Thinking about raising a 3 some of hens

[hotbiggun]

Is it worth the hassle just for fresh eggs and a little self suffiecency? What is your experience?

 

[Gator 45/70]

Just do it!

 

[N4sir]

Do it but get double that. There's nothing like going outside and picking up a few eggs and frying them up.

 

[DBMJR1]

They'll eat every bug in your yard.

 

[hotbiggun]

They'll eat every bug in your yard.

Wish they would eat june bugs. Problem is a see racoons, snake and preditor birds often. How do you protect the chickens?
My property borders a huge sugarcane field, a empty pasrture, and a family of meth heads.

 

[DBMJR1]

Wish they would eat june bugs. Problem is a see racoons, snake and preditor birds often. How do you protect the chickens?
My property borders a huge sugarcane field, a empty pasrture, and a family of meth heads.

You do all you can. Lock the pen at night and keep it secure. (Hard to do against snakes).
Accept some losses, but be ruthless at killing what predators you can. Not much you can do when a Eagle snatches a hen from the yard.
I've known many that kept hens. They all had losses. Worst was a stray dog killed an entire pen for fun. The eggs are worth it. Don't wash them. Keep them in a bowl on the counter.

 

[AustinBR]

Is it worth the hassle just for fresh eggs and a little self suffiecency? What is your experience?

If you're into it as a hobby, do it.

My understanding is from a cost perspective, it's about breakeven compared to just buying fresh eggs at the store.

 

[swampfoxx]

If you're into it as a hobby, do it.

My understanding is from a cost perspective, it's about breakeven compared to just buying fresh eggs at the store.

Maybe so, but yard eggs taste so much better, the yolk is rich and dark yellow. Duck eggs are good too, and larger than chicken eggs. Don't get me started on goose eggs, they are as big as your fist.

 

[Bam Bam]

My wife is trying to convince me to do the same. Love some fresh eggs, but I have a small yard on the edge of a subdivision with a wooden fence on two side of my neighbors who have some dogs that barks non stop when outside. I'm afraid the barking dogs might affect the hens laying since the coop would have to be in close proximity to the fence.

Her sister has hens and fights coons and snakes all the time to protect her chickens, but I don't think I would have as much of an issue with that, just those damn dogs which is about to come to a head with the neighbors anyway.

 

[DBMJR1]

My wife is trying to convince me to do the same. Love some fresh eggs, but I have a small yard on the edge of a subdivision with a wooden fence on two side of my neighbors who have some dogs that barks non stop when outside. I'm afraid the barking dogs might affect the hens laying since the coop would have to be in close proximity to the fence.

Her sister has hens and fights coons and snakes all the time to protect her chickens, but I don't think I would have as much of an issue with that, just those damn dogs which is about to come to a head with the neighbors anyway.

You may have problems with chickens getting into your neighbor's yard. If they have dogs, . . .

 

[Bam Bam]

You may have problems with chickens getting into your neighbor's yard. If they have dogs, . . .

Well there is a wooden privacy fence between us, but pit bulls and bulldogs would possibly tear fence up to get to chickens and then I would have to shot said dogs. Not a situation I want to be in

 

[Kuhndog]

I have 23 birds. The predator load is very high where I am at so they stay in an enclosed run/coop and we let them have supervised yard time at the end of the day when we get home from work.

Using 1/4” hardware cloth will prevent snakes, because anything small enough to get in the chickens will eat. Chicks lay about 1 egg a day during spring and summer.

The cost effective thing is to buy farm fresh eggs from someone else who has them

 

[Manimal]

Is it worth the hassle just for fresh eggs and a little self suffiecency? What is your experience?

I've had "urban chickens" for 13 years and love it. It's worth it if your fencing is good, you've got a decent dog/cats, and you're willing to be open minded about how it works. My chickens are pets, they have names, and I care about them.

I have had to ring necks, have had them die/get egg bound because I got them fat from treats/table scraps, I've had them die because of hawks, and I
have removed bumblefoot.

