depends if you get the bird flu new case in iowa every week and more expected when it warms up how many coon and fox you have seen a lot of big and small flocks come and go will be interesting to see what happens to the chicken factorys with the federal aid cuts

I remodeled an old shed in to a coop using material I had laying around or salvaged. I did figure out hat for hardware and such, I put about $75 in it. Big enough for 25 hens inside, outside ron is about 1,200 sq. ft. They get locked up at night.

Yes I'm only figuring costs per bag of feed. Isa Browns start laying in 4.5 to 5 months. You could get pullets for $10 each. My chickens lay for 2 to 3 years. They lay all winter long. You just have to have artificial light to equal spring. Two Isa Brown hens average 13 eggs a week for me. I'm retired and and keep a few hens for my eggs and raise enough meat birds to fill my freezer.
Meat birds are Cornish Cross. They get meat bird starter to finish. In 6 weeks they will be 7 pounds plus.

Garryowen

Isa brown or red sex links, and Rhode island reds are my favorites.

We let our egg laying chickens free range. They have about an acre and a half of pasture in with the pigs. Normally plant a cover crop and rotate the pigs through it. The chickens have access to the pasture, poop, and I’ll supplement with carcasses when I’m trapping

I was reading up on the Rhode Rock sexlink breed. I believe it is a cross of rhode island and barred rock. I here the term sexlink in chickens alot. Can someone please explain this.

Sex link lets you sex the chicks by their color. I can’t remember, but I think a red rooster with a barred hen results in a sex linked chick.

I could have it mixed up though

You're right. Breeding a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster to a barred hen produces black hens.

Keith

My hens free range except in winter so go through very little bought feed.Well worth having.

chickens eat bugs seeds meat think about any thing that dont eat them get a kick out of people that have chickens shut up wanting the max production out of them complaining about them cutting back when it gets cold all they have to do is put a heater under their water will lay good year round

The reduction laying in the winter is a light issue nothing go do with having warm water. I mist be misunderstanding something from your post.

As do mine and they also eat a lot of feed in the free choice feeders in the coup that stay full.

Plus, an electric heater for the water would require electricity. None in the coop. We prefer several trips a day out to the coop to check on them, their feed, treats, water and collect eggs.

I'm much more concerned about the hens when it's hot, humid and no breeze than I am today when it's -5° and windy. Some sunshine would be nice, though.

We have a bunch of chickens, wife sells eggs and we eat the chickens too. They're all layers so they aren't the best eating but they work. Raising them is like anything else if you have a source of cheap, but good for them, bulk feed then it works out, if you have to buy by the bag it can get pricey. Either way you know the quality of your food at least, beats store bought

I’m amazed at how much per chick these hatcheries are getting. We used to get Cornish cross meat bird hens at $1.00-$1.25 a chick and it was fun to raise them and know where your meat is coming from. Now there edging over $3.00 a chick which is quite a bit for a meat bird IMO. And the egg layer chicks are even worse, $5-6 even $9-10 for some of these rare breeds for one pullet chick is ridiculous. Even with the cost of eggs today… at the end of the day it’s cheaper to grab them from the store then worry about housing chickens and keeping predators away

Exactly, it doesn't pencil out for most people...if your keeping them for pets, with a side bonus of some eggs great, but don't say your saving money on eggs or getting a superior product, bought in chicken food is essentially the same if you buy 1 bag, or 1 ton.

The eggs are fresh and if you feed them right, they are superior to store bought eggs. Even my meat birds finished on grass beat most grocery store stock in freshness and flavor. Killled, scalded, plucked right here, I know they are butchered under cleaner conditions too.

If you are looking for the cheapest eggs or meat possible, then go buy the best deal you can find. I don’t think many people who raise their own are doing it strictly from a cost savings. You can’t convince me that eggs/meat from a chicken that never leaves a cage or chicken house is as healthy as ones that are able to get sunshine, fresh forage, bugs, etc.

I think those who believe that are deceiving themselves

your right sportsman there is so many that have know idea just like to talk been around them sixty years small free range flocks to larger in house flocks selling several cases of eggs to several restaurants in town every week

Its just a flu. Not as bad as the covid flu.