Very good question, Kevin, and I would agree that from a manufacturing standpoint, it doesn't add up.
What I meant by an integrated operation is in terms of a "zero waste" operation. Coming from manufacturing, I was taught to define waste as "anything that leaves the facility that someone...
Walt,
If one is doing JUST poultry, I would agree with you. There's no way to recoup the expense. However, I think it could be done profitably as part of an integrated operation. Other than dairy farmers, I don't know anyone around here that keeps just one thing. Even the shepherds hereabouts...
I wasn't sure about this whole chicken thing when my son said he wanted chickens for 4-H. We'd done market turkeys for three years and had some success with that and I felt like a heel at the fair when I wouldn't let him buy the neighbor boy's Barred rock cockerel at the fair, so I relented last...
I wish I had seen this post earlier Chris. That explains the confusion.
Business principles are exactly what we were talking about. Sorry to have confused you.
rick
I'm kind of baffled by your post, Chris. I believe I stated "I would agree that it takes more effort to process more chickens. That wasn't my point. My point was the set-up and tear-down are the same regardless of the number processed." Then you proceeded to argue that processing efforts are...
OK, now you're talking my language, Mrs Magoo.
And yes, economies of scale are exactly what I'm talking about. Wasn't sure how familiar you were with a production environment coming at it from a real estate background. Sounds like you've been around the block a few times.
The big commercial...
We have a rule - you don't charge family. That's because we all live fairly close together and call on one another for help on this, that, and the other. We provide eggs, chicken and turkey. They provide scrap lumber, sheet metal, and construction help. It all works out.
That being said, the...
Two words to successful business (and I define successful as "able to pay for feed and still have enough left over for free eggs and meat"):
Niche
Volume
Or to put it in Real Estate terms - some sold commercial, some residential, some specialized in condos, others in factories - once you find...
Welcome to the fray.
First off: No. There is no money to be made in hobby poultry. If you keep track of your expenses against your receipts you'll get depressed and quit. There's a reason commercial poultry operations operate the way they do - the margins are razor thin and the only way to...
I built a highly ventilated coop out of a pallet and some scrap siding. I put a board in front of the screen when the winds kicked up but the roof still has a gap and the floor is open since it is a pallet. Any rising air goes out the front vent...
If anybody can find any other pics of LF SSHs I'd like to see them. Would love to have some of his chicks, but due to job situation (as in I don't have one at the moment) I may be putting the brakes to some of my more ambitious side projects. But I really like my Hamburgs. They are fun, spunky...
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Maven,
Here's a pullet next to my Buckeye roo and some flock pictures. Barred rock cockerel is hatchery stock just so no one complains about how skinny he is.
And yes, they do have a yellow cast to the hackles.Is that from the feed?
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I have 4 cockerels that should be in the crock pot, but it's just too cold to process outside. They've pretty much established their pecking order, but every now and then one of them will try to bully my Buckeye roo. He's easy to underestimate because he doesn't start fights. But the...
That's what convinced my that the Meyer "LF" Hamburgs are nothing of the sort. The lone pair of LF SSH at the ON were impressive, striking looking fowl. The bantams are cute, but if I'm raising "Dutch every day layers" I would like to get eggs that are a tad bit bigger than golf balls.