How expensive is it to have / keep chooks?

[Alambil]

I'd love some in the garden - how expensive are they?

Do they come as chicks or grown-up chooks?

you get them at POL which is about 18 weeks. they should start laying a few weeks after that.
I think it can be as expensive or cheap as you make it. mine cost a fortune but I have this house
I love it because it is so easy to look after and they are no effort at all, they are also lovely and funny and great for the dc.

You can get them as either. Grown-ups are probably more cost effective as you won't need to feed them from hatch, and you'd get eggs from them quicker. Adult hens cost approx £10 each.

Chicken food varies in cost based on area, but its about £11 a bag of pellets and same of corn that will last a month-ish for a handful of chickens for the pellets, and a lot longer for the corn. If you give them greens/leftovers and let them romp round the garden they'll eat slightly less pellets

Houses for them - This can be done pretty cheapily, or expensive. Depending on what you go for, its pretty much a one off large expense, with updating costs every so often (that said, watch out for false economy). That said, eglus are expensive as a initial cost, but then require no updating and are pretty much good to go forever

£11 mine were £6

Nutterly I can't remember do you have an eglu?

No Eglu Not yet anyway I want a cube for my silkies

I've seen chickens listed from about £5 up to £15!!

the cost of chicken feed is rising in lots of places at the moment.

I pay £10 for 10kg of chick crumbs, and its about £15 for a bag of layers pellets (normal) and close to £20 for organic

where are you?

the expensive little island of Jersey

how much are "cheap" houses?

Ebay have houses with runs starting at 99p with about £25 postage, so you could get a house + run for under £30, but realistically I'd say to budget £100

For 3 hens you could have this this arkrk for £165, it's easy to move about for fresh grass or you put some bark or something in it for the birds to scratch about it. If you could build a run yourself then they also have just a house called the Weeford for £99.

Whereabouts are you Lewisfan? One of us might know your local chicken farm.

Other costs - bedding straw/easibed/shavings etc from pet shop about £6 a bag. Pellets or corn here is still £6-7 a sack. Dustbin to keep it dry and avoid rats about £8. Oyster shell for calcium about £2 a bag (pet shop) and it will last for months. A 3kg plastic feeder is about £6-7 and a 2-4 litre water containers about £3. You can order all of this stuff online, try the link above or P&T Poultry.

By the way, I have 6 laying hens who eat a mix of corn & pellets and a sack of each lasts me 2 -3 months. A sack of straw bedding lasts about the same time. So that's about £80 a YEAR.

In return I get about 1300 eggs a year, which is more than enough for my family of 6 plus I give lots away but could easily sell some.

my garden is SMALL, so does that mean i shouldnt bother?

Lewis Fan, i believe your in Herts?? If so you would be most welcome to come and see my chooks, Im a new chicken keeper myself, only had them for a few days and loving every minute!

i am in BEDS (near to Hitchin really) so you could come here too. always happy to show people my chooks and give advice - had hens for 10 years