We need to get out of our current situation.

[Gottachange]

We are spending loads of money of cars, petrol and nursery fees - it can't go on.Basically, we am considering a life change. I want sell my car, so we go down to one car. Move to somewhere more affordable, stay at hime with the kids and fulfill a lifetimes ambition of (don't laugh) raising free-range chickens. Dh, who is also driving miles and miles to work in traffic, would try and find a job closer to home.
I have a place in mind but do you think this is crazy? Is this possible?
Does nayone on here 'grow' chickens?

I don't think it's carzy at all! Running 2 cars if you can mange fine on one is a very sensible change. Cars just eat cash!

I would love to sell up and go live on a Scottish Island and raise horses. So you go for your dream, it sounds wonderful.

Holy moly my spelling was terrible there!!

I'll buy your chickens

If you can see that it can be managed then go for it. Nothing wrong with fulfilling your dreams - life is not a dress rehearsal - enjoy.

Go for it IF you've considered all the upsides and downsides and the upsides win. I was at a farm this morning and thought how nice it would be to have chickens and then I remembered I hated living in the country! But if you know a place where you can be happy, work less, see your kids more then what's the problem? It sounds great!

Thank you for the reassurance - it's being going around and around in my head and keeping me awake at night.
We are renting, we can't afford to buy were we live or closer to work hence the fact we need to change.
Now for advice on raising chickens?

here you go! or loads of books on Amazon!

Did you watch Jimmy's Farm? Sounds like you need a mentor. I know nothing about raising chickens otherwise I'd be happy to

OMG, don't read the 'How we slaughter birds' section on www first link. It is gruesome.

Toothache - I will be your assistant when you move to your Scottish Island to raise horses - are you me?

Oh and gottachange - you gottagoforit!!!

That's great.
Supposing I made quiches, cakes and sold eggs at the farmers market. Do you think people would buy them?
Aren't there food safety issues about this?

Kbear - Then maybe you can do the technical bits coz it's a loonnng time since I've had anything to do with actually caring for horses!! I'd have to do a wee refresher course to remind me what I'd feed them!

'go for it' 'take the plunge' 'lifes too short' 'life is not a dress rehearsel' 'you only live once'...have I persuaded you yet?

Look what I found?
Farmers markets
Does anyone know if this could work? It's not all pie in the sky? I have to think of my children.
Thing is, we really can't afford to carry on living like we are.

i think there's two stages to this - stage one - move and sort out your/DH's jobs, then starting up the chicken farm would be the next phase. it might help if you separate the two things in your mind - as making the one contingent on the other will make it very hard for you to say it is the right time.

i imagine that the first few years of any new business are going to be very time/money expensive before you see significant returns.

looks interesting

does your library have this one ?

Research is the key to this. First of all, find out where you can live, with decent schools nearby, with work suitable for dh and for you (if not now for you, then in the future), with x acres (x being the size small holding you think you need). I don't know a lot about keeping chickens now, but I had them as a child. If you just want to keep a dozen or so chickens and have a small holding that's pretty manageable then I think it could be great. You can assume that you won't make any money out of keeping chickens. Unless you go for it in a big way and have the training and facilities etc then I think it's very unlikely you'll make a profit. I think it's more likely you'll make a loss. If you can, visit some farmers markets so that you can see what they sell and get into conversation with some of them that are selling what you'd like to sell. Get hold of some Farmers Weekly mags and the Farmers Guardian paper and have a good read through. Harpers Adam Agricultural College used to have a course that included rearing chickens, I think. Find out the details of your local agri college and ask for a prospectus of their courses. You might be able to do a part time course that will teach you all you need to know about keeping chickens. I'm waffling now, so I'll stop! Hth.

interesting website

Phew! Must go and do some work now - good luck.

My ex-SIL did this. She reared rare chickens, had geese and goats, and developed a substantial garden. My BIL kept working and had no input into the "self-sufficiency" plan. I'm afraid to say that despite being absolutely committed and really researching it things did not work out and she eventually (2 years later) sold everything. She was glad to have given it a go but could have done with more support from her husband (they split soon after). She found it very difficult to make any money from it too. Think very carefully about what it is you wish to achieve - a better lifestyle or a profitable business?

Best of luck.

Thank you for the advice. It's all really helpful. My parents home is on two acres. For a while now they have been trying to sell it, it's too big for them now. The outbuildings are becoming run-down. It has always been assumed that none of us (4 children) would be in a position to take it over and we have moved away.
I would like to raise the chickens and produce food to sell, but my parents have always been scepticla of this. Dh and I are earning two fat salaries at the moment, but we have no disposable income and we wonder about our quality of life. If we don't do thins we have to do something else - we can't afford nursery fees anymore.

Oooh, look at rivercottage.net too, I'm almost envious!

Ah, now, that makes a big difference. Did you grow up there? Would that house be big enough for you? Would you be able to work from there, maybe part time? Are there good schools in the area? 2 acres isn't big enough for anything but hobby farming (I hope that doesn't sound rude or patronising, it isn't meant to be). If you've got a good income, I wouldn't recommend giving it up entirely. How old are your children - if it's not giving away your identity to say? My background is farming based and I can identify with your situation in some respects. The outbuildings sound great. How close to the house are they? Could they be let out to someone else ie as craft workshops to someone else, to give you an income, or are they too close to the house for that? Could you use them as a work space to let you work part time from home, if there isn't space for you in the house? I'd better let you get a word in edgeways now! Your turn!

Forget the kids' ages bit. Just re-read the nursey fees bit.