Like we mentioned at the end of 2020, we want to keep better records of what we grow, raise, and eat so that we can more accurately know what we need to get us through until the next harvest. We more or less accomplished month 1 of 12 of this new habit. Therefore, it’s time for this month’s report. Without further ado, January 2021 on the homestead.
Chickens
The numbers here are in the negative, but we know that our chickens essentially freeload over the winter. We didn’t have any eggs for weeks around the holidays, but our two legbars and an unknown brown egg layer have sporadically been gracing us with eggs. Definitely not enough to feed us breakfast each day, so we’re thankful we have plenty of farming friends who do have hens laying. It’s hard to go back to store bought eggs after having the real deal! Naturally, we are greatly looking forward to our two pullets starting to lay any day now. Especially excited to collect chocolate brown eggs from Miss Adelaide.
Eggs Totals
- Brown Eggs: 5
- Green Eggs: 9
- Blue Eggs: 19
- Total Eggs: 33
- Total value: $13.75
- ($5/dozen)
Chicken Expenses
- Bedding: $7
- Feed: $20
- Total: $27
Chicken Income
Dozens sold: 0 zilch nada
Chicken Profit/Loss
January 2021 is a loss: -$13.25
Homestead Kitchen
While the chickens were a net negative, where we have been doing better is consuming more of our preserved produce. Inspired by the Three Rivers Homestead’s pantry challenge, we decided to skip grocery shopping for the month of January. Per the “rules” of the pantry challenge, you get to make your own rules for success. We decided that for a few things that we can’t raise ourselves, we’d source as local as possible and not the regular grocery store. For example, no dairy cow yet, so we are getting our milk and cheese from a local dairy instead. We ran out of our own dried oregano recently and sourced from a local Amish bulk store. We’ve actually enjoyed the challenge thus far and may even continue it into the month of February. It has been an excellent way to start clearing out the freezers for this coming season’s bounty.
Total Grocery Savings: $100.17
Wrap up
- Chicken net: -$13.25
- Grocery savings: $100.17
- January totals: $86.42 saved
Want to raise chickens to save cash on eggs? Maybe that shouldn’t be the only reason you want to raise hens. Every winter ours take a break from laying and we have a dozen extra pets rather than co-producers. It remains to be seen if they are a net positive from a financial standpoint year round, but we’d raise them for the quality of the eggs and the entertainment they provide regardless! Raising your own organic, high-quality produce on the other hand can save a good chunk of change!