Home grown chickens to eat? (Merged Discussion)

~Chameleon~

rog2 wrote: »

Which works out at 3.3 pence per day. Assuming a 'lay rate' of 50% that works out at 79 pence for a dozen free-range eggs. Not bad value at all.

Don't forget to also factor in the cost of shavings/straw, wormers, de-louse powder, grit/calcium (is there anything I've forgotten?)

Plus that was 2006 prices. The cost of feed has escalated quite a bit since then.


ETA: Current prices for decent quality GM free poultry food http://ascott-cheesemaking.co.uk/acatalog/Allen_and_Page_Smallholder_GM_Free_Feeds.html

rog2

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Don't forget to also factor in the cost of shavings/straw, wormers, de-louse powder, grit/calcium (is there anything I've forgotten?)

Plus that was 2006 prices. The cost of feed has escalated quite a bit since then.

Agreed, but using the same assumptions, and comparing to £2.69 a dozen, each chicken will, theoretically, lay 15 dozen eggs a year. If, to be fair, we call this 12 dozen, then these eggs would have cost £32, as opposed to £9.48, using my figures. This is a 'margin' of £22.50 over the Co-Op eggs.
Will the additional costs, that you have highlighted, be more expensive, per bird than £22.50 p.a.?

~Chameleon~

rog2 wrote: »

Agreed, but using the same assumptions, and comparing to £2.69 a dozen, each chicken will, theoretically, lay 15 dozen eggs a year. If, to be fair, we call this 12 dozen, then these eggs would have cost £32, as opposed to £9.48, using my figures. This is a 'margin' of £22.50 over the Co-Op eggs.
Will the additional costs, that you have highlighted, be more expensive, per bird than £22.50 p.a.?

I wouldn't have thought so, but even if it does, you've only got to sell a few dozen eggs to friends/family to cover the extra cost

I think with the increasing cost of free-range eggs in shops today, it could quite easily work out cheaper to keep your own chickens, barring set-up costs of course, which can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make it. In time those costs too should be recouped <pardon the pun >

What I'd like to know is whether it's cost effective to raise chicks for meat. I've no idea how much it would cost to buy either eggs or young chicks to raise. Something I need to investigate

rog2

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

What I'd like to know is whether it's cost effective to raise chicks for meat. I've no idea how much it would cost to buy either eggs or young chicks to raise. Something I need to investigate

Got to be worth considering, given the cost of 'free-range' chickens. Tesco sell free-range from £7 a bird, as opposed to the '2 for £5' battery chickens.
We are currently debating this point, from a DFW point of view, on:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=674075

You are most welcome to join in.

~Chameleon~

rog2 wrote: »

Got to be worth considering, given the cost of 'free-range' chickens. Tesco sell free-range from £7 a bird, as opposed to the '2 for £5' battery chickens.
We are currently debating this point, from a DFW point of view, on:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=674075

You are most welcome to join in.

Thanks, I'll take a look over there shortly

It's not just the financial side of things that has made me consider this, but I'm worried that the current standards of free range chickens will drop as the producers attempt to supply the recent surge in demand. I also don't trust the supermarkets not to try force the price down too to accommodate those who are claiming FR is too expensive! :rolleyes:

I know I could choose to buy organic chicken as an option, but to be honest I can't afford that on a regular basis, maybe once every few months! If I raise my own then I get the best of both worlds - organic chickens that have lived a great life, and for hopefully less money that I can buy from the butcher

Tabby_Kitten_2

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I know I could choose to buy organic chicken as an option, but to be honest I can't afford that on a regular basis, maybe once every few months!

I'm not 100% sure but I would have thought you could still raise organic chickens the same as boiler chickens, they only have to have organic feed to be organic, not have access to out side or a bigger space to live in

rog2

Tabby_Kitten wrote: »

I'm not 100% sure but I would have thought you could still raise organic chickens the same as boiler chickens, they only have to have organic feed to be organic, not have access to out side or a bigger space to live in

I'm not at all sure that simply by feeding chickens organic food you can call them truly organic. I appreciate that 'Organic' as a term does not necessarily cover things like breeding conditions, but there must be limits.

destiny_star2006

oh dont think i could kill the chickens were going to get for eggs rather as pets lol !! but we eating the babies } argh

Tabby_Kitten_2

rog2 wrote: »

I'm not at all sure that simply by feeding chickens organic food you can call them truly organic. I appreciate that 'Organic' as a term does not necessarily cover things like breeding conditions, but there must be limits.

When I looked up the meaning of organic it doesn't say anything about living conditions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food I did a lot of research into organic farming/local farm shops a few years ago and never once found anything to do with living conitions

rog2

Tabby_Kitten wrote: »

When I looked up the meaning of organic it doesn't say anything about living conditions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food I did a lot of research into organic farming/local farm shops a few years ago and never once found anything to do with living conitions

I don't disbelieve you, T_K. I'm just surprised. I suppose it goes to show that it is not always a good idea to put faith in 'labels' without being fully aware of what the term can cover. :shocked: :shocked: