Is it worth all the work?

[animalspooker]

A friend and I are looking at splitting an order of 50 meat chicks this spring, and after shopping and looking at the prices, I'm beginning to wonder if its worth all the effort? I do enjoy fresh chicken, but I'm not above eating store bought either. Is it going to be a good or bad financial effort raising my own?

Second thing, what differences are there in eating cockerels vs. pullets? I've noticed, while shopping for them, that the cockerels can be purchased (generally) for less money. Is the meat better on a pullet? Why are they cheaper?

Thanks for any help. Again, I'm just questioning the worth of doing it myself.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

hi, break it down. i have paid up to 8 dollars for a chicken. x 50 = 400dollars or 200 each in meat. - cost of food for what 16-18 weeks? roosters are generally tougher then hens. depends on age. it will probably come out about the same or just a bit cheaper but, you have fresh organic food that you know was raised humanly and i am sure much better for you.

 

[lvorganis]

Depending on what you feed them, the cost is about the same or even a bit higher, but knowing where your animals were raised and that they were humanely killed, so worth it.

I don't find it to be much work at all. Taking care of the chicks takes maybe fifteen minutes out of my day. The butchering is where alot of work, but that's what husbands are for, ha!

 

[Alaskan]

It is only worth the money if:
1. You value the way the animal was raised/treated
2. You care about knowing exactly what went into your food
3. Compare it to the cost of "free range" and "humanely treated" or "organically fed" chicken
4. Can butcher happily and quickly


The reasons the boys are less money is because all you can do is eat them. The girls could grow up and lay eggs, and THEN be eaten as wonderful soup.

 

[animalspooker]

Depending on what you feed them, the cost is about the same or even a bit higher, but knowing where your animals were raised and that they were humanely killed, so worth it.

I don't find it to be much work at all. Taking care of the chicks takes maybe fifteen minutes out of my day. The butchering is where alot of work, but that's what husbands are for, ha!

I am the husband!

 

[lvorganis]

I am the husband!  

Well then I understand your concern about it being worth the work, haha!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

I am the husband!

sooo sorry bout your luck.

 

[enola]

Farm raised broilers taste MUCH better than store bought ones. Then there is all of the manure if you have a garden......
And if you fish chicken manure makes a great worm bed......

 

[Aacre]

My husband and I were having this conversation the other day. We've decided that we are going to try and raise our own chicken for butchering. At first, I thought that that it's probably cheaper to raise and butcher your own meat chickens, but if you factor everything in- feeding them, watering them, time spent on them in general, and also the actual work put into butchering and dressing out.. It's NOT cheaper. But it feels better to know that they lived a happy life. Mine are all allowed to free range in good weather, and so they have the joy of picking bugs and eating anything green that they can find, and don't forget the adventures they have in their "travels". It's a lot more satisfying to know that I'm not supporting the mass produced chicken factories where the chickens are forced to live in crowded and probably dirty places. Plus, the ones I raise and eat taste phenomenal compared to store bought chicken.

And it's not always the husbands that have to do the dirty job. My husband has a weak stomach, he can lop heads off, but I do the rest pretty much on my own. I don't trust myself to lop any heads off because my balance and aim are off a lot and I'm afraid I'll just injure them.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have to clean mine too. i just use my hatchet and off with their heads. i only have done extra roosters though. not very good. makes good stock or dumplins.