meat bird all in pricing

[slingshotandLAR]

It most definately does. It so awesome that everyone has numbers! It really helps us out guys! Also, any preferable hatcherie . Or anyone's to stay away from?

I send u a PM

 

[burgerusmc]

@burgerusmc we have had great luck with Meyer Hatchery. My husband and I will raise and process about 120 Cornish cross this season.

Right now we have about $4-5/bird. We buy them 50+ at a time and that's cheaper because the hatchery has a price break for bigger orders.

If you want their "fry pan bargain" they are 30c each and take longer to reach processing time but a good starter for anyone who hasn't processed their own before.

Currently our 25 day old CX are weighing in right around 2lb.

I figured that's where we'll get ours but I'm more interested in CX

 

[eviemethugh]

We plucked a few heritage breeds by hand over the years and it makes everyone really complain-y haha! So even though these should be way way easier, the men ended up buying a kit to make one (it probably didn't hurt their decision making process that they are building it on a cool old lawnmower and got to use a bunch of tools.)
If we only count used goods and bird costs we have about $7 in each bird, in our area birds sold by farmers who use the same feed as us (a local non GMO mill) charge about $5 a lb for whole birds so we figure we are ahead! Including our "capital costs" charge out over several years of use, we are in about $12.

 

[burgerusmc]

Awesome. Yeah I may invest in a plucker of some sort

 

[TattooedMama]

Following

We just got our first Broad breasted turkeys and are interested in Cornish Cross for 4H kids & for us personally as well. Love the breakdown of costs as it is definitely a concern; don't want to get in over our heads!

 

[burgerusmc]

Following 

We just got our first Broad breasted turkeys and are interested in Cornish Cross for 4H kids & for us personally as well. Love the breakdown of costs as it is definitely a concern; don't want to get in over our heads!

That's the same boat my wife an I are in. Luckily there's a ton of good info on this site

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Update:

Got my birds back today, numbers are great!

Average over 42 birds 4.75 lbs @ 7 weeks of age

Total processing charge $140

If we add that to the pet bird cost we have a final expense per bird: $ 8.45

I think these numbers are outstanding and what I'm striving for. Good luck with your chickens

 

[burgerusmc]

Update:

Got my birds back today, numbers are great!

Average over 42 birds 4.75 lbs @ 7 weeks of age

Total processing charge $140

If we add that to the pet bird cost we have a final expense per bird: $ 8.45

I think these numbers are outstanding and what I'm striving for. Good luck with your chickens

Awesome. That's great to hear!! We just integrated our chicks and layers, so time to get the meat birds rolling!!

 

[nsscchd]

I purchased 59 chicks and at 7 weeks butchered 45 of them for an average dressed weight if 5.15 lbs. I still have 10 to dress 1 week later because they were smaller than the rest (about a pound smaller live weight than the average weight of the birds butchered). Total average costs for everything including chicks, brooder bulbs, bedding, feed, ice for processing and bags for the processed chickens came out to $9.32/ bird or $1.81/pound. I used all commercial feed purchased a bag at a time but I did start mixing in cracked corn toward the end at about 1/3 corn 2/3 meat bird commercial ration. I did pay retail price for the cracked corn. Hope this information helps!

 

[burgerusmc]

It does! Luckily I already have a brooder and heat lamps, so my start up costs should be lower and price per bird lower then too!