Is there a cheaper way?

[Michele S]

There has got to be a cheaper way to raise these meat birds. Right now, I am paying $17.69 for 50 pounds of Flockraiser.

I am all about frugality, so how do you guys do it? How do you order in bulk? Can I get the feed stores to special order in bulk for me? Do you make your own feed? I am all ears. My resources are limited because I am in Vegas and nothing is grown here. We don't have a single farm, except one pig farm and that guy recycles leftover buffet food and turns into hog food.

At 17.69 a bag, my husband is going to FLIP OUT when he sees my credit card bill. I just bought 50 pounds of potatoes at Costco for 7.50. Why in the heck is that feed so expensive?

 

[CARS]

Ya. You're paying about $10.00 more a bag than I am

It will never pan out doing that.

You have to find a different source for your feed. Someone may have other contacts.

Keep in mind, for every 25 birds you will need between 400 and 500 pounds of feed... quick math on 25 birds is going to cost you about $7.00 a bird to feed. Add a buck a chick, any losses, and processing. $10.00 birds if you don't have losses.

 

[Michele S]

Stop it! Are you seriously only paying $7 a bag?????? That is freaking me out!!!! I am getting ripped off! And that was the CHEAPEST place. I paid $20 at a different feed store.

 

[TechEdFireman]

I had a local mill custom blend 22% Protein and 3% Fat custom meat bird mash for me, they will eat from start to finish. I had to order a ton of it but I will sell off what I don't need on craigslist and that came out to be about $11.75 a bag after tax.

 

[CARS]

Quote:
Well, keep in mind my location. Right now I am surrounded by snow, but in 2 months I will be surrounded by corn and soybeans. Corn is $3.00 a bushel on the stock exchange, a bushel is about 55 lbs. Grind that up and add soy protein (cheap) and actually I am paying too much. Many small farmers have a tractor driven mill of their own, grow their own corn, buy the protein mix and blend their own feeds. That is the cheap way to do it.

Now look at it from my standpoint. It is sub zero here all winter, and not a show-girl in sight (unless you count the silkie breed of showgirls

)

 

[Alabama ee]

I pay about 9-10(depending on what store) for a 50 lb bag of medicated chick starter. I thought that was a lot.

 

[Michele S]

Okay. You got me there!

I'm sure it costs so much because of transportation. But I wonder if I can get the raw ingredients from the Mormon canneries? I'm going to find out if they only have wheat or if they have other stuff too.

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
The fact that you live in the middle of a desert may have something to do with it. That still sounds expensive, though. How far away are you from the nearest corn/bean field?

 

[newchickmom]

I don't buy flock raiser, I get the broiler feed for about $8.00 for #40. It is a lot cheaper and specially made for broilers.

I will have to buy the flock raiser for the turkeys though. About $13.00 for #50.

 

[Michele S]

Quote:
The fact that you live in the middle of a desert may have something to do with it. That still sounds expensive, though. How far away are you from the nearest corn/bean field?

We spend every summer in Michigan, and when we drive out, we don't see corn or soybeans until we get past Denver. You don't see really good looking fields until Nebraska.

Okay, I am looking into buying a ton wholesale and seeing if I can subdivide it and sell it off to some other chicken people here. I bet if we went in on a ton, we could bypass the feed stores and do it a lot cheaper. It's the only way I can see bringing down the total cost.