Cost Benefit Ratio

[Lupa Duende]

I want to survey everyone here....

How much money do you put into raising meat birds?
How much food as money do you get out?

We have the barn, pond, and fenced in terrain. We have layers and pets..., how much should each chick or duckling or poult cost me before I feed my family?

I am in Canada but I can appreciate US prices as my husband buys our food over the border. The least expensive turkey he has seen at The market, Price Chopper, has been something insane like nineteen cents a pound just after American Thanksgiving.

A friend here in Quebec said I should anticipate ten dollars for each chicken in feed..., that seems an awful lot.
What have my BYC friends found?

 

[jewels621]

Hi Lupa! I just processed my first set of Cornish Cross meaties 2 weeks ago. I had 14 birds and ended up with 70 lbs. of chicken. They averaged 5 lbs apiece when processed and they were 55 days old. I factored in feed, pine shavings (they were penned in my garage as it was still very cold and snowy when I started), and the chickens themselves. My final cost per bird was $11.44 or $2.27/lb. I was satisfied with that for my first time around with meat birds. Having learned what I learned, I know that my next batch will not cost as much. I live in MN where a 5 lb. organic chicken costs about $20.00 at the co-op where I shop. We ate the first one the other night and the flavor and quality were far superior, making me even more satisfied with my costs. I also, today, just canned 5 quarts of organic chicken stock from that 1 bird that we ate, making the value of the bird even better. There was also enough chicken left to make another meal of soup, or fajitas, or what-have-you. So....2 full meals plus 5 quarts of stock for $11.44 is okay in my book. It was so worth everything I put into it and I am looking forward to doing another batch in the fall. Best of luck to you!

 

[Kildare49]

Chicken, feed, and pine shaving for 30 birds came out to $225.00 ( 7.50/bird ).
I already have all the equipment + I do not know additional electric used ( heat lamps/brooder ).
Feed was more than past ( tried dry v.s. fermented...wont do dry again ).

$10.00 doesn't sound to high. fryer,broast, & can ....makes that a pretty could investment.

Of course we all work for free ;-)

 

[phalenbeck]

The question for me is quality, as much as price. I can get chicken parts most days for 99 cents a pound. My home grown chickens just under $2.00- to almost $3.00 depending on the batch and what goes well or wrong. Mine do not have fat chunks, are cleaner, firmer, and have more flavor, and take longer to cook. That is why I do it, quality, not cost.