Do you make a living off of raising chickens?

[wombat]

It's hard to compete with commercial operations that run about 12,000-20,000 birds per worker.

I've heard of people making money on small operations, but making a living is another thing altogether.

 

[SquirrelGirl]

You probably wouldn't say that if you lived the reality of it 365 days a year. I wouldn't trade it, it's all I've ever known, but it isn't the idealic life people think it is.

I would definetly appreciate it. Right now I do medical billing. Not because I like it but because I have to to make a living.. If I could do what you do... it would be sooooo much better! But don't get me wrong...Im not saying it would be all rainbows and magical lol! Maybe Im weird, but I really do like hard labor work better than the office type of work. Me and my husband have been building a house for the past 2 years and it really has shown me how much I like that type of work better than computer type!

=

=

 

[wombat]

My 80-something year old uncle is still running his farm, and my grandfather's adjacent farm.

A while back, he "retired" from dairy farming to merely raising beef cattle.

He's said ... "When you farm, you don't own the land. The land owns you!"

True on many levels, I suppose.

 

[moonlyghtegirl]

My chcikens make their living off me...I will never break even, much less ever profit materially from raising chcikens...

 

[canada-goose]

We've LOST a couple thousand dollars raising chickens! I wish we could get some money this way! Oh well, we love them and that's what really matters!

Chickens are great.

 

[SquirrelGirl]

Quote:
Your uncle sounds wise

 

[denasfarm]

Our Chickens and rabbits basically pay for themselves to eat by selling eggs, chicks and bunnies each month. They also pay for the dogs food but as to profit. Nope not yet.
We spend around $160 month on feed even with free ranging.
I keep hoping to get to where I can hatch enough to quit work and stay home full time and play birdies.
Maybe in 2010!!

 

[wombat]

Quote:
Your uncle sounds wise

Looks kinda like the Marlboro Man's ol' Grandpa too.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

I made almost 200 dollars in profit off my chickens this year. After the cost of keeping them and buying them. I sold chicks, and roosters.

I am not sure if its just a fluke brought on by the economy this spring, or if it'll last for any length of time, but I happened to find that 1) day old chick shipments were selling out long before their hatch date at all the major breeders this spring 2) people in my area really wanted urban chickens but could not afford the time to brood them themselves.

So I ordered double the chickens I wanted for my first shipment, and brooded them and sold them for four times what I paid. Then with that money I bought the supplies for my now grown chicks, and paid for a second shipment of chicks which turned me an even larger profit as my start up costs had already been met.

My goal next year is to hatch my own eggs and sell a barnyard mix. Its not something I can live off of on any level at all, but it DOES pay for the chickens, eggs, and the costs of keeping it all going and puts a little in my pocket.

 

[Chicken Family]

We sure hope there is a way to make money off of chickens, altho I doubt the "backyard farmers" will ever make it as the commercial chicken farmers do. Even the commercial guys struggle. We live in southwest Missouri, and just across the Arkansas line is the TYSON plant. Lots of commercial guys raise chickens for this profitable company, and by the talk Ive heard the contracts that these farmers are in, kinda just keeps them going year to year. Doesnt seem to me like there making a living like they really thought they would. Kinda sad really. Im sure one day when the economy turns around things may be better. Another thing going against all of us chicken raisers is that more and more people are raising chickens to cut there egg costs down. In the city of springfield Missouri, residents are allowed to have a "Backyard" coop with no more than 4 chickens. I personally dont have a problem with this at all. Im sure it really puts alot of smiles on some young childrens faces, and to me that is the most profitable thing anymore! Happiness!! It just makes it hard for a guy/gal to go to town and set up a booth and sell farm fresh eggs, etc... Seems like the chicken growers are coming out of the wood work in my part of the country. All in All, they are a fun animal to raise and eventhough you may not make a whole lot of money for your "Chicken Fund", you sure can enjoy some of the best eggs there is! Good luck to all.