Chicken math

[blkjak]

This week I made headway with chicken math. Processed 10 birds, traded 6 hens/pullets/1 cockerel for 8 chicks. So I am 8 down. Woo hoo. 19 set to hatch July 29th. Looking for a pair of Isbars. Maybe I have heat stroke!

 

[ConPollos]

LOL!  yes, n3kms, our age does seem to surface.  The show was Tennessee Tuxedo with Deputy Dawg and Klondike Kat.  Those were the days!  A lot of my friends, and some family members, burned their brains out on LSD and Acid and can't remember the little things like that.  That was a time when "growing-Up" was actually fun providing you didn't look for any "quick-fix" replacements or escapes.  Viet Nam and drugs took out most of my friends: it is really great to hear from a survivor for there are times when I actually feel very much alone.  That was a troubled era.

I'm in my mid 50s, so you're not alone, I get it.

 

[AmyLM]

Year one i had 24 birds. Now I have an egg business and ~160 birds. Next year we will have 200. Yep... thats chicken math. Thats also called business growth and we can hardly keep up!

 

[ConPollos]

Year one i had 24 birds. Now I have an egg business and ~160 birds. Next year we will have 200. Yep... thats chicken math. Thats also called business growth and we can hardly keep up!

I'm wondering how anybody can make a profit selling eggs. I got out my calculator last night to do some egg math and it seemed like I'd have to sell mine for $5.00 per dozen just to break even. Lol

 

[AmyLM]

I'm wondering how anybody can make a profit selling eggs. I got out my calculator last night to do some egg math and it seemed like I'd have to sell mine for $5.00 per dozen just to break even. Lol

We sell for $4 a dozen. I cant give away all my secrets! Lol but know this... I NEVER feed my birds cheap garbage feed from the feed store. It may be cheaper but its full of filler so it has less nutrition and the have to eat more to compensate. High quality feed makes a huge difference in egg quality and in how much is required to meet the needs.

 

[ConPollos]

We sell for $4 a dozen. I cant give away all my secrets! Lol but know this... I NEVER feed my birds cheap garbage feed from the feed store. It may be cheaper but its full of filler so it has less nutrition and the have to eat more to compensate. High quality feed makes a huge difference in egg quality and in how much is required to meet the needs.

Oh, yes, I can understand what you're saying because I apply the same philosophy to my dogs. One 50 lb bag of Diamond Hi-Energy dog food is the best quality I can afford and it lasts as long as three or four 50 lb bags of grocery store kibble.

So I was plugging that idea into my chicken feed today, and was able to find a feed mill 15 miles away with better quality and cheaper chicken feed.

I'm going to try fermenting their food, and will definitely grow fodder for winter. I'm also interested in alfalfa hay.

You have a big operation so yoi can probably afford to cut costs by buying in bulk.

There's a farmer's co-op in a nearby town, and I want to see if they can get better feed for less moolah too. In the past I've never noticed their prices to be any better than anywhere else.

I've never grown my own produce before, it's too confusing, but I plan to try anyway.

 

[Outpost JWB]

I can't give you any advice there. I have NEVER broke even. Once in a great while, the egg sales level with the feed cost for that week. But next week, sales are much lower. I just consider chickens my habit.....DH smokes cigarettes & drinks beer. That is his habits.

Chickens are mine.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

Meat birds never count lol. You are good to go!

Hehe wonder if hubby will read this thread. He said "you did what?!" When he called home last night. My oldest DD says I have an addiction. She said last night "you're going to be in a nursing home and trying to order chickens from a mail order catalog to hide under your bed. Be using the wheels on your wheelchair to process them. You need help mom." Lol she's such a brat!

 

[ConPollos]

I can't give you any advice there.  I have NEVER broke even.  Once in a great while, the egg sales level with the feed cost for that week.  But next week, sales are much lower.  I just consider chickens my habit.....DH smokes cigarettes & drinks beer.  That is his habits.   Chickens are mine.

Drat! Well, we have to figure it out. I got chickens to save money on dog food and my food. I won't eat my birds, just eggs.

 

[Folly's place]

Commercial egg producers rely on the economy of scale; literally millions of birds crammed into tiny places, and feed bought by the semi load. Comparing those costs to backyard flock cost isn't worth the time. I sell a few eggs too, and buy feed in 50 lb. bags to keep it fresh. Way more cost/ dozen eggs! Mary