At Deer Run Stables, we began a project this spring to dissociate ourselves from cruel factory farm production models by supplying all of our own meat. Here …
Have something to add? Please consider leaving a comment, or if you want to stay updated you can subscribe to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.
2 Responses to Pastured Chickens
Well, it depends a lot on your handiness with building stuff– whether or not you can knock together a tiny henhouse (it would only have to be a few feet square) out of scrap lumber. Buying something ready-made would be the biggest expense. Buying pullets as opposed to chicks would be more expensive up front, but save you more in brooder supplies (heat lamp, etc). Feed in Missouri is about $10 for a 50lb bag, which feeds 20 growing chickens for a week (ish). Hope that helps!
I’d encourage you to do it. It doesn’t take much to house a couple of laying hens, and hens don’t crow, so it won’t bother the neighbors if you live in town (especially if you give them some free eggs). There’s no time like the present! (Okay, well… springtime would be easier, actually; still that gives you time to get everything set up first.) You won’t regret it, once you take the plunge.
Well, it depends a lot on your handiness with building stuff– whether or not you can knock together a tiny henhouse (it would only have to be a few feet square) out of scrap lumber. Buying something ready-made would be the biggest expense. Buying pullets as opposed to chicks would be more expensive up front, but save you more in brooder supplies (heat lamp, etc). Feed in Missouri is about $10 for a 50lb bag, which feeds 20 growing chickens for a week (ish). Hope that helps!
ponygirl72
March 29, 2013 at 4:30 pm
I’d encourage you to do it. It doesn’t take much to house a couple of laying hens, and hens don’t crow, so it won’t bother the neighbors if you live in town (especially if you give them some free eggs). There’s no time like the present! (Okay, well… springtime would be easier, actually; still that gives you time to get everything set up first.) You won’t regret it, once you take the plunge.
ponygirl72
March 29, 2013 at 4:58 pm