Ive heard rabbits have an excellent meat yield to feed / expense ratio. Never raised meat myself. I eat wild meat. My parents used to raise chickens though. They were obnoxious. 20 acres to roam around and they just had to shit all over the walkway. I was quite fond of the high quality free eggs though, so i keep telling them to get chickens again.
They do. Rabbits beat out nearly everything else when it comes to reproduction, space, and feed requirements.
You do have to keep your yard birds away from sidewalks and your porch. My ducks will stay on the ground at least, but the chickens will hop up on tables, your grill, or anything to take a shit. I only have 3 chickens, and I fully intend to cull them asap. And yes, fresh eggs are far superior to month-old store eggs.
Man, just the difference in color, my parents eggs yolks were fucking neon colored compared to store eggs. They let them run around and forage on whatever greens and grasshoppers and whatnot were available. You can see the difference clear as day. Had to have been nutritionally superior. Funny thing is, they had a gsp that followed them on point all damn day, and never lost one to a coyote or anything. That neurotic old bird dog was great security.
I grew up with a gsp. She killed every squirrel she ever saw, but nothing else.
As for the eggs, you're right. I'd take the pepsi challenge anytime with a fresh egg vs store egg. I eat mostly quail/duck eggs. I've never had either from the store, but I imagine it'd be the same story.
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