Meaties 2010 - A year in Review

[bigredfeather]

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Yeah, that's one of them. Here's more pics I just took yesterday.

The dolly has been a great improvement. Also, the hinged lid in the back makes it much easier to feed and get them out for processing.

My retired neighbor made it for me for $45. Well worth it. Still need to get it painted. That's a Winter project. Also need to add some additional bracing on the tractor, but I really like the 10'x12'size. Everything is in true Salatin style.

 

[bigredfeather]

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Depends on the size of the birds. On a smaller bird (3-4 pounds) I make about $2. And, I can make up to $4 on larger birds. I didn't keep track of things like I wanted. Next year I am going to try and keep good records of everything.

 

[bigredfeather]

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That's a huge jump! I wouldn't suggest going "all in" like that. You'll be so stressed you'll lose your mind. It seems easy enough to think these plans up, but until you do it, you have no idea the stress that can come from knowing you have to succeed in order to fullfil your customers expectations. You are going to go thru nearly 26,000 pounds of feed for 1500 as opposed to the 1000 pounds you likley used for your 50 this year. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I think I would think it thru a little more before you take that plunge.

 

[barrybro]

This is good to read as I am in the middle of this scenario as well. Last year I did a grand total of 40 chickens in two different batches. This year I will have done 450 broilers, 20 ducks, and 25 turkeys. I defenitely have made some mistakes on the management side (usually not adequately addressing heat stress). I think profitablity is very important, 1.80 per pound seems extremely low. The end product is great and should not compete on price (that is what the factory farms are good at - let them win that battle).

Barry

 

[jaj121159]

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That's a huge jump! I wouldn't suggest going "all in" like that. You'll be so stressed you'll lose your mind. It seems easy enough to think these plans up, but until you do it, you have no idea the stress that can come from knowing you have to succeed in order to fullfil your customers expectations. You are going to go thru nearly 26,000 pounds of feed for 1500 as opposed to the 1000 pounds you likley used for your 50 this year. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I think I would think it thru a little more before you take that plunge.

Actually it was 650 lbs. and I got a 3 to 1 feed to weight ratio with an average of 4.25 lbs per bird. Buying feed in bulk is going to save me 17.5 % over buying it in bags. I already have one 2 ton feed bin (for free) on the way and am looking at a 3.5 ton feed bin for $150. I am going to put the bins and a water tank in the pasture to keep the process simple. Another thing that makes it a little easier is the hatchery is right down the road 5 miles. I don't have to commit on the chicks until basically the last minute. Right now I am planning on doing ten 150 bird batches at 75 per tractor. I can pull out if I have problems or especially if I can't sell that many. Remember I am not processing these birds, so that removes a lot of stress. For the most part I will be selling the birds batch by batch, so I shouldn't be too far committed.

I agree it is a big jump, but I have support at home and confidence, but not cockiness in what I am doing. Having a mentor that at one time raised 15,000 birds on grass a year, also helps tremendously.

 

[Ravishaw]

I get so excited reading this because it's kind of what I would like to do (though not on your scale... I just can't fit hundreds of chickens on 1.25 acres. I'd like to do about 50 at a time, and like the one poster suggested, process a bunch every week. Keeps freezer space at a minimum. I really need to know how to process a chicken from beginning to end though. If anyone were in the AZ area and didn't mind 'learnin' this 'youngin' how to do it I'd be appreciative.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
That's a huge jump! I wouldn't suggest going "all in" like that. You'll be so stressed you'll lose your mind. It seems easy enough to think these plans up, but until you do it, you have no idea the stress that can come from knowing you have to succeed in order to fullfil your customers expectations. You are going to go thru nearly 26,000 pounds of feed for 1500 as opposed to the 1000 pounds you likley used for your 50 this year. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I think I would think it thru a little more before you take that plunge.

Actually it was 650 lbs. and I got a 3 to 1 feed to weight ratio with an average of 4.25 lbs per bird. Buying feed in bulk is going to save me 17.5 % over buying it in bags. I already have one 2 ton feed bin (for free) on the way and am looking at a 3.5 ton feed bin for $150. I am going to put the bins and a water tank in the pasture to keep the process simple. Another thing that makes it a little easier is the hatchery is right down the road 5 miles. I don't have to commit on the chicks until basically the last minute. Right now I am planning on doing ten 150 bird batches at 75 per tractor. I can pull out if I have problems or especially if I can't sell that many. Remember I am not processing these birds, so that removes a lot of stress. For the most part I will be selling the birds batch by batch, so I shouldn't be too far committed.

