Done With Meat Birds

[Salt and Light]

Quote:
The 600 lbs is what I purchased from the mill based on previous batches of birds. So far, they've eaten about 100 lbs of feed.

 

[Bossroo]

Think of raising meat chickens vs. DP in this way ... if you plunk a frog into a pot of very hot water, it will immediately jump out. If you put the frog into a pot of cold water first then slowly raise the temperature, it will stay there and cook. So, spend $10 in feed over a few weeks , OR, you can spend $ 0.10 + $0.50 + $1.00 + $5.00 + $10.00= $16.80 for feed over 16-24 weels. $10 per chicken x 25= $ 250 or $16.80 x 25= $415.00. Spend a little bit each time over a longer period of time you will have spent more money before you even realize it. Then too, consider what your time is worth. Someone is willing to pay you for your labor when you go to work for them, afterall. You hire you to work for you , so you need to pay you. Would you be willing to work for 15 minutes per day for 8 weeks ( 7 days x 8 weeks = 56 days) and get paid 4 pounds of meat per chicken x 25 chickens = 100 pounds of meat. Or, are you willing to work 15 minutes per day for 20 weeks ( 20 x 7= 140 days) and get paid 4 pounds of meat per chicken x 25 chickens = 100 pounds of meat.(the same amount of meat). Now do your own math and consider what a sustainable DP chicken will cost you to raise the hens and rooster to lay the eggs that have to be incubated, then raise those chicks to processing age. If you consider only the time that you turn the hens out in the morning and lock them up at night. You will have worked 15 minute per day for a year or more to get 100 pounds of meat. And that isn't even including the amount of feed, any medications, electricity, fuel, water, housing, or land rent, etc.that is needed for the hen flock for a year ( 365 +/- days). You can offset some of the costs in egg production. However , I can buy a dozen eggs at any number of grocery stores like Safeway, Albertsons, etc. for $ 1.39 or $2.99 for organic/ free range and only spend 15 minutes of my time to buy the dozen eggs. Which is actually cost effective the meaties or DP?

 

[TimG]

Quote:
Would you have been happy with $7.60 per bird? That's what it was going to come to before you lost five. And, you really should have been prepared to lose a couple -- figuring your expected cost per bird based upon 100% survival is not realistic.

600 pounds of feed for 27 birds is 22.2 pounds per bird. That seems just a little high. I ended up feeding my Freedom Rangers about 25 pounds per bird over 11-12 weeks and they don't convert feed as well as Cornish Crosses.

I know it is minor, but the cost of the heat lamp will eventually be spread out over 100s of birds. Have you also considered the cost of fencing, feeders, waterers, coop, etc.? What about processing? Even if you are doing this yourself, there is likely some cost involved.

Someone who raises a couple dozen meat birds at a time is not going to raise bargain meat.

Raising dual purpose birds will not help. Again, someone who has a couple dozen layers is not going to be able to match grocery store prices for eggs, much less beat them. You'll have to find a market for the extra eggs you get (or that will be even more lost money). You'll also be feeding roosters that have to be kept around for breeding purposes and, unless you're lucky, you'll have to invest in an incubator (that cost will be spread out over hundreds of birds too, of course).

Anyway, if you're switching from Cornish Crosses to a dual purpose breed because you think it will cost you less to raise the meat, I think you will be disappointed. Where cost per pound of meat is concerned, you can't beat Cornish Crosses. Well, you can buy your meat in the grocery store...

 

[Salt and Light]

Do others agree that raising DP and meat birds costs about the same?

 

[terri9630]

I've found that they eat about the same amount of food to get to the same weight. The crosses just get there quicker. We've lost about the same number of each for various reasons, mostly the heat so now we only buy chicks in late fall early spring.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

It seems like everyone has their preferences, & reasons for them, between the quick-growing meat birds and the dual-purposes. I think the best thing to do is read all the different opinions, try a few different batches, and decide what works best for YOU.

I think that just like keeping chickens for eggs, raising chickens for meat is done for other reasons than beating the price at the grocery store. If your bottom line financially is a priority to you, then you might be better off buying your meat.

