For those of you raising meat birds to sell, how did you get started?

[chickboss]

I have mentioned the idea to family and friends. A few people seem interested, just wondering how you got started. How did you set your initial pricing, marketing, ect., and how long before you had enough intrest to make it stick? Thanks for any info.!

 

[jaku]

If you've mentioned it to family and friends, you're started! That will be a good start for your first year. Calculate how much they cost to raise, then set your price somewhere above that, balancing how much you want to make with how much people are willing to pay. Unless your customers are used to buying organic/pasture raised birds, you might want to start on the low end, as most people are used to paying $5 for a whole chicken.

 

[chickboss]

Thanks Jaku, that sounds a lot like what I was thinking in terms of how to price. And since my first "customers" would be fam and friends I want to be reasonable, but not so reasonable that I am sunk. LOL, not that I don't want to be reasonably priced for everyone else, but I think you know what I mean.

I'm just hoping that people find value in it. I've already had a few people say "your going to do what?" LOL, it is too funny to, because we are in a pretty rual/farm type area. Not sure what the raised eyebrows are for. LOL, maybe it is just the idea of some little house wife hacking the heads off 50 chickens. I really don't know.

 

[Bettacreek]

Quote:
One of the neighbor's sons was talking to us about our meaties. He asked Andy how we planned on plucking the birds. He pointed at me and said I was doing everything, from chick to dinner table, including the plucking. He was shocked, then offered the use of his feather plucking machine.

 

[chickboss]

That is so cool! Maybe I can work this girlie thing...JK.