Feed Pricing - looking ahead

[Brooks_]

I had recently seen that the margin per head was down. I only saw that in passing; I'll try to find it again.

I found this:
Estimated beef packer margins for the final week in February were $265 per head, down $97 per head from the previous week, and down $111 from the same week a year ago
SOURCE

 

[AngBantamLuv]

It's too bad that chicken meat has not gone up like beef and pork.

Let's hope avian influenza doesn't hit the u.s. like it's hit Europe.

 

[Sally PB]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/avian-influenza-found-in-south-carolina.1507893/

Let's hope avian influenza doesn't hit the u.s. like it's hit Europe.

It has in some places. There are over 60 pages in that thread; some informative and scary reading. I'm "preparing for the worst and hoping for the best" myself.

Maybe not the absolute worst, but trying to think of what I might "wish I'd done last spring!" come next fall.

 

[MadGardener]

My local mill raised prices again, and have already told their vendors to expect another increase next week.

Its not just local
https://www.ft.com/content/e6a28dd9-ecea-4d67-b6b5-a50301b731b2

Wheat, of course, is a common component in high protein feeds, and we all see corn as an ingredient in just about everything.

Speaking for myself, I don't have room in the entertainment budget to pick up another couple cents per pound, feeding 150# plus per week to the animals, so I'm continuing to cull flock sizes down - I can always hatch more when prices normalize. and of course hoping on my pasture to bend the curve some, though my area is already down 4" in average rainfall for the year. Will be 5" next week...

Need some relief.

Hope you get caught up on your rain before the dry season closes, and that you're far from the wildfires I'm hearing about.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/avian-influenza-found-in-south-carolina.1507893/


It has in some places. There are over 60 pages in that thread; some informative and scary reading. I'm "preparing for the worst and hoping for the best" myself.

Maybe not the absolute worst, but trying to think of what I might "wish I'd done last spring!" come next fall.

Covered, enclosed runs. Separate shoes. Keeping wild birds out of feed and water. They need direct contact with infected feces, its not airborne, but for a large production vs backyard, it's far more difficult to manage.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hope you get caught up on your rain before the dry season closes, and that you're far from the wildfires I'm hearing about.

Wildfires are south of us, blowing North and East - we should be fine, thank you. and 2" of rain in the last three days, more expected today - actually, it *should* be raining now. SO we are still 3" low, but the lull will hopefully allow some to be absorbed, instead of washing away topsoil, and exposing my clay pan underneath.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

I don't think chicken feed will be unavailable in the U.S. as a whole for long stretches of time. I do think it is wise to get more before you are out.

How much can be stocked up given that the feed is supposed to be fresh? Should we not worry about freshness for now?

 

[Brooks_]

How much can be stocked up given that the feed is supposed to be fresh? Should we not worry about freshness for now?

Buy to your limit. I was comfortable with 3 bags (with x mill date and my flock). Next trip might be 1 bag or 5.

 

[tripletfeb]

Buy to your limit. I was comfortable with 3 bags (with x mill date and my flock). Next trip might be 1 bag or 5.

I only have three hens and I just bought two 40# bags of feed. Storing it in my basement where it's cool. Should help it to last longer

 

[saysfaa]

How much can be stocked up given that the feed is supposed to be fresh? Should we not worry about freshness for now?

An analogy of what I meant would be filling the car's fuel tank when it is half full rather when the low fuel light comes on.

There are too many variables to answer about how much to stock up. I don't know how much need there will be or how much difference in freshness there might be for anyone else. I buy from a mill that stores local crops and grinds as needed so freshness is not the limiting factor.

If I have a cool, dry place to store it then it will stay fresh longer. If I lived in Iowa, I would be willing to let the amount get lower before getting more than if I Iived in Southern California. If I had several stores close enough to shop at, I would carry less than if I had only one store within a very long drive. If I had three hens, I might have space to store more weeks worth of feed than if I had fifty hens and would risk less if it molded or something. I'm sure there are more variables.