New Laying Hens
On Saturday, we brought home six new laying hens — pullets, really, that will hopefully start laying in a few weeks. These particular birds are Rhode Islands Whites, like the Rhode Island Reds, I was told, just white. While they aren’t as cute as my sisters’ brown speckled Barred Rock mix hens, they will hopefully do the job just as well. This is a mini-flock for us, but will keep us in eggs very nicely with some left over to sell.
Our egg laying chicken operation is a frugal venture. My husband made the chicken coop from leftover plywood, lumber and fasteners. We’ll feed the hens laying mash as well as appropriate table scraps and whatever grass, leaves and bugs they can find as they free range in the spring and summer.
We paid $8 per laying hen and I calculate that with feed included, they will pay for themselves within the first few months and then be a net gain every month thereafter. As this article notes, it’s sometime hard to find laying hens for sale, especially in the springtime. I imagine it will be especially difficult this year. The farmer who sold us the chickens noted that after placing the ad, he has received more call than he can handle for the several hundred birds he has for sale. The woman who rang up my grain purchase at the feed store commented that there has been a big increase in sales for chicken-related items and it’s not even spring yet.
New to raising chickens? Learn the basics on our Chickens page on the main Frugal Homesteading site.
Chickens are fairly low-maintenance. I feed and water them once daily, and shut their coop at night after they’ve gone inside to roost. I’m weary of predators getting in there, even though the chicken yard surrounding the coop is fenced with chicken wire. As my oldest son grows, he will inherit some of the chicken duties and I imagine he’ll enjoying the responsibility of collecting the eggs.
Do you raise chickens? Are you interested in having a backyard flock to save money on eggs or meat?
Hi,
March 26th, 2009 at 4:18 pmAre you in Rhode Island? We are on Block Island and would like to buy a few (4) laying hens at the end of April. Do you know how we can do this? Thank you, Leslie
Yes I keep chickens, not a big flock but enough to gain the eggs we need in a week. These are pets though, I would never slaughter them (I dont eat meat anyway).
Buildling your own coop is so easy as you’ve said – and cheap.
I’ve never seen Rhode Islands Whites, would be interested in seeing some photos if you have any?
November 11th, 2009 at 7:04 pmI live in a city and the township will not let me have chickens. However as long as they are kept inside and the neighbors don’t complain, I can raise quail in a shed in the backyard. I’m not sure why I can’t do this with chickens, but I can with game birds. My son is allergic to chicken eggs, but did not show any allergic issues with quail eggs, so I plan to raise quail in the spring of 2010. Wish me luck.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:15 pmI keep chickens but no rooster, I just keep them for the delicious eggs! They’re not to noisy and I’ve made loads of new friends by advertising them on a board outside!
January 24th, 2010 at 11:53 am