Everyone likes fresh eggs and the image of picking creamy white eggs, laid by happy chickens, out of golden straw nests appealed to us. So, one of our first efforts towards greater self-sufficiency was to buy some pullets (young hens), so that we could enjoy our own fresh eggs. This is usually a simple enough exercise that goes something like this: Find someone with chickens and then buy some.
But given our tendency to over-intellectualize things, the reality went more like this:
1. Decide upon the desired breed, age and number
2. Locate person with appropriate breeds and ages through various classified ads
3. Determine method of transport: fly, drive, otherwise ship. How to pack?
4. Decide on coop features: size, access, position, lighting, heat, security, cooling
5. Decide on run features: length, width, height, material
6. Design coop furniture layout: nesting boxes, storage and chicken ladder
7. Construct coop (made easier through the handiwork of the awesome Todd Davis)
8. Select coop color, hue and tint, then paint it
9. Construct run using chicken wire
10. Research various options for hawk protection
11. Install deer netting across top of run to deter the hawks and amuse the deer
12. Determine appropriate diet to achieve desired nutritional balance
13. Make the difficult decision on plastic vs. metal waterers. You won’t find the kind you decide on.
14. Research all health issues associated with chickens and learn words like “bumblefoot,” Practice using them in casual conversation with loved ones.
15. Join several Internet lists devoted to chickens. Set them all on “no mail” because the arguments are clogging up your inbox.
16. Decide on a few additional chickens, then repeat steps 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12 and add additional task of socializing new chickens
Engineers probably shouldn’t buy chickens.
Based on what we spent for them, the coop, feed and materials, we estimate that we are currently paying approximately $1/egg, though the price continues to decrease. Our first egg cost approximately $2000, though it was actually laid in the crate on the way home. It was a nice egg and Tom promptly claimed it, as well as Lady Hamilton, the chicken that laid it. By this time next year, we will be down to approximately $.50/egg. In about two years, we will break even and pay approximately what everyone else pays in the grocery store (assuming no increase in grocery store prices, which probably isn’t realistic). Beyond that, we will some day in the future (I am not doing the math on this) actually come out ahead.
On our farm, we know exactly what goes into our eggs: snakes, germs, lizards, worms and dead bugs. Chickens will eat anything. But no problem with any of that sneaky melamine or ethylene glycol from foreign countries. If the Big One ever hits Burkeville, we and our trusty chickens will be survivors. Our chickens have good lives. They have names, personalities, a 401K and retirement housing. And in the long run, we ended up with exactly what we wanted: fresh eggs.
9 comments:
I want some layers too!!!!
In the future ....
They are a lot easier than cows and horses! By the way, I looked into the body condition scoring for cattle that you found and Bessie is...uh...large.
Wonderful and entertaining writing! I can certainly identify!
Tammy Cupp
And they have no beef cross on them right?
Put them on a diet of grass hay and little grain. You cannot make it a drastic one since they are lactating and need the energy from food not to crash but you can certainly cut down.
Good luck!!!!!!!
They aren't eating much, now. These little Jerseys just need very little. Their diet is currently grass and hay with a little grain. I expect that the calves will do more for their weight than we will. They have no beef in their backgrounds, they are registered mini-Jerseys. Just very easy keepers!
I got to tell you thsat my jersey eats more than my big holsteins!:)
She is ALWAYS eating!
Milking should help them loose some but cutting down a little will helpt.l
You are right about that. Annie will also eat just as much as you are willing to feed her and we are careful not to let her overload. The real story behind the ladies' weight: When we bought these girls a couple of months ago, the owner gave us instructions on the amount and type to feed them. When we brought them home, they ballooned practically overnight and the only thing we can think of that might have caused that is the difference in pasture. But while we did cut back some on the grain (which honestly wasn't much to start with), at that late stage, it was really hard to tell how much was fat and how much was impending calf. Now that we know for sure where we are, we can manage them better.
Tammy: Are you having the same weight control issue with your girls?
My husband said to cut out the grain put a salt and a mineral block and just pasture them and hay. They will do just fine on that.
Hey Jorg, I have one girl that tends to get a little heavy at times. She is the shorter of the two. However, her additional weight has never caused her any problems (sometimes they have trouble getting bred back if they are over-weight). I have found that after several months into her lactation, she tends to end up where she should be. We feed primarily grass and hay. I had been giving them one 24 oz. plastic cup full of grain for each milking along with some hay. With the dry weather and lack of pasture, I have increased that to two cups per milking. I really think you will see your girls slim down several months into their lactation.
Tammy
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