a chicken hut a wood one because they look very nice but are eggloos i think there called are they anygood ?
Thanks matt
Oh and also how much per year goes into keeping chickens
thanks

[Casey76]

Hi PP

I've had my (expanding flock) of chooks since March.

Initial outlay was about 300euros (for the coop, plus feeders/waterers etc)
Food costs 15euros a month for 25kg
Bedding costs 9euros for 20kg chopped linseed stalks (horse bedding) which lasts about 4 months.

Basically if you have enough surplus eggs to sell you can usually recoup the monthly expenses - but I suppose it depends on how many chooks you have...

At the moment I have 8 hens, of which 6 are in lay, and I'm getting between 4 and 6 eggs a day.  If I sell 4 boxes of eggs a week (at 2 euros per half dozen) I'm making 17euros a month profit.  Any extra goes towards worming powder, louse powder ... incubator, hatching eggs 

[pumpkinpatch]

thanks i will not be having cockerels i dont want breeding im after there eggs the bedding wont be a problem i live right by stables so thats one thing sorted
just alot more planning to do.
Thanks
Matt

[grumpydad]

we found the bedding and the food reasonable, try to but your food from the same mill the horse food comes from, will usually be cheaper.
the mill we use also has the " additional costs" that we failed to spot, the disinfectants, louse powders, red mite, tonics, gentian violets etc, they cost more than the bedding and food.
all i can say is read as much as you can, then take the plunge and enjoy it, they can be real characters.

martyn

[pumpkinpatch]

thanks how much does all the medical things and all that cost do you have to buy it monthly weekly that sort of thing ?

[grumpydad]

most things are a buy once and last ages, things like disinfectant for me with only a few chickens will last ages, diatom for red mite will last me ages as i bought it in a tub, it wont go off, louse powder lasts for about 3 months. the only items they have on a regular basis is life guard tonic, but again that lasts months.
gentian violet and wound spray to be on the safe side, again will last possibly years, once the initial outlay is over most things will take ages to use up.

martyn

[pumpkinpatch]

most things are a buy once and last ages, things like disinfectant for me with only a few chickens will last ages, diatom for red mite will last me ages as i bought it in a tub, it wont go off, louse powder lasts for about 3 months. the only items they have on a regular basis is life guard tonic, but again that lasts months.
gentian violet and wound spray to be on the safe side, again will last possibly years, once the initial outlay is over most things will take ages to use up.

martyn

Thanks im only thinking of having 2 chickens for eggs or maybe 3 or 4