[joyfull]

mintymoos - your light sussex will be ok but it is best not to make a regular habit of it 

As for cost of keeping chooks I daren't add mine up - organic layers and mixed grain £25 a time, hemcore, vets bill, other medication, sheds, arks etc etc. When I got my first 2 and they just started laying I did work out that the first ocouple of eggs were £75 each  Told oh to enjoy his Harrods priced breakfast 

[kitkat]

I daren't add mine up either-its too scarey
 I had a bet with a friend that the chooks would sort of pay for themselves-i lost  

[mintymoos]

hi, phew! thankyou for that, will certainly make sure it doesn`t happen again, :happy:mel :happy:

[Jeanette]

 What price do you put on all the love  that you give them and all the laughs and entertainment that you get back I think it works out even.

[IMOmimey]

I too have a henny penny jar. All money from eggs/choox/chix go into the jar, all chicken expenses come out of the jar. When I had enough profit in the jar, i bought a small incubator and hatched 3 eggs at a time. Sold them, and the money went into the jar. I now have 19 laying hens (4 ex batts), and 26 breeding birds. They more than pay for themselves.

I would say though, that the biggest expense is
     the anti-red mite treatment (I use diatom and poultry shield), and
    disinfectant (I use stalosan).
    They also need regular worming (Flubenvet is a good one).

I dont find it profitable at all, but it is a hobby that pays for itself, and gives endless hours of pleasure ( and some heartbreak).

[ehs284]

To add to comments on 'running costs':
If you like them (the chooks that is) you will have vet's bills (£25 per visit), but not, hopefully, too often. In general, we've found vets know and care little about chooks, but you need them for antibiotics. Apart from the shed, which is best seen as a DIY area, the biggest cost is fencing. Depending upon where you are and how you can use existing fences or walls, this can add up quickly if you don't plan in advance and use the most cost effective containment/protection. We have spent about £300 on fencing in 6 chooks - ridiculous, but mostly due to not knowing what we needed before getting the chooks plus living in a windy area with foxes, badgers and buzzards. HTH

[Sassy]

You should also include the quality of the eggs you are getting. Your average back yard hen will not have had any medications, been allowed to mature at a natural rate and lead a natural life with all cares taken. So apart from the clear conscience, genuinely fresh eggs (those in the supermarket are usually about 2 weeks old when they get on the shelves) and the enjoyment you get from them what price can you put on that???

Plus they are great for teaching kids responsibility and about life and death.

Here endeth the first lesson.

[sallylouise]

I brought my chickens about 18 months ago, to set up it cost be
£100 for the coop (which I brought second hand from ebay) jeyes fluid which we had already, redmite powder and worming tablets - I can't remeber how much under £20.00 and I still have lots left, I did splash out on the girls they were organic and cost me £17.00 each I bought 3, food is only £8.00 and this lasts at least 2 months, feeder and water was about £20.00, and sawdust which you can pick up cheap. I worked it out that it would take a year to actualy make my money back, but the quality in the eggs are priceless and the kids just love having chickens and it is a great learning experience for them and us, I will never ever buy a battery farmed chicken product ever again as you realise chickens have personalities and need space to scratch about in to be happy and you grow to love them (well sort of) i wouldn't be with out them now.   

[danmegal]

I had to buy some eggs from the local supermarket this week  My little boy has been poorly and I knew he would want scrambled egg when he felt better, and as both my laying girlies are on a break (moulting) I just had to buy them in. As I picked up my box of 'happy eggs' a little voice over my shoulder advised me that they were expensive for eggs and if I was her I'd buy the cheaper ones as they all taste the same! I can safely say they were infact the cheapest eggs I have had in 10 months, but as for the quality nothing compares to that of your own hens eggs!

[hillfooter]

Right just worked it out with OH . Had my girls one year

 Ive got 12 birds @ £7  =   84.00
Pellets @ £8                 =   54.00
Corn    @ £8                 =   24.00
Medication                    =   20.00
Rat poison                    =   20.00
Straw                            =  12.00

TOTAL                                £210

Offset
 Sold eggs                           100.00
never bought an egg           100.00

 Total                                  £200

   So its cost me just £10 for a year of one great pastime + some heartbreak at times
Pleased I did this makes me feel goooooooooooood     

Errrrr I think you've got the pellets a tad wrong here alby.  !2 birds will go through a 20kg bag of pellets every 12 to 14 days so that's 26 to 30 bags a year which will cost, on £8 a bag, £240 to £208 (not £54).  You can work on 900grams of pellets per week per bird and 20kg of layers pellets for £6.50 - £8.0 if you buy the standard stuff but if you get the Alan and page expensive specialist feed it will be significantly more.  Poultry corn is cheaper (£6) but you shouldn't need more than 2 bags max. a year.

