Part 0800.0005

[l_ouise]

Hello

 

I moved the the countryside in my "forever home" and it is perfect except for the fact the garden is only about 1/6 acre

 

So i have been harrassing the locals to sell me some land and i think have found 1.5 acres, but my husband is starting to ask just why i need some land and what i'm going to do with it - both are questions i cannot answer in terms of practicality and logic... i just always wanted some and that's it really

 

Ideally it would at the least pay for itself and any profit would be a bonus.

 

I already have my three ladies and they have been producing more eggs that we can manage since we got them for little effort so i was thinking that maybe i could have a larger stock of egg and meat chickens and sell them locally.

 

Does anyone have any experience in a more large scale domestic/commercial type chicken keeping?

 

The field will be right in the middle of a quiet village that is more familar to cows and sheep - do you think that would be an issue?

 

My chickens do make a noise when laying but i have never smelt them...

 

How many chickens do you need to raise to cover the cost of those chickens?

 

Thanks

[Guest]

It would take a long time to make a profit. It depends how much it is. It is a good idea but if you could find some where people wont mind cockerels you would make more money buy breeding meat laying and rare breed chickens. So you sell the eggs the meat and the chicks

My breeder has an acre filled with chicken pens so it is a good idea

[l_ouise]

Oh that's a good idea too!

[Guest]

[Snowy]

With layers, you also need to take into account a reduction in egg production after 18 months old, and the associated cost of keeping and feeding birds that are not productive. Nothing wrong with having a bit of land to increase your own self sufficiency though. Saving money and eating better quality, home produced food might be a better way of looking at things, rather than creating income.

[Redwing]

Unless you can devote full time hours to the cause and do it pretty intensively its unlikely that it will pay for itself

 

I rent three acres = £100 a month

 

Cost of feed, bedding, sundries at the height of the chook numbers = £140 a month

 

Cost of electric for brooders and incubators at home = goodness knows!

 

Cost of incubators, chick rearing stuff and shed for home (where the electric is!) = £800

 

Money spent on chook housing, fencing etc.. - £1500+

 

Cost of top quality foundation stock = £500+

 

Demotivation and heartbreak from culling so many cockerels = huge

 

Time I get up in the mornings to look after it all = 5am

 

Its a labour of love unless you can do it on a large scale and even then there are the set up costs to consider

 

In short - I agree with Snowy!!

[Jools]

I agree with Snowy too!

 

Chickens don't pay their way, unless you're prepared to be hard-hearted about it. That kind of takes the pleasure out of it though.

[HENthusiastic]

If its in your heart and you can afford it, then go for it. I rent just over an acre. I have 40 odd chickens within 50 meters of electric fencing. They don't cover rent of the field, but they cover their own costs and thats just in egg money. I hatch my own under broody hens, I eat my own cockerels. I also have 3 ducks, 4 quail and 3 alpacas. The alpacas live outside the electric fencing and keep the grass down and are just wonderful. I also had a few sheep come to vist for a few months when I needed the grass trimming. Its my piece of heaven.

[Lesley]

I have to agree with the others.

 

We have 8 acres and we couldn't make a decent income from it unless we reared our stock far more intensively than we're prepared to do. We do sell eggs through the summer months and we also sell 3 pigs (as 6 halves) and a few lambs (also as halves) We don't make anything from them but it does cover the cost of feed and we're fairly self-sufficient.

 

Like Tasha says, the early hours and the heartbreak are all part of it......but we love it. If you think you can come anywhere near breaking even with your costs then go for it - just don't expect to make a fortune.