Cost of Roasters? Added Addtional, Related Question in Post #14

[jaku]

My birds run about $6.50/bird.

 

[willheveland]

If you do your own processing you'll save some. But not much if your comparing price with a food chain. The taste of your own grown is a pat on the back though and it sounds that you like to know what your eating. I don't have a large family but I know what you mean about the 3 lb chickens. We choose roasters because we love how they turn out in our Ronco rotisserie.We'd rather cook one big one with left overs than 2 or 3 small ones. If you really want a true roaster, cornish is the route. They might take 8-10weeks+ and take up alot of space in the freezer but we love them. All said and done,processed we have about $7.+ in them. That's a 8lb bird though. Look at that bad boy between the wheel wells of my truck. Will

 

[3KillerBs]

I didn't figure I'd actually save any money. Especially not once you count in the cost of building facilities.

I was just wanting to make sure that they wouldn't end up costing $4.50/lb like the kosher and organic ones.

I'm sure they'd taste better -- I'm old enough to remember when chickens were MEAT, not mush. Meat that had to be cut with a knife rather than the side of your fork.

But the main issue that's driving me to distraction is the increasing difficulty of finding meat, especially chicken and turkey, that hasn't been injected with the nasty-tasting stuff that makes my DH sick.

 

[3KillerBs]

Adding a related question:

I know that raising chickens to be 8lb roasters is less cost-effective per bird, but I know that when I buy large roasters in the store I get less waste for the amount of meat than I get from two smaller birds that add up to the same weight.

Does it cost more to raise one roaster to 8lbs dressed weight than it does to raise two broiler/fryers to the individual weight -- 4.5lbs? -- that would provide the same amount of actual meat?

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I would guess it would be more cost effective to raise one 8 pounder in lieu of (2) 4.5's. I think the biggest factor would be the chick cost. Feed conversion would be slightly higher for the 8 lb, but I think the fact that you would spend double for 2 chicks would still make 1 more cost effective.

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
I would guess it would be more cost effective to raise one 8 pounder in lieu of (2) 4.5's. I think the biggest factor would be the chick cost. Feed conversion would be slightly higher for the 8 lb, but I think the fact that you would spend double for 2 chicks would still make 1 more cost effective.

I agree, chick cost,space and if you pay for processing per bird.
I like the idea of a large roasting bird. I guess it wouldn't be as important if you were cutting your chickens up. But if they're going to put them in the oven or on a rotisserie it seems the bigger the better for us anyway.
People selling their meat birds are going to favor smaller meat birds because they might sell a 4 lb bird for $15.-$20. Where as it would be hard to sell a 8 lb bird for $30.-$40. because it sounds alot for a chicken even though pound for pound they are paying the same, most people won't look at it that way.

Will

 

[silkiechicken]

If you want a feed efficient meat bird, you'd want to go with a Cornish x, the other types will eat you out of feed for the same amount of meat. Plus, at 12 weeks you could get a 8lb dressed bird if not more, while at 6 months, you will get at most a 4-5lb dressed bird of a "dual" type.