It's sad that eating healthy is so expensive, but on the other hand, society doesn't want to pay big money for food which is why they've found ways to mass produce it.

My parents had chickens and besides the fresh eggs, I loved to watch them scramble to eat veggie and fruit scraps. There was no need for a garbage disposer. The peelings were all tossed into chicken run. The main negatives were rats getting into the coop to eat the grain- very nasty- water freezing in the winter, closing the chicken door at night to keep the fox out.

Also when butchered the old hens made excellent stewing hens.

SInce we are going off track anyway... LOL.

There are CSA's (community supported agriculture) for milk, eggs, veggies, grains... you name it. You can buy an 1/8 to a whole steer and whole and 1/2 hogs from local farms and they are all pasture raised and the meat is amazing. It's no more expensive than shopping at the stores and in most instances it's actually less expensive in the long run. Sure you have to drop $1200 at a once for a 1/2 steer, but that's about 300 pounds of meat that will last you all year. The veggie CSA's run in the $400-600 range for 30 weeks and even here in New England you can find winter CSA's. It's the best way to experience the local seasonal variety. Usually you will go to the farm and pick up your box once a week. Some farms are linked so you can pick it all up in one place... some will have pick ups at the farmer's markets... it's really wonderful to go to the farmer's market and get your provisions.

When you buy your meat from local farms you truly support the local economy and you know where you food comes from. You eat less meat as well... at least we do.. since you have an abundance of fresh produce to consume as well. It's cheaper in the long run too since beef tenderloin is $20/lb but you get it as part pf your 1/2 steer for $5/lb or so. Sure the burger is $5/pound too, but when you calculate it out it's much cheaper than if you bought it as individual cuts. ANd the quality of the meat and the flavor can't be beat. It used to be that everyone cared where their food came from... now no one wants to think about it. I can visit our steer if I want, and the kids can come and volunteer on the farm and see how it all works. They can pull weeds and help harvest or even clean stalls when they are big enough... it's a great experience and it keeps you connected to the food chain.

Okay, I was told by my Health Department that I could not use fresh farm eggs. I have a neighbor that has chickens and we buy them for our personal use. Does anyone know about any reason the USDA would frown on this? I haven't done any research yet because we are about a month away from opening our commercial kitchen.

I was told the same thing from my inspector, All products used in my cakes had to come from a license vendor. Eggs had to be inspected. I know it sounds silly, I have alot of friends who have their own chickens and have asked me if I ever need eggs they would be happy to supply. Even though I would love to help them out I can not change getting caught using non inspected eggs. Sad as that is.

I have had chickens, large flocks and small for about 8 years. First is the expence of the housing. I have a coop that is a rabbit-hutch style. I can fit in it, but I have to bend over. We buildt that style to save money, but it still cost around $300 for all the materials. At our old place I had a run for when I needed to keep them cooped up, and for them to roam in the winter, but they were free range (more than an acre to wander around in). I still lost a few to the road, and a few to critters here and there, the worst being Bears.

The feed for my chickens, an all grain feed with no animal by-products cost $15 per bag, it used to be $8 just 3 years ago. My flock goes through that in 6 days. Right now I should be seeing 12-18 eggs a day, but the girls have their own ideas of where to put the eggs, and I am down to 8-12 per day. I have a few old girls who have earned to right to be pets, and a few roosters for security and future breeding.

The daily chores are letting them out in the morning, putting them up and getting the door closed before it's dark (every night!), poking a few rabble-rousers out of the tree before bed, collecting and cleaning the eggs, fresh water and filling the feeder about every 4 days or so. However they are NOT low maintenance. I have a few that will escape their 1/8 acre enclosure no matter HOW high I make the fence and they are very destructive to gardens. I try to keep up where the rebels are putting the eggs, but as soon as I find the nest they move it.

It is nice to have a 0 waste house. All dead bread, fruit and veggies goes to the chickens. If I have some old buttercream in the freezer, out to the chickens. Veggie peelings and left overs not worth saving, to the chickens. Stale cereal the kids won't touch. They love bread and pasta.

You also have to be able and ready to cull sick or injured chickens. I don't know of a vet that will see a chicken, let alone the cost!! Culling is easier. At some point in owning chickens you will have to be ready to, at the minimum be prepared to put one out of its misery. In injured chicken can be dinner, but a sick one will have to be buried far away from the live chickens.

I do have a small customer base, of mouth-to-mouth customers. I know I'm not legal yet, and they know too. I have had customers who want to see my chickens to know they are happy and well kept. My girls live a very good chicken life!! I even had a crabby old lady want to see the feed label to "be sure there aren't animal parts in it!!" Yes, some of the chicken feeds that can be purchased have "porcine-by-product-meal" as a main ingredient. I use an all grain feed.

Eggs in your legal business? I really don't know. I am still in the process of renovating the basement, so I will find out eventually how that works. I may need to have my flock/eggs tested, but I am prepared to hear that I have to buy eggs from the market for my business. I hope not, because everything I will do will be baked, no custards allowed. We'll see!!

Tami