Feed prices?

[AngelaClassAct]

Feed costs are crazy expensive, I keep really good records and saw that the lowest price I paid for a 50# bag of poulin layer crumbles was $12.49, and I recently paid $16.71.

I just came to the realization today that my ladies are VERY SPOILED! We are raising 2 pigs and we get about 600-900 pounds of produce from our local grocery store co-op that we feed to them and we share some of it with the ladies. Their program is free to us, because if we didn't take the produce they would have to pay to have it composted. In any event we get everything you'd buy at a grocery store: lettuce, berries, melons, peppers, squash, avacado, apples, bananas, etc. - you name it, we get it. Today, as I carried out an 18 gallon tub of berries, peaches, tomatoes, and lettuce and threw it in the run for the ladies I realized how spoiled they are! This helps us keep our feed costs down some, but I sometimes feel like they eat about the same amount of feed with or without the added produce. We recently expanded our run to something VERY temporary, basically a 36" fence around the enclosed run, nobody escapes because they are perfectly happy and content with life. We think the cool and interesting produce treats make things a little more exciting for them.

 

[Fred's Hens]

We also have raised prices, but, we've raised them as far as they can go. Each region is different.

I've also changed feed mills. The Amish near me have a quality feed mill/store and their price last Saturday was $19.00 a hundred for 17% layer mash. That is $9.50 for a 50#. That is my absolute best price anywhere right now.

To answer your question about downsizing, yes. I would indeed downsize if feed were to jump to say $30 a hundred. (as some predict) The price support for eggs just isn't there for that feed cost. As much as I enjoy this, I'm not going to do it at a loss. Nope.

 

[duckinnut]

What amazes me that it hasn't really gone through the roof yet. With hurricanes in the east, floods in various parts of the country,drought and extreme heat in others,tornados in parts and the govt. force use of ethanol the price has to skyrocket soon. Anything with corn, wheat, soy in it or are fed by it are going to jump too. The cost of people food will be rising as well. Dog food is going crazy too,I buy a 50lb bag of food every 5/6 weeks. I used to buy Eukanuba but the price has doubled in the last 12 years. A 50lb bag was $27 12 years ago and now is $59. I refused to buy it anymore, it had jumped up $6 from the last time I bought it. Buy the less but still expensive Iams and supplement his food with venison,strangely no complaint from him. Generally speaking I could shoulder a price hike if I new it were going to go back down but feel it won't. Doubt if I will downsize but will rethink the plan of expanding the flock.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

To answer your question about downsizing, yes. I would indeed downsize if feed were to jump to say $30 a hundred.

If feed went to $30/100lb eggs would not be $2.50 a doz in the grocery store. Actually the price increase here in the last year on lean meat and eggs has been substantial and we are not seeing nearly the number of sales. Still sometimes it is amazing/discusting how cheap things go for on special. I sure can't grow boneless chicken breasts or pork loin for $1.99/lb or turkey for $0.99/lb.

Buying feed in bulk is making a difference about 40%-50% less than buying bagged feed, I'm on the look out for some old deep freezers to store feed but until then am using large plastic barrels, each one takes about 300lb, 7-8 for a ton.​

 

[rancher hicks]

I do have a mill nearby but was advised that mash gets wasted by the birds and to buy pellets which I have been doing. I hope to get through the winter but then in spring sell off some of my delawares. (my main breed)

I looked for hay and straw on CL and it's $6 for a bale of straw, which I prefer to hay in the runs. I use hay in the nest boxes but don't need that much. I've thought about crocheting some nest pads and then I can just throw them in the wash or just do them in the yard and hang them to dry. Lord knows I've got a lot of leftover yarn.

I saw and ad for cat food that was a 13# bag. What's up with that? I know they went to 16# bags but 13? Jimminy cricket!! Glad I only have the one cat and when he goes no more cats for me.

As far as egg prices here they can be had for $1 doz. but then the main store sells them for $1.49 down from $1.75. There is to much competition here for higher prices from us small fries.

I think these feed prices are going to force many of us to downsize substantially. Unless we can get more for our eggs. I donate the money to charity but I'm not going to give eggs away!!!! That makes no sense.

Take care and be safe,

Rancher

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Yes. I just decided 2 days ago to sell my entire broiler flock. They eat way too much. Plus I have enough chicken to eat with the extra cockerels I hatch from my breeding project anyway.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
If feed went to $30/100lb eggs would not be $2.50 a doz in the grocery store.

Most folks are already paying $15 for a 50# bag, which is $30 a hundred. It seems that is Purina's normal price, pretty much everywhere.

With "store" eggs regularly selling for $1.29, as Rancher Hicks said above, we cannot compete on price alone. I cannot sell eggs at that price, of course, and will not. The premium my customers pay for fresh, brown eggs has a limit. We're there at $2.50. There's no more head room on raising our price. Those "store" egg prices would have to increase dramatically to allow for that.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Fred's Hens :

With "store" eggs regularly selling for $1.29, as Rancher Hicks said above, we cannot compete on price alone. I cannot sell eggs at that price, of course, and will not. The premium my customers pay for fresh, brown eggs has a limit. We're there at $2.50. There's no more head room on raising our price. Those "store" egg prices would have to increase dramatically to allow for that.

The U.S. average retail price for Large Grade A eggs is $1.71, up 13% from a year ago. ARP in the Midwest region is $1.42 up 16% from a year ago.

http://www.bls.gov/ro3/apmw.htm

Our regional convenience store / gas station chain sells them as a loss leader. It's not uncommon to see them for 99 cents.

I've been charging $2.00 a dozen for Jumbo Organic Eggs from the farm. $3.00 on a sales route in town. Taking into account the cost of the carton, the $2.00 was pretty much the same as our wholesale pay price for nest run organic eggs.

Right now, we have a new flock of pullets that is just starting to lay, but I think the wife is going to drop the egg route and the farm price is going up to $2.50 as our pay price is just under $2.00 now.​

 

[chickencrazymamahen]

Went to the feed store this week, Flockraiser jumped from $13.50/50 lbs. to $15.90/50lbs. Whoa!!! Wakeup call......Decision made....anyone not hatched this year is on the way to freezer camp, mostly being ground for chicken patties and sausage. A few bakers......probably won't even keep all the young pullets...hear they bake up nicely!! Heartbreaking!!! Stopped selling eggs, freezing our extra's to get thru winter when it slacks off and plan to keep only 12 hens, 1 roo......and of course my one pet chicken Penny

However, wheat dropped almost $4/50 lbs....so will be feeding more wheat I guess.

 

[gophert]

FWIW, in my Southern university city I was paying $5, yes, FIVE DOLLARS a dozen for local free-range farm eggs at the grocery store. Of course, that's part of why I got chickens. It is possible to get them for $3/12, but they aren't at the store or farmers' markert (they are $4-5/12 there). You have to "know someone."

MegaBrand "free-range" eggs are less, but I have serious doubts that they are free-range for real. They don't taste as good, either.

I believe plain grocery store tortured-chicken eggs are like 1.50-1/75/dozen.

Organic feed is $33/50 pounds here, too.