EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Lazy Farmer]

I would love to have one of your two pigs if you were closer. I know the feeling though, I had trouble moving my steer this year and that was at 2:40 a pound hanging weight. I have no idea what it cost to raise these animals since I'm not a big Corporation and can't buy bulk feed and I want the stuff that doesn't have all the chemicals in it. I am with your husband though when you look at a pack of steaks and it's 10 $15 for not even the best stuff for a couple of steaks but they don't want to pay for the whole steer. Of course our local meat processors are getting proud of their stuff too. It cost $498 to process one steer this fall.

It cost us $520 to process our last Black Angus

 

[lindalouly]

We have added 3 hours to the morning with lights on a timer, at least until Spring. I am collecting an average of 70 eggs a day right now. Spring should bring it up to 100+ when my new additions start up. I don't have storage space for them when the phone stops ringing.
Solution.. $2 per dz.. At least my feed bill is covered and we get the cream of the crop..

I absolutely get it. Its just very unfortunate that this is happening.

 

[daxigait]

It cost us $520 to process our last Black Angus

They are charging $0.60 a pound plus a $50 kill fee around here.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Baby Banty..

Baby Wicked..

Baby Back Ribs..

 

[Lazy Farmer]

They are charging $0.60 a pound plus a $50 kill fee around here.

Processing a 250# swine costs us $200 average. BUT it is done professionally and accurately. Most importantly, sanitary. Tailor cut to our specs. Our processor is a Pasture..lol.

 

[Beer can]

They are charging $0.60 a pound plus a $50 kill fee around here.

And that's hanging weight also right? Not the lbs of meat you end up with?
Last time I went in on a whole beef 15yrs ago with friends it was $1.50lb the butcher's steer, aged, cut wrapped and frozen. His pork was $1.00lb whole pig.
Sure miss those prices...
I couldn't even find pork fat to make venison summer sausage this winter unless I wanted to fork over the price per lb of sausage. They all said the pigs they get now days are so lean they have no fat to spare cheap.

 

[daxigait]

Baby Banty..View attachment 1243714
Baby Wicked..View attachment 1243715
Baby Back Ribs..View attachment 1243719

Okay, I doubt I have any pork ribs left, but I know I have some beef. Time to raid the freezer when I get home. You are making me HUNNGGGRRRYYY!

 

[daxigait]

The way I used to do pigs were I would have people pay for the feed and the piglets, and I got a side for my work.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

And that's hanging weight also right? Not the lbs of meat you end up with?
Last time I went in on a whole beef 15yrs ago with friends it was $1.50lb the butcher's steer, aged, cut wrapped and frozen. His pork was $1.00lb whole pig.
Sure miss those prices...
I couldn't even find pork fat to make venison summer sausage this winter unless I wanted to fork over the price per lb of sausage. They all said the pigs they get now days are so lean they have no fat to spare cheap.

You can finish them on straight corn,beer and bread to add back fat. Also buy an older pig around 10-12 months old. They stop maturing around 6 m/o. that's when the aging begins. We process @ 6 months & 250-295#. Anything over 300# and over 8 month's of age with our Berkshires, are growing fat, not meat.
When our cost of raising the young starts to exceed the local average, we process the entire animal into ground pork. Costs less to have it processed and if it was divided, the chops and other cuts would not be worth the trouble.
You can't be a pig farmer without many freezers. Then you aren't desperate to sell your stock.
Multi freezers and multi BBQ's... And way too many friends

 

[Lazy Farmer]

The way I used to do pigs were I would have people pay for the feed and the piglets, and I got a side for my work.

Our area has 300 to 400# swine for $40. They don't tell you if is a 3 y/o & a undernourished backyard lard pig.
Hips sticking out and con caved stomachs.
Then we ask 1 per # hoof weight and callers compare prices and not quality.
Stragglers come around that know the difference and those are our buyers. Not the general public that has a gross misconception embedded in their head that a pig is a pig.. they are all the same.
We are having stir fry tonight with a slow smoked pork shank. Young and tender pork... yummy.

Shank on the right. Slow smoked 12 hours.
On the left is a bacon slab from last night BLT supper..