Is anyone else raising fall broilers? Our chicks came today: 8/18

[SIMZ]

Ok - the chickens are in the freezer and the numbers are done. Figuring out the final numbers is one of my favorite parts of raising these guys (next to eating them, of course!).

We processed in batches, so I'll put the numbers that way.

22 processed right at 6 weeks: Average dressed weight of 3.55 lbs. (We processed middle-of-the-road sized chickens)

20 processed at 6 1/2 weeks: Average dressed weight of 4.33 lbs.

5 somehow unrecorded chickens which I'm giving an a weight of 20 pounds total (4 lb. avg.)

16 processed at 8 weeks: Average weight of 5.99 lbs. (Largest was 7.6 lbs. and four were over 7 pounds. These final chickens were hand-picked to grow out. I picked the friendliest ones first and then picked chickens that were actively foraging next. Therefore, these guys were pretty active, so I'm very pleased with their final weights.)

Final numbers:

Total feed used: 900 lbs. (Pretty high!!!) @ $.32 per pound. $288.00
Total chick & supply cost (grit, vitamins, shavings, etc.) : $90.25
Total pounds of dressed meat: 280.79 lbs.
Price per pound: $1.35

This is our lowest yet and it's mostly because these were raised almost entirely outside, which eliminated our usual shavings expense. Each chicken cost an average of $5.91 to raise. This was our favorite batch of meat birds that we've done so far. This also brought us up to 158 birds processed this year.........but who's counting, right?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Wow that is awesome! I need to pick your brain on how to be more efficient for our next batch. Are you all doing another set yet this year? I am debating it. We had our first broiler for dinner tonight and it was wonderful.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

another thing i tried different this year with the meat birds when they got bigger was using large rubber bowls for water vs. the traditional metal water cans. it was easier for me to check in to see the water level and fill with jugs than to try to get the lid off, empty the debris and refill. the chicks took a while to get used to it, but they did. I'll probably use them in the fenced area when we let them out to forage this weekend. I've ordered those avian aqua miser nipples to create some of the larger bucket waterers to use inside the coops.

At about 4 weeks, i use the kitty litter pans for water.. (new of course) the ones that are maybe 3-4 inches high. i get them for about a dollar at those every-things a buck stores. I have 4 that are spaced in the outdoor area. if my babies fall in, they stand up and can get out. I like the Cornish X...straight run, what a good price! less than a buck each at the co-op and less than 50 cents often on special! I have a very simple hardware cloth fence with T post. easy to rotate it, and the chicks sure make it easy to replant the good grasses and weeds. They have a 150 sq feet of confined range at all times and i use grass and weed clipping as extra forage and dried grass to keep the coop dry and clean.. ( i harvest 4 acres) DE and sweet PDZ are my friends too lol! The coop is a simple pole barn style construction, 8X8 metal walls & roof. i plan rotation for about 10 week periods, but next round will be 50, instead of 25. I think the more natural food available the better for the birds. Its so funny to watch the first mealworm meal!!! I usually have about 50 birds/waterfowl out ranging our 5 acres..They will hop or fly out the fences, and visit the other livestock LOL, but i am always home and usually outdoors to watch.. In this last year since i started keeping livestock again, i've lost 1 chicken (drowned in a stock tank) and have been fortunate. My geese and guinea hen have sure scared off the hawks! My Cornish x are a little slower to harvest than most do, but the meat is amazing... i have had to cull 2 already due to the growth rate, and severe aggression ( both roosters just horribly mean and vicious). All my birds do a crazy bird run towards me when they see me, warms your heart

 

[SIMZ]

Wow that is awesome! I need to pick your brain on how to be more efficient for our next batch. Are you all doing another set yet this year? I am debating it. We had our first broiler for dinner tonight and it was wonderful.

We still have 50 that are 3 weeks old, but that will be it for the year. It seems like they're extra good when you know all the work that goes into it.

 

[SIMZ]

All my birds do a crazy bird run towards me when they see me, warms your heart

It does warm your heart!! LOL

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Ok - the chickens are in the freezer and the numbers are done. Figuring out the final numbers is one of my favorite parts of raising these guys (next to eating them, of course!).

We processed in batches, so I'll put the numbers that way.

22 processed right at 6 weeks: Average dressed weight of 3.55 lbs. (We processed middle-of-the-road sized chickens)

20 processed at 6 1/2 weeks: Average dressed weight of 4.33 lbs.

5 somehow unrecorded chickens which I'm giving an a weight of 20 pounds.

16 processed at 8 weeks: Average weight of 5.99 lbs. (Largest was 7.6 lbs. and four were over 7 pounds. These final chickens were hand-picked to grow out. I picked the friendliest ones first and then picked chickens that were actively foraging next. Therefore, these guys were pretty active, so I'm very pleased with their final weights.)

