[Bean Counter]

I have six laying hens cooped in our back yard. They free-range in the yard and I provide them 16% layer rations and scratch grains. The coop has a self-contained water system that is rainwater fed. During October, our six hens averaged 4.5 eggs per day, which ain't bad. Some days we get four, and other days we get six. They are always good, and nothing beats a fresh egg.

I started construction on the coop a year ago this month, and the first chicks moved in during February. I documented construction with plenty of pictures here:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=283812

We use a lot of eggs ourselves, but we end up giving the majority away. We've made plenty of friends among the neighbors and anyone who can hear a chicken gets a half dozen hen fruit on a regular basis.

This started out as a project/hobby but it has become an anchor for our home emergency plans as well. 4.5 eggs per day out of just six hens is nothing to sneeze at, and when it augments the other supplies and foods we have in our larder it gives us security and one heck of a good source of renewable barter goods if things ever get really bad. I still can't believe we got almost 20 pounds of eggs last month!!

The only lesson is that raising chickens in your yard is as American as you can get. Most cities have an urban livestock ordinance that limits how many hens you and have, and usually bans roosters all together. Our coop is way more than most people need, but it is a good example of what you can do for your own self-sufficiency, and it's a lot of fun to boot...

Cheers!!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

nothing beats a fresh egg.

Besides, of course, an egg beater.

[Dallas59]

I agree. Nothing beat a fresh home grown egg. They just taste good!

[Lurker]

Thanks very much.

[null and void]

Just out of curiosity do you supplement their protein intake with a light-bulb?

[ThomasThomas]

I don’t understand, your counting eggs!

[narses]

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[Kennesaw]

EGG’citing!

Seriously, this is really cool!

[patriot08]

Great job. Nothing like a man who can build things.
But, wouldn’t the whole thing have been more attractive and suited to the surrounding environment if you hadn’t painted that one part green or whatever and just left it all rustic?

[irishtenor]

You must hereby and forthwith change your name to chicken counter. Or egg counter.

[beebuster2000]

HONEY PRODUCTION IN MY BEE MCMANSION

caught a wild swarm earlier in the year and put it in a hive. taken off two gallons of honey since then. let me know and i will send you some for bfast on your toast with your eggs.

[GOPJ]

Nice job.

[WorkingClassFilth]

We’re doing about the same production (22+ eggs/bird/month) but as we phase into winter we’re incorporating more silage and alfalfa hay instead of fresh forage. Winter production will drop, but we don’t want to lose the nutrients for the bird or eggs.

What breeds are you running?

[whatexit]

Good stuff! We got our first chicks in spring of 2009, and was very surprised how entertaining they are. And yeah, the fresh eggs are delicious!

[GladesGuru]

Jumbo eggs are about $2.00 to $2.25 per dozen at any Miami, FL Publix market. Publix is a high end market, for a supermarket chain.

Your costs are in excess of twice that of jumbo eggs, with no labor or cash investment whatsoever.

Are you really an accountant?

[Alice in Wonderland]

Although I don't have any at the moment, I prefer Pearl-White Leghorns. They produce more eggs on less feed than most chickens.

They love kitchen scraps, especially spaghetti!

[midnightcat]

what kind of chickens do you have? my brother had rhode island reds back in the day.

[Bean Counter]

Those three eggs were all laid the same day back in the first week of September. the one on the left weighed in at 91 grams, and was laid by one of the sex-links (it was a double-yolker) the middle one was an average RIR, and the lighter colored one on the right is one of the Jersey Giants.

You can't see it in this pic, but that big egg had a pinched ring all the way around it where she bore down trying to pass it. I'm not sure if it hurt like hell, or felt really good, but that hen was bellowing out the coop windows that morning...

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nicely done! :)

I’m down to about 20 OLD hens right now. I plan on refreshing the flock this coming April. I used to produce for sale, but now I just need a flock for my own use and immediate family and friends.

It really is fun, and not all that much work. I’d encourage anyone to give it a try. :)

[BunnySlippers]

Bump

[Bean Counter]

I have egg production numbers for the year!

June 2010: 2 eggs; 84 grams total; 2.963 oz.; .185 lbs

July 2010: 86 eggs; 4415 grams total; 155.735 oz.; 9.733 lbs

August 2010: 154 eggs; 8117 grams total; 286.319 oz; 17.895 lbs

September 2010: 134 eggs; 7512 grams total; 264.978 oz.; 16.561 lbs

October 2010: 140 eggs; 8923 grams total; 314.749 oz.; 19.67 lbs.

November 2010: 131 eggs; 7,928 grams total; 281.787 oz; 17.61 lbs.

December 2010: 118 eggs; 7,497 grams total; 264.445 oz; 16.53 lbs.

2010 YEAR TO DATE PRODUCTION

765 eggs, 63.75 Dozen 44,476 Grams; 44.476 Kilograms; 1,568.846 Ounces, 98.053 Pounds

Not bad for a backyard chicken coop with six hens that didn’t start laying until the end of June!

I did find an inexpensive electric panel heater and installed it in time for the cold weather. It’s 150 watts, and is on a thermostat that turns it on at 35 degrees and off at 45 degrees. The last couple of nights has been the first test of it, and so far it’s promising. The coop stays in the low forties at night when the outside temperature is in the mid twenties. The important point is that the girls aren’t holding their eggs...today we got five!

From a self-sufficiency standpoint, you can see how even a small coop and just a few hens can be a big plus for any home, and a real asset from a prepper’s point of view.

Happy New Years!