The chickens were my husband’s pet project, mine were the rabbits. We were going to be able to provide meat and eggs for our table right from our own property. Now, I thought the chickens claimed me as the chief treat provider around here… until my husband crouched down and they swarmed him for potential treats too. You would think that we always have something for them considering their behavior!
I’ve already posted before about how my original agreement of four chickens grew to become fourteen chickens in “Chicken Math” but I’m revisiting the poultry topic because we were at a feed store Saturday and they had baby chicks. I actually found myself thinking, “aww, what’s four or six more going to hurt?”
The store had, among others, Wyandottes and Buff Orpintons, two varieties that we don’t already have that would be really pretty to add to our flock. The Wyandotte lays a large brown egg as does the Orpington. We already have the Jersey Giant green who lays brown eggs but she’s the only one. The Wyandotte’s production quantity is significantly higher, 210 eggs on average compared to the Orpington’s 160 eggs. I thought both varieties would be nice to add but considering the numbers, the Wyandotte would be the better option of the two.
You might think, “Wow, that’s a lot of eggs!” and you’d be right. This seems like a lot when you think about there being four more egg layers putting for another 800 eggs per year. Right now, our current flock is quite happy and we just collected four dozen eggs in five days.
If I am doing my calculations correctly, we average 9.6 eggs per day. If that number were to remain steady, it would mean 3,504 eggs per year. However, egg production isn’t consistent. Some days or seasons, the production will drop based on the chicken and the weather. The amount of light can impact egg production as well. I also wonder if a chicken’s mental health plays a factor in their productivity. I know I’m less productive if I’m feeling less than 100% for whatever reason. Could chickens be the same? Do their high numbers in the last few weeks indicate chicken happiness? If so, they have a few reasons to be happy lately.
We are fortunate in that I now work from home as a remote employee and can free range our hens for most of the day. They get their share of grasshoppers and scratching for bugs, seeds and whatever else they find in addition to their feed in the coop. We had a birthday celebration recently with a nice fruit tray. The rinds, seeds, and leftover bits of fruit were fed to them. I’ve also started spending some of the egg money from sales to buy more variety in their “get back in the coop at night” bribery treats. In addition to mealworms, I’ve got a few grain blends I use that they seem to enjoy.
I wouldn’t say our chickens are spoiled but after a fairly regular infusion of delectable tidbits and morsels coming to them from the house, I have a hard time going outside without getting mobbed. This is doubly so if I’m carrying anything. I was holding an empty Gatorade bottle this afternoon and they looked at me with so much anticipation; it is funny how expressive they can be considering they do not have lips to help convey emotion. Earlier, I had caught grasshoppers and shoved them in an empty Coca-Cola bottle that was later emptied into their pen. I suppose they were expecting another grasshopper cascade from this large bottle. They were quite disappointed.
We spent quite a bit of money to build their coop and run. There’s the initial start up costs of feeders and waterers, chick feed and grit as well as the chicks themselves. Prices can range from $3-$4 for a basic chick to $8+ for a fancier variety. After a year of chicken ownership, we are now at the point where they produce enough to cover their feed costs and that’s good enough for me. I am not going to get rich off egg money but at least it’s generating enough money to keep them feed and certainly stocked up on their treats.
Who knows… maybe we’ll get a few Marans or Welsummers for some chocolate brown eggs too. They also have good production value, so I’ve read. …
😳 oh no! I’m talking about getting more chickens! Clearly husband influence is at work.
Going Green In Texas 