Is 300 chickens enough?

[featherhead007]

I guess my question with your plan is what will you do with hens once they get older and stop laying with regular frequency? Are you still willing to feed hundreds of older birds that are no longer contributing regularly? If not, what is the plan to get rid of those birds, as you won't be eating them (and I assume don't want to see them get eaten either).

As far as price per dozen, I can't answer that as I don't know what prices are like in your area. In my area eggs can go for almost $10 a dozen, but that's definitely not the norm in most areas of the country.

What ya gonna do?

 

[moon_cocoon]

Do you know anyone who does this same thing? That you can follow them for a week to get the feel of it? I could give you some numbers on how much we make in a year, how much we sell a dozen or box for, how many stores we sell too and how much it costs us for a pellet of egg cartons... may help you your ‘numbers’ a little better. I could even give you a roundabout of feed cost but we grind our own. Not sure if that is an option for you

That would be great! It would definitely help me visualize things better

 

[moon_cocoon]

What ya gonna do?

Our plan is to continue to take care of them. We want to sell eggs for profit but we're not going to toss the hens away either once their laying declines. But we are going to start out smaller, 30 birds, and then go from there.

 

[moon_cocoon]

I will figure some things out and personal message you. Won’t be today. But you do need to sell the old birds or it won’t work..

I appreciate that!

If we can't find a humane way to rehome them, we'll keep them and just adjust our income goals as needed. But we are going to start out smaller at 30 birds and go from there.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I appreciate that!

If we can't find a humane way to rehome them, we'll keep them and just adjust our income goals as needed. But we are going to start out smaller at 30 birds and go from there.

It really depends on the area you live in. I've heard of people who have had success rehoming older girls to backyard flocks, particularly if they live hear a major metro area where chicken keeping is a popular back yard hobby. Some people are happy to take girls that are past their prime and turn them into pets. In my area, it wouldn't work at all.

 

[moon_cocoon]

Ahhhhh! Ok so if you end up starving, from not having money because you are feeding this old flock that isn’t laying eggs because you are putting all your new income into the old birds, will you consider eating the old flock?! Lol
I think you may have to come up with a different plan! It just isn’t a good idea to keep them. You will not get ahead!

We won't be starving. We're growing our own food and I have a full time job. I'm starting a virtual assistant business which will soon bring me home from that job but if we can make an income from the eggs (as well as peoduce, etc) then that would be great. I now see we won't make enough to allow me to quit my job - at least not any time soon and on such a small piece of property but we won't be starving by any means. And they won't be in harm's way with us at all. Not how we are.

 

[moon_cocoon]

It really depends on the area you live in. I've heard of people who have had success rehoming older girls to backyard flocks, particularly if they live hear a major metro area where chicken keeping is a popular back yard hobby. Some people are happy to take girls that are past their prime and turn them into pets. In my area, it wouldn't work at all.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[bobbi-j]

Our plan is to continue to take care of them. We want to sell eggs for profit but we're not going to toss the hens away either once their laying declines. But we are going to start out smaller, 30 birds, and then go from there.

And again - in two years you'll be feeding 60 birds, half of which are not laying, so you're throwing that money away. In four years, it will be 90 birds, 60 of which aren't laying. I strongly suggest you take some business management courses - specifically in agriculture. Your best bet would be to sell them and not ask questions. Frankly, you can sell them to someone, demanding they don't eat them, but how are you going to know? Once they leave your possession, they are no longer yours, and no longer your business. It's entirely up to you, of course, but if you want to be a "farmer", you have to make tough decisions sometimes. One of those decisions is to cull (remove from the flock by selling, giving away, or killing - not just killing) lower or non-producing birds. That's the only way you're going to make any money at it. I don't mean for profit, I mean enough to feed your birds and feed yourselves.

 

[moon_cocoon]

And again - in two years you'll be feeding 60 birds, half of which are not laying, so you're throwing that money away. In four years, it will be 90 birds, 60 of which aren't laying. I strongly suggest you take some business management courses - specifically in agriculture. Your best bet would be to sell them and not ask questions. Frankly, you can sell them to someone, demanding they don't eat them, but how are you going to know? Once they leave your possession, they are no longer yours, and no longer your business. It's entirely up to you, of course, but if you want to be a "farmer", you have to make tough decisions sometimes. One of those decisions is to cull (remove from the flock by selling, giving away, or killing - not just killing) lower or non-producing birds. That's the only way you're going to make any money at it. I don't mean for profit, I mean enough to feed your birds and feed yourselves.

I understand what everyone is saying but that's not the route we will take. Instead of strictly relying on eggs as the biggest income earner, we'll switch the focus to produce or something along those lines. The eggs will strictly be for us or to sell a few each month for a little extra cash.

Appreciate everyone's input

 

[SavKel&RynKel]

Instead of food eggs, have you thought about heritage eggs? Get some really nice breeds and sell eggs (heck, let your broodys do the work and sell chicks too).
I know you hadn't planned on roosters originally, but just a thought.