Broad Breasted Bronze

Trimming Feed Costs

Tending backyard chickens is both a delight and bargain Relative to the cost of buying and keeping a purebred dog or cat, chickens are equally fascinating animals that are relatively inexpensive to keep and come with a bonus Fresh eggs!

 

Just what does it cost to raise a clutch of chicks to the laying stage?  How can that cost be reduced?

 

Marion and Rich Patterson decided to keep track of costs They already had feeders, waterers, brooders, and a coop, so the costs listed below are the consumable ones for raising chicks to 20 weeks That’s about when they start laying

Starting Chicks

Here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick, chick! Eeeee! Before you go grabbing all the cute little baby chicks you see at the feed shops, big box stores or even your amazing local breeders are you ready for this amazing adventure you’re going to embark? If not, or kind of, that is ok! We can help get you prepared and make sure you are ready BUT BEWARE! Chicken math is a serious thing! What is chicken math you ask? Well, it happens when you

Chick Journey 1.5 Months

Our chicks are currently 15 months old and loving their lives outside!

They are permanently outdoors 24/7, living in their chicken tractor The bottom floor space of the tractor is 8’x8’ This is plenty of space for 7 teenage chicks, but after one whole day, they are ready to be moved onto fresh grass

Having them in a movable tractor works amazingly well! Each morning I quickly check on them, move the tractor, and give them about 2 cups of crumble The feeder is hung on a rope, so it doesn’t touch the

Chick Journey Weeks 2-4

Our lovely little mystery chicks have been growing and changing! At about 2 weeks of age, they outgrew their little brooder set-up in our mudroom You’ll know when they are ready for bigger and better things! I knew it was time when my 5 year old came running in the kitchen to find me! With excitement, she quickly told me that one of the chicks had FLOWN out of the brooder! Time to go outside!

The chicks still did not have all their feathers yet, so they spent the next couple of weeks in a larger brooder in our garden

The Baby Chick Success Guide

We are kicking off this week with a giant, possibly record-breaking snowstorm here in Minnesota Yikes! However, the good news is that it’s almost March, so whatever snow we get, won’t last too long But as we wait for the snow, I’m sitting here dreaming about all things Spring! That includes baby chicks!

 

I usually add to

Chick Journey Part 1

CHICK JOURNEY

PART ONE

WEEKS 0-2

 

With the promise of Spring, comes the exciting prospect of new chicks on the farm!

I like to restock my flock with new birds at least once every two years I am able to find buyers for some of my “old” girls quite quickly Everyone is always looking for laying hens, and I’m happy to make a little extra feed money with the cash

This year, I sold all but 5 of my best hens and one Turken rooster, named Chimp

After making room, the fun part begins!

Usually, my daughter and I spend hours looking over the catalog, picking