Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Fentress]

The survey did not include hens. Very few sell hens, because hybrid layers make for an unmarketable carcass. I think there are a few who whose heritage breeds for eggs and they will sell the hens which is part of their business plan.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: In my area there is a huge population of Portugese immigrants. THe fellow that runs the local feed store says that as soon a a sign goes up, the hens are out the door as the word travels fast. I have been able to sell a number of birds this way myself.

 

[AletaG]

What about plump boiling hens (stopped laying)? I'm getting ready to pull some old girls rather than feed them thru winter.

Around here, a gentleman markets his as (pardon my bad spelling - French is not my thing) Coq de vin which is a soup stock hen basically. His 2yo layers. Gets 5$/lb for them dressed out. Supplies all the nicer local restaurants Now, he uses production layers, SO, if you had solid heritage poultry, and took a little time educating your small market... Guessing you could get a nice price for them. JMO -AG

 

[colburg]

Keep in mind for growth rates and such the more range and foraging you allow the slower your growth rate will be. It's healthy or them sure, but you'll have better growth and better weights if you feed a good food and have them in a spacious, but not humongous grow out pen. In the past I've used 12x12 grow out pens for up to 25 birds until 6 months of age, then it starts getting crowded. Separating cockerels and pullets as soon as you can identify them helps drastically too. Feed is vital too, get a good balanced commercial diet, preferably with meat protein and feed it. Don't dilute it with other stuff, that's a rookie mistake. Yeah they used to do things different, we have better science on our side now.

Edit: for grow out space clarification I have found through the years that if you allow 1sqft per month of age til maturity (around 6-8 months) you'll get a happy medium of good growth and adequate space. Let's you cull through at a good pace too. I start culling at 8 weeks and every four weeks after that.

We've experimented on our Hatchery birds with varying this and that + free-ranging. It sure hits home when you mess with their feed and the eggs cut in half.

Thanks for the info on culling. I wasn't looking forward to keep 50+ roosters until we could pick our breeders for the next season. Staged culling for various reasons makes good sense.

I've also been wondering about caponizing culls as we go so that we can still have a large carcass to sell in the end. Lots of benefits with only the cost of time.

 

[colburg]

To Colburg and others. A survey taken not too long ago by APPPA (American Pastured Poultry Producers Association) provided an average price of $4 per dozen eggs and $4 per pound for broilers. Of course, most of them use hybrids, but that is what you have to compete with in what is already a niche market. Their general advice is to find/create your market and charge as much as possible. Producers are more price sensitive than the buyers if you market correctly, which would be even more important for heritage stock. The good news is that in some areas demand and therefore price continues to increase.

mark

Thanks for the info. We're capped out at $3/doz. Everyone else selling eggs around here is also at $3, and trying to make $4 would probably cost me in the long run. When store eggs go up, I'll definitely go up as well.

$4-5/lb for meat is easily profitable with the CX. I guess I'll find out the hard way with straight Rocks. Though some good management practices should help make a decent profit.

 

[bnjrob]

Around here, a gentleman markets his as (pardon my bad spelling - French is not my thing) Coq de vin which is a soup stock hen basically. His 2yo layers. Gets 5$/lb for them dressed out. Supplies all the nicer local restaurants Now, he uses production layers, SO, if you had solid heritage poultry, and took a little time educating your small market... Guessing you could get a nice price for them. JMO -AG

It's all about being able to find the niche and market to the niche. Every business does it every day whether we realize it or not.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: From a feeding stand point, my suggestion is making a custom pellet mix to supplement the foraging. THe typical bagged commercial feeds are designed to be the only feed and does not account for the effects of the consumption of grass, etc.As for the ingredients of the pellets, protein is always the most costly ingredient, however meat protein is well worth the cost usually. Even if it is included in small amounts if particularly pricey. As time goes on and storage and management allows, consider having a different mix for different ages if you see that that will increase the profits.

 

[Lacy Blues]

ALfalfa meal??? WIll have to look for that. I really like my morning eggs to be dark yellow, and with the decreasing grasses during the winter, the eggs look rather drab already from some pens.

I shred my alfalfa cubes and then soak to soften them. I also grate carrots into their feed. I get a 25# bag of carrots at Safeway for $6.99 and I rebag them in smaller bags so I can keep them in the refrigerator. Works very nicely for darkening up those yolks!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Far better than yellow mums!! lol GOod time of year to buy carrots, too.

 

[Arielle]

I wonder if anyone can explain the diferences between all the divisions that have game or old game ? I think I read 4 divisions. What is the difference between these, or rather how are they alike. SOmeone suggested they make a very good farm bird that can thrive better than some other chickens in a self sustainability/farm sitation.