- Mar 16, 2008
- 131
- 1
- 131
This topic seems to come up on a regular basis so I thought I'd post an accouting of my costs to date.
The Rangers themselves were $1.14 each shipped. I ordered 50, but lost 7 (6 within the first 24 hours, 1 several weeks later that I culled due to some sort of neurological issue). I got no extras with my order. So, I had 43 live birds that are/have grown to butcher age.
We butchered 8 this past weekend and when I ran numbers I came to about $5.10 per bird in feed. I say 'about' because despite my best intentions I've been feeding my layer chicks out of some of the same feed bags as the Rangers. I just have so many right now it's hard not to. It's messed up my numbers so I'm being conservative and estimating in bags of feed that in large part probably went to the layer chicks. But anyway, better to over estimate than under!
So, total cost per bird was $6.24
My birds dressed out at an average of 4.75 lbs, so $1.31 per pound. Not bad!!
More than a cheap-o grocery store chicken but MUCH less than an 'all natural' chicken. The big all natural/organic farm close to me sells their natural/pasture raised chickens for $4 a pound and they sell out and have waiting lists.
I have 30 more Rangers to butcher this coming weekend (or however many we can get done). Their cost will obviously go up as I pour more feed into them. Ah well, I still feel like I'm ahead!
I don't feel like it's worth it to factor in feeders, tractors, etc. because I use all the supplies for my layers as well. Many things I already had so didn't need to buy. Or simply made at home from scrap around the farm. If you are willing to put in the work, there are lot of ways to cut costs by going homemade. I also did a lot of watering of the birds off our gravity fed well... free water with no chlorination!
Liz
The Rangers themselves were $1.14 each shipped. I ordered 50, but lost 7 (6 within the first 24 hours, 1 several weeks later that I culled due to some sort of neurological issue). I got no extras with my order. So, I had 43 live birds that are/have grown to butcher age.
We butchered 8 this past weekend and when I ran numbers I came to about $5.10 per bird in feed. I say 'about' because despite my best intentions I've been feeding my layer chicks out of some of the same feed bags as the Rangers. I just have so many right now it's hard not to. It's messed up my numbers so I'm being conservative and estimating in bags of feed that in large part probably went to the layer chicks. But anyway, better to over estimate than under!
So, total cost per bird was $6.24
My birds dressed out at an average of 4.75 lbs, so $1.31 per pound. Not bad!!
More than a cheap-o grocery store chicken but MUCH less than an 'all natural' chicken. The big all natural/organic farm close to me sells their natural/pasture raised chickens for $4 a pound and they sell out and have waiting lists.
I have 30 more Rangers to butcher this coming weekend (or however many we can get done). Their cost will obviously go up as I pour more feed into them. Ah well, I still feel like I'm ahead!
I don't feel like it's worth it to factor in feeders, tractors, etc. because I use all the supplies for my layers as well. Many things I already had so didn't need to buy. Or simply made at home from scrap around the farm. If you are willing to put in the work, there are lot of ways to cut costs by going homemade. I also did a lot of watering of the birds off our gravity fed well... free water with no chlorination!
Liz
