Blaundee
Power Conserver
I haven't read all the replies so this may have already been said... Most chickens will take a break from laying in the middle of winter unless you keep lights on them. Of the replies I did read, you have been given some really good advice. For me, my goats are the best livestock because they east a wide variety of naturally growing plants (so I don't have to buy a lot of their food), milk is extremely versatile and nutritious, and I can sell the buck kids unregistered for $50 each. This year I'm going to try eating one. Also, in 27 years I've never lost a goat to any predators- though my neighbor did lose a goat to a bear last summer. (We have bears, kind, coyotes, bobcats, fix, raccoons, etc) I have lost hundreds of chickens to predators, so my birds rarely get to free range and I have to buy most of their food... They get to run loose on the weekends. However, goats need a lot more time for attention and care than chickens do... They must be milked twice a day, fed twice a day if not grazing, and require much more space and better fences than chickens. Just giving you an idea of how certain kinds of livestock work out better fit some than for others. I make a profit on my goats not just counting the savings from not buying all the dairy products... I don't even break even on the chickens but I enjoy them and prefer homegrown eggs.