Final numbers:

Total feed used: 900 lbs. (Pretty high!!!) @ $.32 per pound. $288.00
Total chick & supply cost (grit, vitamins, shavings, etc.) : $90.25
Total pounds of dressed meat: 280.79 lbs.
Price per pound: $1.35

This is our lowest yet and it's mostly because these were raised almost entirely outside, which eliminated our usual shavings expense. Each chicken cost an average of $6.10 to raise. This was our favorite batch of meat birds that we've done so far. This also brought us up to 158 birds processed this year.........but who's counting, right?

Very nice, i need to be more intent on the numbers too! I am checking into bulk feed supply, there has to be someone in east central indiana i can get feed for hogs, fowl and the hooved critters arriving soon. It appears we are adding Alpaca (2) and 2 bottle calves this weekend. milk goats this spring! i really need a good supplier now!

 

[Huntress78]

Here are my totals for the entire batch. Picked up 61 chicks on 8/22....lost 2 so raised 59 to butcher age. Dressed weights are birds only, no neck, giblets or feet, trimmed of extra skin and fat...oven ready.

20 processed @ 4 weeks old.
36.5lbs dressed. Cost $4/bird...$2.19/lb.
10 processed @ 6 weeks old.
40lbs dressed. Cost $6.51/bird...$1.63/lb.
10 processed @ 6.5 weeks old.
43.5lbs dressed. Cost $6.99/bird...$1.61/lb.
19 processed @ 7.5 weeks old.
102.5lbs dressed. Cost $7.81/bird...$1.45/lb.

Costs
680lbs feed...$222.60
61 Chicks....$69
Vitamins...$11
Grit...$8
Bedding and Sweet PDZ...$52.98
Total....$363.58

Raising these birds was a real learning experience. I love to learn new things and study what I could have done better. My little 'meaties' lived a good life...spent time in the sun and dustbathing, etc. but they were a LOT of work keeping them warm, dry, clean and fed.
If I do them again I will only do 50 at a time and not butcher at 4 weeks due to the expense and work for such a small return. They would be housed differently...not in my layer coop! I've seen some of the hoop houses and thought about doing that but for the expense and lack of security (lots of coons and bears here) I've scratched that idea. For about the same cost I think I could put up a steel garden shed. I can see an 8x12 working well for 50 birds. A ground level building would be easy to clean out and because they don't roost I could put a 'shelf' all the way around the inside to store the feed on and the birds could live underneath. 3 pop doors, each with their own run (maybe one covered), would make it easier to clean...run the birds into a different one each day. With all these birds in the freezer I guess I have some time to think about it!
Thanks to all who posted...it's nice to see how others are doing it! Good luck to those with birds left yet!
　
　
　
　

 

[pichuris]

Thank you for the numbers everyone its means a great deal to me.

As far as bulk feed that is the way to go since I'm seeing everyone is 500# and above after their meaties project is complete. Google grain elevator or bulk feed and just start calling around to find the cheapest. I just picked up 520# of hen scratch for $91.42 turns out to be $17.58 per 100# or $8.79 per 50#. The cheapest bagged scratch around here is $13.25 per 50#.
Same thing with the layer you can find in bulk. Here they have a layer mash 16% for $23.14 per 100#. Cheapest bagged layer is $13.50 per 50#. Sorry little off topic since were talking about meaties. Well they even have a 20% broiler feed that is $29.14 per 100# and the cheapest bagged I found was $16.99 per 50#.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Thank you for the numbers everyone its means a great deal to me.

As far as bulk feed that is the way to go since I'm seeing everyone is 500# and above after their meaties project is complete. Google grain elevator or bulk feed and just start calling around to find the cheapest. I just picked up 520# of hen scratch for $91.42 turns out to be $17.58 per 100# or $8.79 per 50#. The cheapest bagged scratch around here is $13.25 per 50#.
Same thing with the layer you can find in bulk. Here they have a layer mash 16% for $23.14 per 100#. Cheapest bagged layer is $13.50 per 50#. Sorry little off topic since were talking about meaties. Well they even have a 20% broiler feed that is $29.14 per 100# and the cheapest bagged I found was $16.99 per 50#.

Thanks! I did find a few on google, and will be making calls tomorrow. Layer feed is about $14 for 50# here, same for finisher for the pigs. Broiler feed is up to $17 for 50# and its only going to get worse.. We have a beef farmer near us DH occasionally hauls grain for in the winter. Hoping he can recommend someone as well. He is going to stop in and "chew on his ear a bit" lol! I would rather go off a friends recommendation if possible. But phone calls are free!

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I'm excited! Just talked to my feed store and they will give us .50 off per bag next time (so $13 instead of $13.50) and if we get 40 bags at once, it would be a $1.00 off per bag and another 2% discount if we pay cash (not probably going to do that since I don't think I will go through a TON on my own but it is nice to know I could).

I think I might go ahead and order another set of broilers---they'd be butchered at the beginning of December though so I am glad we have a spot inside a barn to do this. Maybe it will be warm like last December too