Nervous about getting chickens? Try renting!

While we normally only post once every weekend (and will still do so this week), we were sent something cool that we thought we would share quickly.  Consider this a micro-blog, or the closest thing to a “Tweet” that you are likely to see from us any time soon.

A few weeks back, we posted about the economics of keeping laying hens, and how they represented a great, productive addition to a homestead of any size, as well as a wonderful return on investment.  While getting chickens is one of the best decisions that we made on our homestead, we recognize that there can be a certain resistance or “activation energy” to actually taking the plunge.  This week a close friend sent us an article about a budding new type of business based on renting chickens, complete with all of the trapping required to sustain them for 6 months.  One such business that is “relatively” close to us is called “Rent The Chicken“.  While the business is located in Western PA, the site indicates that for a fee, delivery can be made anywhere in PA, as well as some neighboring states so we would be in their service region. 

Yep, you read that right!  Not sure you want to go through the time and cost of building a chicken coop, getting a chickens and investing in all of that feed only to find out that maybe chickens aren’t the best fit for you?  Talk about outsourcing?!  At the base cost of $350 with options to pay more for non-GMO feed ($50) and a potential extended distance delivery, there isn’t necessarily a direct return on investment (you could expect 20-30 dozen eggs over  the rental period, to the tune of ~$100-150 value in eggs), but you can’t beat the convenience and this seems to provide a great, low risk option for someone that is not sure that they want chickens!  If you have been on the proverbial fence about getting chickens, maybe this can give you the push you need.  Check ’em out!