100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[Beekissed]

Quote:
When you are running these heat lamps, what temps are you experiencing at night and in the daytime? Could be you are using them too long and needlessly. I got my last bunch in mid-March and the temps were still in the 20-30s at night, 40s-50s in the day. They got the heat lamp for day and night the first week, only got it at night for the second week and by the third week were off the lamp entirely. By then the temps at night were in the 40s and the days were 50-60.

Meaties harden off rather quickly, even when they don't have feathers yet. They keep each other warm and I've never had them piling up like others report. Here are meaties using just rooster heat by the end of their third week, with the brooder space opened up completely on one side. During the day time, after the second week, they were out foraging all day so no need for the lamp in the daytime.



This pic shows them with the brooder opened up after the first week and they only got the heat lamp at night for that week.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have been searching the BYC threads to find a thread that "truly" calculates the cost of raising broilers and I cannot find any. When I say "truly" calculates the cost of raising meat birds, I mean including the cost that it takes to run those heat lamps the weeks those lamps are running and costing money AND the cost of the water. Electricity and water cost money and in my opinion, if that is not included, then we are not including expenses related to raising our meat birds.


The reason that I bring this up is because I know throughout the years history tell me that as soon as I turn on those heat lamps (250 watts) MY electric bill increases. I have THE best, THE cheapest utility company in my area but I know that 30 days later, my electric bill will increase at least $50.00 and this is for 1 heat lamp. I also know that my water bill fluctuates in winter and summer and when I have a load of babies, I do see a difference in the water bill. I have seen a minimal increase in my water bill but still an increase. My water and electric bill is pretty much the same every month when I am not brooding. My pattern does not change, so I already know in advance what my bills will be. As soon as I turn on that heat lamp or commence to watering more animals, then my pockets feel the increase.


I have been having my broilers 6 weeks as of Friday. So, I have a full month of using heat lamps during the cold nights and my electric bill has increased $72.00. I received my electric bill this weekend and I was in shock at the increase. The month where there was only 2 weeks of heat lamp, also increased my electric bill. Perhaps people don't raise meat birds too often in the winter, so their electric bill may not increase as much as mine. When I run 1 heat lamp, the bill increases to $50.00.


So, if I don't calculate my increase in electric and water bill, then my figures will not show exactly how much it costs to raise meaties.


If there is a thread that includes the electric and water bill or other expenses that have not been included in many of the threads on BYC referring to raising meat birds, can someone please share that link/thread with me? I'm VERY curious to see the cost of other's utility bills (electric and water).

Wow, this is good to know.  Thanks 

Thanks. I have been looking for info about heat and water usage/cost and I can't find anything, so I was curious as to what others are paying for this extra expense.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have been searching the BYC threads to find a thread that "truly" calculates the cost of raising broilers and I cannot find any. When I say "truly" calculates the cost of raising meat birds, I mean including the cost that it takes to run those heat lamps the weeks those lamps are running and costing money AND the cost of the water. Electricity and water cost money and in my opinion, if that is not included, then we are not including expenses related to raising our meat birds.


The reason that I bring this up is because I know throughout the years history tell me that as soon as I turn on those heat lamps (250 watts) MY electric bill increases. I have THE best, THE cheapest utility company in my area but I know that 30 days later, my electric bill will increase at least $50.00 and this is for 1 heat lamp. I also know that my water bill fluctuates in winter and summer and when I have a load of babies, I do see a difference in the water bill. I have seen a minimal increase in my water bill but still an increase. My water and electric bill is pretty much the same every month when I am not brooding. My pattern does not change, so I already know in advance what my bills will be. As soon as I turn on that heat lamp or commence to watering more animals, then my pockets feel the increase.


I have been having my broilers 6 weeks as of Friday. So, I have a full month of using heat lamps during the cold nights and my electric bill has increased $72.00. I received my electric bill this weekend and I was in shock at the increase. The month where there was only 2 weeks of heat lamp, also increased my electric bill. Perhaps people don't raise meat birds too often in the winter, so their electric bill may not increase as much as mine. When I run 1 heat lamp, the bill increases to $50.00.


So, if I don't calculate my increase in electric and water bill, then my figures will not show exactly how much it costs to raise meaties.


If there is a thread that includes the electric and water bill or other expenses that have not been included in many of the threads on BYC referring to raising meat birds, can someone please share that link/thread with me? I'm VERY curious to see the cost of other's utility bills (electric and water).

I don't pay for water here. I stopped using my heat lamps at 2 weeks, and accumulated $15 in cost for the electricity for 2 weeks of using it. All the more reason to switch to heat panels.. saves you so much in the end...

I have two EcoGlow 50s for this years meaties. 

Costs are different everywhere you look. My costs won't be the same as yours. My chicks were $1.30 each, I went through 3-4 bales of shavings @$5.99 each. I bought Stress-Aid for $10 when I had Cocci.. I can't even tell you how much feed was just for them, since I had a bunch of other chicks with them...

NICE, not having to pay for water!

How many meaties did you raise?

