For January 2010, I had 9 hens laying, collected 3.2 eggs/day for a 36% productivity. They consumed 1 pound of food for every egg collected and it cost me $0.27/egg or $3.24/doz to produce (now I only charge $2.50/doz). for a loss of $8.38 for the month.
For February 2010, I had 11 hens laying, collected 4.7 eggs/day for a 50% productivity. They consumed 1.15 pounds of food for every egg collected and it cost me $0.32/egg or $3.84/doz to produce (now I only charge $2.50/doz). for a loss of $16.97 for the month.
For March 2010, I had 22 hens laying, collected 8.5 eggs/day for a 39% productivity. They consumed 0.76 pounds of food for every egg collected and it cost me $0.15/egg or $1.80/doz to produce (now I only charge $2.50/doz). for a loss of $72.49 for the month, I purchased 24 babies and bought them 50# food and a heat lamp bulb, so it drove me more negative for the month.
This month should start to pan out on the income side. The chickens are free ranging on the bugs and greens. My feed costs should drop dramatically and my production should jump. I have 33 hens laying now. Now if I can only keep the predators away. I have been losing about 1/3 of my chickens every year to predators. I refuse to keep them locked up, which causes other problems, but really lowers the quality of the egg. Not to mention our bugs just get out of control in the house. The chickens control the bugs, the cats control the mice and hopefully the sheep will start controlling the weeds (once I get all the fence built...).
I will be sure and give a month end report every month.
This is really interesting, I've always wondered what the cost breakdown of farm eggs was. Looking forward to seeing how it works out over a year.
ReplyDeleteDo you know what kind of predators are eating your chickens? My grandma use to keep chickens and had a problem with them being eaten until she got collies (for herding sheep.) After that she said she had a big drop in her chicken losses.
coyotes, raccoons and skunks so far, some of my babies may have been offed by my cats. Not sure on that one. will just have to be a little more careful about letting the chickies run around. Once the chickens are bigger, the cats leave them totally alone. The chickens are MEAN!!!!! They peck the cats, cats don't like that.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes time for some predator control, just let me know.
Jason/Aodhan
you are welcome to come up and call coyotes. Just let me know ahead of time. You will need a call.
ReplyDelete