I do think you can lower your expenses by using regular light bulbs for warmth. I am also in Florida, and don't worry too much about keeping chicks warm with special equipment. I start them off with a regular desk lamp or two, I also have acquired a few clamp lamps over the years. But I just use regular 60 watt bulbs in them. So that's one expense that could be lowered.

And you may try something less expensive than wood shavings to keep them on. I use cheap hay, at around $5-$6 a bale, which lasts a long time. And here in Florida I start keeping them in a bottomless cage out in the grass after they're about 2 weeks old. At first I just keep them there during the day, later they can stay out all the time. I may run a extension cord out to give them a bit of light & warmth at night. So they leave a lot of their poop out in the grass, and I'm not paying as much $$$ for bedding.

The next time I have some $$$ to buy meat bird chicks I'm going to try something like the Freedom Rangers. They seem less vulnerable than the Cornish Xs but grow meatier than DPs. Right now the birds I have been butchering are the mixed-breed roos my broody hens hatch out. I learned to caponize them so they're growing meatier than usual.

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
Exactly my thoughts. Everyone has their reasons for how they do things.

I also use regular light bulbs in my brooders, and have a couple with wire floors that save on shavings. I'm probably crazy for starting FRs in December, but I wanted to see how it was becuase I've never raised birds for meat like this. And if if goes well, even though they will have to be inside the whole time, then I'll do it again in the spring. I bought poultry netting to use next time when they are old enough to go outside, so I'll time the arrival of the chicks depending on the weather, and living New York, that won't be easy! LOL

Like I posted before, I much prefer raising chicks specifically for meat for up to 3 months, knowing they have not had any medications, antibiotics, and aren't injected with "flavorings" like a lot of chicken in the supermarket. And, if I can, I have family I can provide some to as well, for a small profit!!!!

Around here, you don't find whole roasters for 99 cents a pound. The most popular brand, Purdue, is usually oveor $2.00 a pound, and for a 5 pound bird, you will pay $10.00. So even if its a wash for expenses, I know I'm eating a healthier chicken. Just thinking of how they are processed by the large companies, makes me want to p_ke...eeooouuuwww

Sue

 

[marquisella]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3473262#p3473262

This article is in the archives, I just found it.

It explains the differences in results between young & old birds...fryers and stewers...

Interesting reading. Know I know why sometimes when I made soup from a lyoung bought chicken, it had no flavor!

Sue

 

[Dandelion Acres]

This kind of piggy backs what SS Up said. But I have a few points to ponder.

First what is the entire reason for raising meat birds? Is it just for the satisfaction of raising your own meat? Or is it because you don't want to support the Factory Farm Scenario? If it is the latter, then why would you raise Cornish X's in the first place? Because your going to give the birds a better life than they would get in a factory farm? Maybe. But in a round about way you are still supporting the mentality of the factory farm.
This is the Very issue we are debating right now on our little farm. We try to promote sustainable practices in all we do, so for us is the Cornish X sustainable? For that matter is the Freedom Ranger? I have heard of people successfully breeding FR's so to me that would be a sustainable flock. I have not heard of people being successful with Cornish X breeding, they are not designed for it.

Honestly, I don't know any of the answers. From a money standpoint the Cornish X is a no brainer. From an ethics standpoint who knows? We will still probably raise some First Generation Slower Growing Cornish X's. We will also raise some FR's. But we will be trying some DP birds as well. We have had fairly good experiences with Dark Cornish, Buff O's, and Barred Rocks. We will be trying some Delawares this year, so we shall see. It is the least we can do.

It all comes down to the why. If you are doing it because you truly enjoy raising chickens for eggs and meat, want to be able to put a few in the freezer each year, and still keep some for eggs, then by all means raise DP breeds. If you make a living or a portion of your living raising meat birds then welcome to the dilemma. Good luck in whatever you choose to do!

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I have not kept track of how much it costs to raise DP birds. But, it is my impression that their food conversion ratio is much worse than meat birds. that means more feed per pound of growth. Unless you find a good strain, I also think most "dual purpose" birds don't ever grow as big as the Cornish Crosses (or Freedom Rangers).