Breeders/Sellers, Why Are You Stopping?

[mamawolf544]

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We have a place we can get it in bulk. I cant remember how much it was, it is much cheaper but we weren't satisfied with the quality of the feed so we stopped. I am not saying yours is not good, I am talking about only mine in a neighboring town. It was too dusty, had too much of what I consider trash in it. It did not fill my needs, I wish we had a better bulk feed store. In the winter months I do buy directly from the Bryant Feed Mill and it is much cheaper, but I dont like keeping excess feed in the hot months. And there I can still get it in 50# sacks.

Yeah...I had to shop around for a while...the first place was lots of corn & dust. This is layer crumbles. My birds eat it just fine and they seem to be doing well on it.

Gosh, I wish I could get layer crumbles in bulk. I am a little bit jealous now.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Yeah...I had to shop around for a while...the first place was lots of corn & dust. This is layer crumbles. My birds eat it just fine and they seem to be doing well on it.

Gosh, I wish I could get layer crumbles in bulk. I am a little bit jealous now.

Yeah--I used to have to settle for a mix that they (the AG Supply Store) ground up themselves. Then their suppliers for the bulk feed raised their prices through the roof and so after grinding it themselves, they were LOSING money. That feed was okay...it was wheat, corn, fish meal, and other stuff...but a lot of power/waste. So this next time I went in she told me about losing money and I was thinking--CRAP--I hope they still have it in bulk! Then she told me it was layer crumbles.

I have to buy a minimum of 300lbs to get the .18/pound price...which is no problem. I take three plastic garbage cans, back up to the hopper and they fill them up. Then I have DH lift them out of the truck for me.

 

[tazcat70]

Hmmm I wonder if we have a place like that around here.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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tell me about it, and that's me buying by the tons and getting about $4 a bag off on price

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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tell me about it, and that's me buying by the tons and getting about $4 a bag off on price

I only have a fraction of the birds you do--although yours are bantams!

I think my geese, ducks and MONSTER Light Sussex make up about 15 bantams a piece?

 

[arianna]

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x2 Well said

 

[homesteadmomma]

I would just like to thank all of the sellers that allow me to ogle over birds for hours each night, dreaming about someday owning a new breed, something fancy. It's people like you who gives us small time folk a chance at owning a bird that we can't buy from a hatchery and in my case, the closest person I have found that sells my dream chickens is 5 hours away

I have been in contact with him and was shocked at the price he threw at me. I was really expecting to pay MUCH MUCH more per hen. I can't imagine how much he must be losing on each bird. I know I have what he is asking per hen plus more wrapped up in each of my hatchery stock pullets that look nothing like they are supposed to (which I knew would happen and I'm not complaining, really I'm not). I knew from the get go that I was getting mutt chickens and that's what I expected, but dang, if I would have known I could have bought pretty chickens, I would have kept my money. But I do love my babies, and I spoil them rotten. They are pets and they have it made in life. I don't mind coming out in the red every month because they bring me joy and provide for hours of entertainment for my children and myself.

I cannot imagine the stress of shipping eggs and hatching them to sell. I know that I could not do it, too much worry involved, and I can completely understand why sellers would decide not to continue. But I do appreciate the ones who do, and I'm sure there are many more just like me. Little flock owners with big dreams. Thank you to the many that have given up their normal lives to provide others with their birds.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

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tell me about it, and that's me buying by the tons and getting about $4 a bag off on price

I only have a fraction of the birds you do--although yours are bantams!

I think my geese, ducks and MONSTER Light Sussex make up about 15 bantams a piece?

I know what you mean. My peafowl eat virtually nothing compared to their size. But the wild turkeys I keep, well..... I think I figured it up a while back, 1 pen of 10 turkeys eats the same as 50 bantams or better a day, bottomless pits!

 

[meme9726]

Mrs. Turbo :

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last month our feed bill was $769... up a little from the prior month. Wyandottes eat a lot of feed, especially the young birds. We use 1 bag of chick starter a day on the chicks alone.

Yup, I am there too. 50 lbs of feed a day not counting brooding chicks. Breeders, show birds and chicks need there special food also, not the cheap stuff. As much as I would love to make $, not happening here. If I have to pay for other folks hobby too, they might as well be 4-Her's or youth showmen. I do sell a bit still, but not like I used to. It does become a bit stressful and take the fun out of the hobby.....and that makes it a job. So I say,if you want a high quality bird go ahead and pay the breeder for thier hard work. Trust me they have more $ invested in thier birds than they could ever pass on to a buyer.​

 

[draye]

How did this go from a question about why breeders are not selling and hatching to feed prices and such I don't know.