Grocery Store vs. You ?

[creekrocket]

Chicken, per pound at the grocery store vs. raising your own chickens(meat/layers)......does it equal out in the long run, or are you coming out of pocket more to raise them?

 

[Arielle]

You will want to read some of the recent posts. Maybe try under the meaties , I think I was reading one there yesterday. There are many factors to consider: tastiness, own labor v. paid labor, cost of feed etc. GL

 

[bakerjw]

Stores will likely be cheaper.

BUT

You will know how your chickens were handled, fed, and cared for. They will be better tasting too.

 

[krcote]

Quote:
This.

 

[WallTenters]

There is no way you can compete with grocery store pricing, really. However, I have found that raising dual purpose birds really cuts down on the cost. First, they forage WAY better than the cornish, so even though you're feeding them twice as long you get more flavor and the extra feed isn't too bad. Second, I don't lose hardly any chicks. Third, I can hatch pullets and cockerels, raise them side by side, and keep only the best males and the rest go to freezer camp at about 16 weeks.

 

[arthurpete]

I would think you would want to compare apples to apples.

True pastured, organic - usually dont get one w/o the other, chickens run about 4.00/lb at the local groc, while traditional chicks are about 1.50/lb

I read a post in the meat section where one guy was coming up at roughly the same price as factory farmed but i dont recall him going the organic route.

Plus, your typicall "free ranged" eggs from the groc are not so free range, although it seems that they can get away with the added nutritional advertising that comes with "free range".