 

[cockoftherock]

Im pretty good at chicken math lol but there are too many variables to get that accurate. coop cost chick cost varies feed/fodder meds elec. rate where you live how many you raise buk rates whether you buy water in Mo it was a flat rate per month but as compared to industry standards your losing the battle cost wise. The closest as Im sure you found is the real cost of eggs thread. It gets crazy real fast do you include gas that you used to buy supplies feed advertisement if you sell the list goes on my head hurts now smile

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have been having my broilers 6 weeks as of Friday. So, I have a full month of using heat lamps during the cold nights and my electric bill has increased $72.00. I received my electric bill this weekend and I was in shock at the increase. The month where there was only 2 weeks of heat lamp, also increased my electric bill. Perhaps people don't raise meat birds too often in the winter, so their electric bill may not increase as much as mine. When I run 1 heat lamp, the bill increases to $50.00.

When you are running these heat lamps, what temps are you experiencing at night and in the daytime? Could be you are using them too long and needlessly. I got my last bunch in mid-March and the temps were still in the 20-30s at night, 40s-50s in the day. They got the heat lamp for day and night the first week, only got it at night for the second week and by the third week were off the lamp entirely. By then the temps at night were in the 40s and the days were 50-60. Meaties harden off rather quickly, even when they don't have feathers yet. They keep each other warm and I've never had them piling up like others report. Here are meaties using just rooster heat by the end of their third week, with the brooder space opened up completely on one side. During the day time, after the second week, they were out foraging all day so no need for the lamp in the daytime. This pic shows them with the brooder opened up after the first week and they only got the heat lamp at night for that week.

Our temps have been anywhere from 20 - 40. I have them in my garage which is very drafty and still just as cold. And it is possible that I could be running them too long but I let the chicks tell me if they need the lamps or not. If they are in a pile and trying to get warm, I will turn on the heat lamps. How many meaties did you raise? Having 100 broilers to start with, 1 heat lamp didn't do the trick. I think if I had a small number of meaties, then I would not have had to use more than 1 heat lamp. I had 3 lamps going at one time. :/

 

[kuntrygirl]

Im pretty good at chicken math lol but there are too many variables to get that accurate. coop cost chick cost varies feed/fodder meds elec. rate where you live how many you raise buk rates whether you buy water in Mo it was a flat rate per month but as compared to industry standards your losing the battle cost wise. The closest as Im sure you found is the real cost of eggs thread. It gets crazy real fast do you include gas that you used to buy supplies feed advertisement if you sell the list goes on my head hurts now smile

EXACTLY !!!!!!!!!!!!

For me, the cost of the electric bill is high enough to where I would have to calculate that amount in the cost per lb to raise. I wish it was an easy way. But I know that I get too technical sometimes. That's what my friends and co-workers say. :/

 

[aoxa]

When you are running these heat lamps, what temps are you experiencing at night and in the daytime? Could be you are using them too long and needlessly. I got my last bunch in mid-March and the temps were still in the 20-30s at night, 40s-50s in the day. They got the heat lamp for day and night the first week, only got it at night for the second week and by the third week were off the lamp entirely. By then the temps at night were in the 40s and the days were 50-60.

Meaties harden off rather quickly, even when they don't have feathers yet. They keep each other warm and I've never had them piling up like others report. Here are meaties using just rooster heat by the end of their third week, with the brooder space opened up completely on one side. During the day time, after the second week, they were out foraging all day so no need for the lamp in the daytime.



This pic shows them with the brooder opened up after the first week and they only got the heat lamp at night for that week.

All those bodies help keep one another warm!

 

[aoxa]

NICE, not having to pay for water!

How many meaties did you raise?

I had 50 the first go, and 25 the next.

I raised the first batch with 40 layer chicks. I had 70 heritage chicks a couple weeks older that free ranged with them as well.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't pay for water here either. I think a person would drive themselves crazy trying to calculate all the minute costs of raising each chicken to completion. I just calculate if I were to buy that much chicken from a place that raises them on natural free range methods and subtract what I have spent to determine if I came out ahead.

I did....WAY ahead. My first group of meaties were 20 birds I raised on the same feed I was giving to my layer flock, once a day. I didn't do the math on the extra feed but it didn't seem like much and I cut their ration with some cracked corn. This was before I was doing fermented feeds. They were brooded under a broody mama, so no extra electricity used. Water was free and I didn't buy any extra bedding as I had plenty already.

I finished up with 120 lbs of meat. If I were to buy that from a farmer's market that advertised pasture raised meaties, I'd pay $27 per bird, costing me $540.00. There's no way I paid out that in feed for those birds. Maybe $100-$150 extra in feed for those weeks.

 

[aoxa]

I don't pay for water here either. I think a person would drive themselves crazy trying to calculate all the minute costs of raising each chicken to completion. I just calculate if I were to buy that much chicken from a place that raises them on natural free range methods and subtract what I have spent to determine if I came out ahead.

I did....WAY ahead. My first group of meaties were 20 birds I raised on the same feed I was giving to my layer flock, once a day. I didn't do the math on the extra feed but it didn't seem like much and I cut their ration with some cracked corn. This was before I was doing fermented feeds. They were brooded under a broody mama, so no extra electricity used. Water was free and I didn't buy any extra bedding as I had plenty already.

I finished up with 120 lbs of meat. If I were to buy that from a farmer's market that advertised pasture raised meaties, I'd pay $27 per bird, costing me $540.00. There's no way I paid out that in feed for those birds. Maybe $100-$150 extra in feed for those weeks.

I raised mine for 75% less than the farmer's market.

It ended up under $10 a bird (I think it was $7 each...). Not factoring in cost of equipment, but yes factoring in an estimate of utilities, bedding, feed, supplements, etc.