new here and got some ?s

stew1

In the Brooder
5 Years
Dec 8, 2014
57
1
41
Ok I'm stuck in town the does not allow livestock, tho I have anywhere from 10 to 60 rabbits and nobody says anything. But when I first move the hutches in the whole town through a fit thinking I was getting chickens. Any way my grandmother and dad have a farm that I could have what ever I wanted at but its about 7 miles one way out of my way. My dad said he would help but I feel that I would still need to go out there once a day, and it would only work for me to go out in the afternoon around 430ish which is to early to put birds back in for the night, right? I would rather build a 100% predator proof run and leave them go in and out at free will. Thinking a pony wall 18 inches in the ground 6 inches out, 25 feet by 25 feet would do the trick. But would cost me around 300 bucks to just do the wall. Then the extra 40 bucks a month just in gas to drive there everyday and feed cost. I could move my rabbits out there also along with raise a few pigs every year or cattle. Im not really worried about gmos or hormones and that type of stuff but like cheap meat and enjoy the feeling of having a freezer full of meat that I processed my self and cost me half what the store charger. My problem is that I cant get it to pencil out to be worth the extra money to get it set up. I am more that likely to own the property some day but there is no guarantee that will be the case. I have not found a good market for the rabbits and doubt I will for eggs or meat chickens. My uncle has a group of layers and throws half the eggs away cause nobody buys them. I guess I'm just typing my thoughts to see if I can get some opinions on weather it would be worth my time and initial cost to start working setting it up. I really want to but I thought it would be worth my time to get rabbits but that didn't pan out, mainly cause I'm the only one in my house that will eat them and only have one person that buys 2 a year from me. I also plant 2 huge gardens and the only thing my family eats from it is potatoes and sweat corn, so I planted one in alfalfa and timothy grass just for the rabbit. Yea its the only hay field in town, and looks great. lol Thanks for and thoughts, opinions.
 
First, where are you? If your town does not allow chickens, you have an unmet demand for farm fresh eggs right out your front door. Do you work with others? Do you have customers that come to your place of business? Do people drive past your home or business? These are all potential customers and they found you. Advertise on CL. Raising hens on special diets, non GMO, no soy, no corn cage free seems to be the direction cottage egg producers need to go in. $5-7 a dozen. (Go check out the egg section at the grocery store. They are paying $4-5 for some) That should be able to support the operation as soon as they start laying.

Meat chickens and rabbit is another story. Depending upon your local regulations, it can be nearly impossible to sell home processed meat. You can sell the live birds and rabbits but most people have no clue how to process them or it makes them too queezy. Sending them out to a certified processor will severely cut into your profits. The other problem with rabbit is it's just not a normal staple in our diet. Who want's to eat Thumper? There is a small shift in accepting rabbit but I just don't see it ever catching on.

I was looking at an old turkey farm a few years ago and my friend who worked in a high end restaurant in Denver tossed out the idea of raising game birds for the restaurant. They had a terrible time procuring quality birds and they paid dearly for what they did get. Again the processing was the major hurdle and it didn't happen but there's a demand out there. Perhaps the rabbits can fall into this need.

Run some numbers. Check around and see how many regular customers you can drum up. Most everyone eats eggs. If you have to make improvements to the property that is not your's, have some type of contract with your family. Clearly define what you are responsible for. "Pay" them for use of electricity and use even if it's just in eggs and meat or work. No grey areas! The garden can either supplement your chicken feed or sell it alongside the eggs.
 
I am in a small town 2 1/2 hrs west of Chicago. I do not have a business, I am a herdsman on a 900 cow (and growing) dairy, which was unsuccessful for my uncle to sell eggs at 2 bucks a dozen. Out of the 10 egg adds on cl in my area they are averaging 2.90 a dozen. The meat end of things is more for me and my family not selling but would if one asked. And selling eggs would be more for extra money to help cover feed cost, I'm not looking to make a profit off this just a cheaper way of providing food for the family. As far as contracts with the family goes there is no need, I can do as I want when I want but if I spent 1000 bucks there is no guarantee that it will be mine some day, and if its not it would be because of the state taking it not any other reason. Just to put it out there my schedule is every other weekends and opposite Fridays off, I work from 6am to about 3 pm at the latest and she goes to work at 330pm and gets home around 830pm. I have a 8 year old and a 6 week old daughters which great grandma would watch for a bit while I'm out there if needed. Its not all about the money just don't want it to cost more than its worth, my goal is to have it cost about half what the store charges. thanks
 
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