Average cost of rasing baby chicks?

[daniel-delarosa]

I just bought four hens to replace some that Mr. Skunk killed. They are six months old and I paid 15 a piece for them. I have found that most people around my area want hens that are already laying or close to it. Everyone sells their hens for 10-15 each. I got wondering how much it costs to feed chicks for five or six months. Would it be profitable to get 25 or 30 chicks and raising then selling them?

 

[Mahonri]

When feed is $18 a bag like it is around here, it's less expensive to buy a POL hen.

But if you can get feed for $12 a bag and sell the POL pullets for $20 you could make enough to buy a little feed.

BUT, if you are getting chicks, you'll want to get them sexed.

If you hatch them, then you are dealing with roos and that gets expensive.

 

[crankster76]

well lets figure. say 12 chicks at 4 ea. and 1 bag of feed a month for 4 months at 13.00 ea.=56.00+52.00=108.00into it. if ya sell at 15 ea. thats180.00. then figure ur time and effort. dont leave much for profit.....

 

[daniel-delarosa]

Holy cow, 18 bucks a bag! Im not sure of the exact dollar amount of each, but when I go after feed I get 50lbs of laying pellets, 50lbs scratch and 50lbs of rabbit pellets for 31 and some change. Ya, I just went through the whole non sexed chicks thing, five of the nine chicks I got were roosters. Didn't pay any attention till they were five months old!

 

[crankster76]

I dont know where u get 18 a bag at . here it is almost 13 a bag and I think that is 2 much.

 

[Fred's Hens]

"a bag" ???? Just saying a bag doesn't say how big that bag is nor what brand the feed is.


The point remains that growing out chicks to POL is costly; what with electricity, bedding, feed, and time. Making a realized profit in selling them is tough. Really tough.

 

[SouthernBYChickens]

Well, don't hate me, but we only pay $10.75 for a 50 lb. bag of chick starter here in Alabama.

 

[Soli]

Feed is $17 a bag for 18% chick starter, $18 for 24% at the local Tractor Supply. More expensive at the local feed store. All 50 lb bags.

$10-11 for scratch but then you need to buy grit at another $10 a bag. Layer mix is around $15.

This is in middle Tennessee.

Starting next year I'll probably mix my own feed, but I expect the price to be similar.

It is much cheaper to buy a chicken at point of lay or beyond, even, if all you want is a production chicken. They average $10-15, less if they are a bit behind point of lay. More if they are a desired breed, which in this area seems to be Sussex (Coronation fetched $75-90 per mature bird at last sale), RIR, Orpingtons. Saw a mature buff Orpington roo sell at the local auction for around $18, and the hens around $20.

Of course, a lot depends on your location as far as prices and availability. I don't raise production chickens (ornamental only), but I do keep an eye on the local market for them.

 

[macdoogle2]

32 dollars a 50 lb bag of organic grower here in Sunny San Diego. Chick starter does not come organic and it costs 13 dollars for 25 lbs.The feed store owner teases me about buying organic. He says non organic is 10 bucks cheaper. But then I may as well buy my eggs at the supermarket.

 

[chickenhead1]

I'm paying $21 for a 50 lb bag of starter. I purchased 29 sexed day olds. i already have 1/2 of them sold when they are 8 weeks old here in about a month, for $10.00 each. That leaves me 13 or 14 for my new flock. I figure I'll be okay. Not looking to make a profit though, just recover some of my cost.