It's not all fun, but I do enjoy them.

Bees coming this month, probably getting chickens at the new place in about 2mo.

 

[Magdump]

Storebought pale yolk eggs make me gag.
These won’t be laying regularly til about next spring but I can wait. Sex link (hybrids) are your best layers, then Leghorns. Tractor supply has been having a nice selection lately but go first thing in the morning. If any of you guys want some hens just starting to lay, hit me up and I’ll get you in touch with a nice lady. Yes you will pay more than pullet price but you’ll save all that money on feed to raise them up to hens and you’ll start getting eggs nowish.

 

[charlie12]

I knew a fellow ham guy that was kind of a prepper. He bought some chickens so he would have fresh eggs. Turned out all his were roosters. Then he died from Covid.

 

[Tonyaav]

We have 23 hens.
I get approx 18 eggs a day. No better feeling than keeping family and friends fed.
Nothing better than fresh eggs.
I know what they eat.

I go through a 50 lbs of fees a week plus May 2O lbs of scratch. That’s about $25 a week overhead.

Snakes, coons , coyotes, bobcats are a thing. But so is .22 mag and machetes.

Once you start picking your on eggs, hard to eat the store bought.

 

[falshooter]

If you're into it as a hobby, do it.

My understanding is from a cost perspective, it's about breakeven compared to just buying fresh eggs at the store.

Not as fresh as most think they are...

Cracking the Code on Supermarket Eggs: How Fresh Are They?

You may have often wondered how old the eggs are that you buy from the supermarket. Believe it or not, they could be up to two months old. How do you know? Are they still safe to eat? Find out!

www.farmersalmanac.com

 

[Manimal]

My biggest issue is that most chickens you get these days will die in -5yrs, mostly 3ish, when it comes heavily bred breeds like Golden Comets (best sex linked modern laters in the south) and even Rhode Island Reds (most heat hardy pure breeds for the south). They have crappy genetics now & are diet sensitive, prone to obesity. But if you want chickens for eggs and don't mind getting new ones every 3yrs, they are great.

Old world breeds are the most hardy in general and best breeders/parents. They are just low volume layers.

I have my first chicken, she's 13, and she has survived longer than the other 8 I've had. She is an Old English Game Hen. She has turned about halfway into a rooster, has 2" rooster spurs, and she crows when another chicken dies or is added to the flock. This is about as close as you can get to Wild Jungle Fowl in a domestic chicken breed. She's awesome, but only friendly with people she really trusts.

Silkies and Polish are also great chickens for raising chickens, and the very best for human children.


You only have a couple hundred breeds to choose from...lol.

 

[Bigchillin83]

Do it, I’m down to about 28 hens, need to get a few more.. it about breaks even if you eating them.. getting more hens and selling them for $4 a doz can get you ahead… we do it just to have my kids doing it, fresh eggs and to gift the spare ones to the mail lady and ups man, and old man neighbor who helps me with the garden..

Do your research and get good layers , like white leghorns, Rhode Island reds ect… my wife got a bunch that lay pretty eggs, olive, blue, green ect:. They are nice just don’t lay as much

 

[Bigchillin83]

Not as fresh as most think they are...

Cracking the Code on Supermarket Eggs: How Fresh Are They?

You may have often wondered how old the eggs are that you buy from the supermarket. Believe it or not, they could be up to two months old. How do you know? Are they still safe to eat? Find out!

www.farmersalmanac.com

Yup store eggs are usually 2-4 months old, that’s why they peel easy boiled.. the older eggs are they form a film around the inside that makes them easy to peel after boiled… if you ever boiled eggs and you lost 1/2 the eggs trying to peel them chances are they were fresh eggs..

My wife steams fresh yard eggs and they peel great..

On counter they last 2-3 months, fridge 3-4 months… important, if you wash eggs they MUST be refrigerated.. you are washing the natural protection off them