I agree it is a big jump, but I have support at home and confidence, but not cockiness in what I am doing. Having a mentor that at one time raised 15,000 birds on grass a year, also helps tremendously.

You from Madison, Wisconsin? Just curious because wondering who that chicken farmer that is your mentor.... I believe I may have had his chickens when I was at Growing Power.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

You will get there, trust me it takes time even after you get the raising the birds down. This year was a tough year for me because we did a CSA (both meat and vegetable) and that really tested my patience. When I was at Growing Power earlier this summer I met Will Allen, the group that I went with actually paid for his consulting which is pretty expensive I might add. I was fortunate enough to go with no strings attached.... free. I took back so much with me along with a fresh attitude. One of his things that he preached was patience, persistence, pride, and passion. There were 7 "p's" I would have to look to find the others but the one that stuck in my head the most was the passion. He looked at me and told me that he gets people all the time that say they have the passion to do what it takes to be a farmer and they want to do it for a living. He told me that he then looks at them in the face and says "you don't have passion" you haven't farmed, you haven't even had the opportunity to know if you have the passion. He then goes on saying that when you work day after day and can't find the extra money to pay your rent but you still drive on and you just hope that that money or that order or big break will come before your eviction notice does than that's passion. When you fall down and get up 2001 times.... that's passion. Passion isn't a gift, you have to earn it. If you have passion your rent and your bills will get paid, it may seem that the end is near and you just want to quit and get a 9-5 but you don't if you have passion.

Those words that I heard him say was basically what I've lived through the last 10 years. It seems there were times I wanted to quit so bad but I opted to keep on trying and it finally started to pay. I'm finally at that point were things are starting to maintain themselves. It's to the point where you get through the year, you do what you have to do and really don't even think about money. Ya the money comes in but man does it sure fly right out the door.... especially with feed prices soaring through the roof right now. It's a fine balance that takes a whole set of different skills. Modern farmers need to have the smarts too. It's another skill level that needs to be learned and marketing your product for more than $1.80 is now your future. You need to shoot for $2.50 - $3.00 / pound... maybe not next year but it needs to be a goal. I too started at $8.00 for a 6-7 pound chicken we now charge $10.00 for a 3.5 - 4.0 pounds. However that doesn't happen overnight, customers have to appreciate your product and once that happens, they will pay what you ask. You do need to ask enough to where you can feel comfortable leaving your job.

For the weekly processing... you will be surprised at how freaking fast you get by yourself.... You will be able to do about 50 birds by yourself in two hours which includes cleanup and time for a beer at the end.

As for coming up... maybe next year... or maybe I can swing a visit.

 

[CarriageStone]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. Thanks to all who've contributed.

We've just started keeping chickens this year. Basically I gave up my golf habit for my gardens and chickens. It's a much more productive and far less stressful interest.

Even though I'm relatively new to this game, I have taken on raising a batch of meaties. We're currently in the middle of raising a batch of freedom rangers. It's going well so far, but I realize had I chosen CX's I'd be processing now rather than several weeks from now. As I've been around the chickens, my mind keeps turning over the thoughts of turning this hobby into a supplemental business. Whether it's raising meaties or eggs, the thought of having this hobby provide a contribution to the household income is intriguing.

The biggest question that in my mind I need to solve is Processing. How do you "get around" not using a USDA facility? There are none that process chickens close to Richmond, VA. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dogfish]

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I don't envision being where you are any time in the near future, running batches of 100's of birds on an ongoing basis, but you have basically described a number of my most successful clients ( I'm a banker). They had a dream, had opportunities to just quit, but they worked through it and kept on going.

We're starting out small, 4 birds, then 6, then 25, and now 47. Selling my first few @ $10/bird based on a bird I gave away to someone who liked the idea of having a hand raised bird. Our only goal will be to have the birds we keep paying for themselves (feed plus chick cost), with 100 or so hitting our own freezers. Next spring I'll do a batch of 100 in March with hopes of selling 50 in May, then start another batch of 100 in August and hopefully sell 50 in October. This won't account for my time, I know, but the thought of eating "for free" 100+ nights a year is enough to make this banker's mind spin. My bird production paid off much better than my gardening efforts this year.

The turkeys we've raised have been a greater pleasure than any other birds. LOTS more time and feed involved, and I'll test the market for them next year when we start raising the poults from our heritage turkeys. Again, the only threshold we have is having them pay for themselves.

Working on a grow-out plan for quail and pheasants for release at a friend's ranch where they'll be hunted. Luckily on these all I have to do is get them to 10 weeks and he'll take over from there.

It is addictive.