The other running cost is litter, a couple (or three) bales a year per house is fine so £16 - £24.  1 kg of mixed grit at £1.50 per year is advisable but you don't need Apple Cider Vinegar, Poultry Spice, or Garlic Powder these are optional panaceas.  Don't get exbatts if cost is an issue as the risk of expensive vet consultations is high as is the specialist feeds if you want to do the best for them.  A highly productive POL Hybrid should cost around £12 -£15 each or a pure breed £20 - £30 ish.  Most hybrids will give around 260 - 300 eggs a year in their first year, a little less in their 2nd but will drop off very significantly after 2 years laying.

A drinker and feeder will cost around £8- £9 each for a 4 litre and 4kg resp. plastic ones (with the green trough don't buy the cheaper red ones which go brittle very quickly and don't last long).  Using bowls or household utensils is usually a false economy as they will be tipped up spilling the contents or be contaminated with droppings and will be more difficult to make vermin proof. 

Allow for a house AND a RUN, which is not an insignificant cost, and even if you make them allow around £100 or approx £400 if you buy a 6 chicken house and run.  You will need to constrain them if they free range and a an electric net plus energiser will cost around £170 minimum for a 50m net.  This is obviously optional but if you rely on fences or hedges you will have to risk fox attacks so you will need to access your own situation on how you deal with fox protection.

Allow £15 or so for a few basic medications.

Despite what you may budget if you breakeven on egg production I'd be surprised but house and equipment appart the ongoing running ccost for your hobby shouldn't be very much.

Regards

[Alby]

Perhaps Im giving them to many treats        

Found a new niche in the market  Im writing a book 



        Albys Cheep Chook Keeping     

[Arnfields]

It's nice to know we aren't the only ones who have spent a fortune on 'setting up'!

Even though my OH has done most of the building and we have utilised things we already had but, we bought...

a hen house,
an auto opener,
plus extra feeders so the girls at the bottom of the pecking order can eat in peace
a big plastic tray to dust bathe in
30 or so flags for the pen
bark chippings
Diatom
Red mite powder - though we haven't seen any mites (fingers crossed)
corn and layers pellets of course, and grit
bedding
pink egg boxes - absolute necessity these!
various medications

They are so worth it though, had hours of fun already.  We are even starting to sell some of our eggs - the girls don't seem to have slowed down any yet 

[hillfooter]

It's nice to know we aren't the only ones who have spent a fortune on 'setting up'!

Even though my OH has done most of the building and we have utilised things we already had but, we bought...

a hen house,
an auto opener,
plus extra feeders so the girls at the bottom of the pecking order can eat in peace
a big plastic tray to dust bathe in
30 or so flags for the pen
bark chippings
Diatom
Red mite powder - though we haven't seen any mites (fingers crossed)
corn and layers pellets of course, and grit
bedding
pink egg boxes - absolute necessity these!
various medications

They are so worth it though, had hours of fun already.  We are even starting to sell some of our eggs - the girls don't seem to have slowed down any yet 

I presume you also bought some hens Arnfields and very productive ones too if they haven't slowed down yet!  What were they?

Buying egg boxes!! that's a bit extravagant?  All our family and friends are on the "no egg boxes no eggs" scheme.   Might as well recycle what we can.

[redmolly]

Our 8 pretty much cost around £10 a month max - free ranging, with as many organic pellets as they can eat!!! Entertainment factor is invaluable!!! 
Anyway, 4 of them are laying and you will soon find people treading a path to your door for fresh eggs, my husband even gets mobbed in work.

Total eggs per week = 26 to 28

Egg sales = £3 per week sometimes £4 .... x 4weeks.....£12 to £16 per month!

Obviously keeping plenty of delicious eggs for ourselves!

When the others are laying - they'll be able to buy themselves luxury fixtures and fittings!!

 

Not to mention - the savings on buying eggs!!

Ok so I got the original 4 which were around £9 each. The latest chucks cost £1 per egg (for my broody) and although there was the initial layout...there is now no costs as they pay for themselves!!

[Alby]

I think its the free ranging that makes all the difference to the cost , lots of greens, the odd frog, toad, mouse and anything else that gets to close  plus the freebie scraps and treats