Is it cheaper to buy chicken at the market or raise it?

[lovemychicks9]

Is it cheaper? Most likely not --- but I know where and what my birds have been and what they are eating, and how they were raised. I am sure that mine are much healthier and the meat and eggs are MOST definately fresher and none of the antibiotic crud or any other unidentifiable things in them.

 

[MissPrissy]

If you are simply comparing the cost of a bird you raised vs the low end priced bird in the grocery store you have formed a huge misconception and fouled for calculation.

The grocery store chickens were factory farmed and are usually between 5 - 6 weeks old when processed. They were raised strictly on feed bought in giant quantities of tons of feed which the home grower couldn't even compete with. Their feed has been scientifically engineered to be more efficient and result in less waste (poop). The chickens are exposed to thousands of other chickens, given antibitoics if they need it or not, and more likely are to carry salmonella. They have rarely seen the light of day, felt the warm of the sun. They most likely have never eaten grass or bugs. They are a thing, grown enmass and butchered before what they eat begins to cost more than they are worth.


A backyard broiler flock eats well and the feed can be expensive over a 10 - 12 week period. The bird is treated well, most likely not exposed to disease that need antibiotics. Their lives aren't taken lightly or for granted. They are given a more normal chicken life with sunshine, fresh air, bugs and grass. Price per pound isn't riddle with saline injected to make the birds more 'plump'. The meat you serve to your family is better meat than you can buy.

I think that last sentence says more than any $$ for a chicken from a commercial broiler farm.

 

[ChickenToes]

I agree with MissPrissy.

If you get a few layers, sell their eggs. It can help offset the costs of buying feed.

 

[rachel]

I did the math on this for myself, and I figured I could do it for about $8.50 per bird. I can't find organic broiler feed in my area, so this was for a free-range but non-organic birds. I occasionally sell my eggs at the farmer's market (well, the hens' eggs!) and I've seen where people are selling pastured whole chickens there for about $40 each!! I can't imagine there is anyone out there willing to pay that kind of money for one chicken, but they must sell occasionally or they wouldn't still be selling them. I think something like $15 would be more reasonable (though still seems kinda high to me), so you could look into raising 20 birds, selling 10 and keeping 10 and the 10 you sell would mostly cover costs for all 20.

 

[SandraMort]

I've been reading these threads (both about the price of meat and eggs) and I really haven't seen many comparing the price of high end eggs/chicken to homegrown, only the low end stuff. I'd like to get my family off the crap, not just for their sake, and am not convinced that I will be paying as much if I do it myself. I'm definitely not convinced that the price of free range/kindly raised/nasty ingredient free eggs and chicken will be less than the cost of doing it myself. Maybe it's more about region -- I'm in NYS. Things are expensive here.

However, if you are buying the more expensive free-range chicken, that really changes the equation. Surely it could be done for $12 per bird.​

 

[MissPrissy]

Most people don't compare the price to high end organic chicken at the meat counter because that is not the way most people see it.

They think of the $2.45 per bird special at a walmart meat case then look at 50 birds and $150 worth of feed plus the cost of processing and stop there with their comparison. Most people have no clue of the unfit meat in a grocery store.

 

[JennsPeeps]

1. Read Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. In it he addresses the cost of industrial meat, not just in dollars but in the costs to society: antibiotics, farm subsidies, input v. output (explained in the book), chicken waste, animals' quality of life, etc.

2. I went to my local farmer's market. You'll note I live in a largish city (2nd largest in WA State). There was a vendor selling whole chickens for $12. It was a good deal because I know her and know her reputation. I've had her meats before and they are truly superior.

My DBF is unemployed right now and we're watching every penny. We try to eat as healthfully as possible and still eat inexpensively. Right now that means reducing how much meat we eat. It also means eating cheap, industrial meat when we do eat it. We didn't buy a chicken today at the market but if we had, I would easily have made 4-6 meals plus stock from it.

 

[okiemommy]

I really feel that the OP's question is a very valid one. Some of us can barely afford to feed our families as it is, and we want to know the comparable monetary cost of raising our own meat. We truly do care about how a chicken is treated, how it is raised, and knowing what is in our food. The reality of the situation is that we need to know if it's affordable for our families. If we can't afford it, we can't do it.

 

[MissPrissy]

You can do it. You have to decide what you are willing to do without now (if it comes to that) in order to feed out chickens that will provide you a bounty in 8 weeks.

My broilers were 10 - 13 pound each. How many meals can you make off of that? How willing are you to sweat it out hoeing in a garden to grow something to help feed them instead of buying feed?

It can be done and done well without their entire diet being purchased commercial feed.

 

[sundance]

Chicken feed has gone from 3.29 a 50 lb bag to 13.51 sinceapril21 2007 when i got my babies. but I don't have the stomach to try to kill and clean any of my chickens if Idid i would certainly have chopped off Andrews head and had dumplings. He runs my Pitt bull and loves my ladies till they are bare backed. but Istill don't have the heart to kill him. More expensive Yes, more satisfying YES.

marrie