Cornish X Journal

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So, I'm really interested, what ended up being your final cost per bird. My operation is only about 25 birds but I would love to know what it might cost if I go bigger next year.
 
I'd have to run the numbers again, it's been a while but financially I think a small run is better on the budget unless you can access a large amount of feed. Feed mills near me sell it by the ton. I would have saved hundreds if I had a way to buy and store a ton.

My birds were dirt cheap when fed 17% protein and forced them to forage more. This wasn't possible with so many and I made the investment to feed them 21% peotein. This added $5 per bag in feed costs and the birds cleaned out grass and bugs by week 5 so they were strictly on feed by then. I think they came in around $7 bird this year. The benefit to the number of birds was recouped revenue in trade for pork, labor on butchering day, a few private sales and not treating my home grown chickens like rare diamonds. We just threw a big 4th of July party and bbqed 10 birds to feed about 35 people. having plenty to share makes the extra time and money worth it.

Next year's goal is to raise about 100 again but buy feed direct, tractor the birds and bring the costs back down.
 
Thanks for the update. I had a hard time determining my cost as i lost 50% of my flock between 4-6 weeks. I only dressed 25 total. But they were for someone else and I wondered if I was charging a decent price. Because of my losses I think the total actually came out to about $9-11 per bird. Hoping to do much better next year.
CommonRookie said:
I'd have to run the numbers again, it's been a while but financially I think a small run is better on the budget unless you can access a large amount of feed. Feed mills near me sell it by the ton. I would have saved hundreds if I had a way to buy and store a ton.

My birds were dirt cheap when fed 17% protein and forced them to forage more. This wasn't possible with so many and I made the investment to feed them 21% peotein. This added $5 per bag in feed costs and the birds cleaned out grass and bugs by week 5 so they were strictly on feed by then. I think they came in around $7 bird this year. The benefit to the number of birds was recouped revenue in trade for pork, labor on butchering day, a few private sales and not treating my home grown chickens like rare diamonds. We just threw a big 4th of July party and bbqed 10 birds to feed about 35 people. having plenty to share makes the extra time and money worth it.

Next year's goal is to raise about 100 again but buy feed direct, tractor the birds and bring the costs back down.
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