Eggs US – Price – Chart

Meanwhile, my chickens cost exactly the same as they did 12 months ago. :)

Which is great, so long as your flock does not get the flu and die.

We have had chickens in the past, and while I fully support anyone wanting to do their own chickens, the level of effort to keep them clean and healthy, safe from predators, and the labor to take care of them is non-trivial. They were the most expensive and labor-intensive "free eggs" we ever had.

I have lost 2 flocks of chickens to a combination of raccoons, foxes, and skunks. Interestingly enough none of those could kill my turkeys - they are big enough to fight them off I guess. They don't lay as many eggs though.

It is a lot of work, but after my last group was killed off 2 months I have not impressed by store eggs, so I'm planning on re-enforcing my coop so I can get another group of them soon.

i have a simple system for keep my birds safe from land predators.

so the birds get a point for each level of protection they receive. each group needs two points to be safe.

i mainly raise geese, which are tough, not going to be bothered by a hawk. geese (turkeys similar) start with one point. an electric fence is one point, a fully enclosed coop is one point, night light (.5?), guard animal (.5?). chickens are always inventing ways to die, so they start with 0 (should probably be -1).

fingers crossed i haven’t lost any geese to land predators in three years and only one chicken that flew the enclosure. hawks have taken a few chickens, but never when the geese are around.

I know people here who specifically add a "guard goose" to their hen flock for protection. They swear it helps against predators.

We have a very reinforced coop and an automatic coop door so we've never had any issues.