How can you make maximum profit off Backyard Chickens?

[jamesbwood]

Thanks so much for the fishing fly and ear ring ideas! The picts helped a lot.

I'm pretty sure we have local auctions here too but have no idea how to find them. I'm in Palm Beach county, Fl. Any suggestions?

 

[madisonmama]

Here are a couple list of auctions in Florida. Just make sure they auction poultry and provide safe holding areas for the birds before and during the auctions. The one I use provides misters to help keep them cool.

http://cfextension.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/livestock/pdfs/fl_assoc_livestock_markets.pdf

http://www.goauctionusa.com/livestock-auctions/florida/

 

[Dobela]

I sell eggs thru the local co-op for $3 a dozen. To a select few friends and family I sell for $1 a dozen with the understanding I get back the cartons and any others they can acquire from other friends and family. If I have any extra the local natural foods store will purchase them for $2.50 a dozen. We also have 1 duck that lays one egg per day. I can sell her eggs for $6 a dozen easily. When my son wanted to add to his flock this year I encouraged him to get more ducks since fewer people are buying them and I can make more from their eggs.

We have 40ish chickens and they can eat a 50 lb bag of food in 5 days if we don't allow pasture/free range time for several hours daily.

 

[jamesbwood]

Here are a couple list of auctions in Florida. Just make sure they auction poultry and provide safe holding areas for the birds before and during the auctions. The one I use provides misters to help keep them cool.

http://cfextension.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/livestock/pdfs/fl_assoc_livestock_markets.pdf

http://www.goauctionusa.com/livestock-auctions/florida/

Thanks!

 

[redraindrop]

I think the key to profit is reducing costs, but being in a good area where people appreciate fresh cage free eggs is important. I don't have chickens, we have ducks and quail that we sell eggs for $3 a dozen and $4 and $5 for hatching eggs, and we can't produce enough for all the hatching eggs people want right now. We built our coop out of locust trees on our property, covered it in chicken wire and this summer I'm going to cob it, the south facing side is covered in windows to provide warmth in the winter. I'm looking into planting forage crops in a run and in trays that can be put in the coop for grazing to make the quail more sustainable. The ducks free range during the day and eat very little food when good foraging is available. We are doing better than breaking even for current costs, but I can't say we've kept track of the cost of the hardware we put into it, but it's way under a thousand dollars. I think starting small and building up as you know what your local economy will allow is good, but ultimately you have to be prepared for just doing it for your own gratification. I have found that the permits required to vend at a local farmers market wouldn't easily be recouped(in the neighbor hood of $200 all together for a summer season) by selling eggs since we have specialty eggs. Craigslist is our best resource for advertising. I'm almost finished building a 200 quail egg, or 60 duck egg capacity incubator to sell chicks, and was looking for advice on pricing that when I came across this thread. We've barely put any money into that because I used recycled wood mostly and random hardware we have around, but my husbands Dad had the motors and electronic knowledge to build a board to control the egg trays and he used a water heater thermostat wired into the lightbulb to control the temperature.

 

[ilycaka]

:cd Didn't know were to ask this but me and my friend were trying to come up with way to make bank off chickens it not that we raise chickens for money we do it for the love of chickens but theres nothing wrong with make some $$ money $$ by doing what you love. If anybody as any ideas at all tell me  

I have raised chickens all my life the best way to make a profit off of backyard chickensis to try exotic breeds. keep your egg layers and your meat producers for your family. then start a breed of exotic chickens like maybe a rare bantum breed. or some other rare breed check Murray McMurray catalog and choose a breed then sell a mating pair at a local flea market you should do well or advertise on Craigslist. you can supplement your feed expence by starting an earthworm and grub bed. if you have the space a good compost pile attracts lots of bugs and protein for your chickens.
also if you have the space allow your chicken to free range in that will supplement a lot of your feed cost

 

[spotsplus]

I live in an area where there are lots of backyard farms but it's still pretty populated. I do quite well selling chicks. I pick some chicks for myself and buy extras from a hatchery to sell. I sell about 60 chicks a year. I get $8 per chick. This covers costs for my flock of 20 hens. I actually give away our eggs as we have so many extra. In years past I've also made some extra income from making hen houses and selling them and I've had our chickens in the movies on two occations (a friend supplies animals for the movies) that paid well. If I wanted to expand I could sell supplies that go along with chicks like shavings, heat lamps and 5 -10 lb bags of chick starter to the people who buy chicks as there are always some that need that stuff.

 

[Jenna14Chicken]

I no this is a old site but I was wondering how much money can you make a week from selling eggs from 8 chickens?

 

[Chick of the flock]

Where we live we pay 5 to 6 dollars at the store. People here sell there eggs for around 7 to 8 dollars per dozen crazy on how much the difference is.