Even free-range chickens should be provided supplementalįeed if producers want to maximize egg production. Good nutritious feed helps egg-producing hens “build” theirĮggs, Coufal said. It’s like producing your own vegetables, and I understand that.īut it takes commitment and work to produce meat and eggs on a break-even scale “I will tell you now that it’s cheaper to go to the grocery Meat? Is it to make a profit or reduce the food bill? Is it for the satisfaction of producing your own eggs and/or So, owners should consider what their expectations for the flock will Investing in a barnyard flock is an upfront and ongoingĮxpense. Regarding small poultry production operations and backyardįlocks, including publications, webinars and a contact list of experts. Of Poultry Science have a wide array of information Prospective and established backyard poultry producers, Coufal said. There is a range of informational resources available to Producing eggs and poultry at home is part of that movement.īut there are a number of considerations for backyard poultry beginners before they start a flock, he said. Growing trend among rural, suburban and even urban dwellers, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extensionīut Craig Coufal, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension poultry specialist and associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Poultry Science at Texas A&M University said increasing numbers of consumers want to know the source of their food. Backyard chicken flocks for meat or egg production are a