Cost to raise chickens

[Timkid]

I was wondering how much feed cost to raise hens from time they arive from hatchery as chicks till they start to lay. Also the same thing for meat birds. Just a general answer i understand different feed will not have same price and some birds may start laying sooner or meat birds may grow faster than some others.

Thanks
Tim

 

[skysoldier]

The answer to your question is somewhat elusive due to the wide variety of variables. However, from my experience, I can tell you that for my laying hens the feed bill is approximately $3.00 per month each. different breeds grow and start laying at different times but figure about 7- 8 months of age and I think you will be able to do the math well enough to get a reasonable estimate.

As for meat birds, depending on the breed, they are generally ready to butcher between 8 - 10 weeks. The cost may be somewhat higher than for laying hens but not significantly so.

I've heard somewhere that if you are raising laying hens your first dozen eggs will cost about $700.00 but after that they will be free. Of course you can control some of the cost of raising chickens but both eggs and meat will still cost more than if you bought them at the store. To most people, other than commercial producers, it's not about the money . . . it's the quality.

 

[kittycooks]

Quote:

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

My ladies went through about $4 in feed a month (each). It gets less expensive per with higher numbers of chicks and it also depends on whether or not you can figure out how to keep them from wasting a good portion of the food. Mine became wasteful little suckers and I had a hard time preventing it. The baby cake helped but still...

 

[schellie69]

I think that raising my own egg layers and knowing how my egg layers and possible meat birds are treated can't be calculated into a dollar amount. I can control what they eat so I know what goes into my eggs. My girls go through a bag of feed in a month if free ranging if not its a little less then a month I do give them grass clippings weeds veggies from the garden and other scraps.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Quote:
I think $700 is about when I quit saving my receipts.

 

[mons02035]

I have 5 RIR layers. They run me about $5.35 a month each. That price includes everything (mostly from TSC), shavings, grit, shells, feed, scratch, cartons, etc.... This is what they have cost me from Jan 1, 2011 to May 4, 2011. So because I live up here by Bangor, Maine they have pretty much been stuck in the coop with no outdoors. They started going out regularly about 3 weeks ago. So my $5.35 per hen should go down now that they are outside. With their production, it is running me about $2.50 per dozen eggs. My wife occasionally sells some eggs at work for $2.00 a dozen (walmart sells them for $1.35 a dozen here and everyone has chickens) so that has changed my expenses to around $4.40 per hen per month.

I can't remember the expenses from when they were chicks but because of the initial investment of the coop, it does cost a lot of money, unless you already have something to use as a coop. I just started tracking expenses Jan 1 and bought all the supplies again. I actually have not bought anything but egg cartons since Jan 3.

I don't raise meaties so i can't help there either.

 

[digitS']

Quote:
It is variable with breeds and environment but Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture provides some information that may be of help. It is a 44 page pdf file (click).

Accumulative feed consumption for pullets of brown-egg and white-egg breeds to 20 or 22 weeks is about 20 pounds of feed for brown-egg breeds and 16 pounds of feed for white-egg breeds.

Broilers to 7 weeks, accumulative feed consumption is 8 pounds of feed.

Variable dates and between breeds but I hope this helps.

Steve

 

[Derick]

1. I want to raise 135 000 chickens per months for meat supply, how much will it cost me?
2. I want to raise 17 000 chickens per month for eggs supply, how much will it cost me?

 

[Pinkaboo]

1.How much will it cost me to raise 135 000 chickens per month for meat supply?
2. How much will it cost me to raise 17 000 chicken for hen laying eggs supply?

A good way to start any venture is to contact similar enterprises for help and advice
Most business are happy to tell you their own experiences and help you
Just be aware they are probably busy people, try an email or letter if explanation then
Arrange a convenient time for a chat