numbers game

[AceODST]

How much do birds cost outside of initial price plus food? rather, how much are they worth at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months?

From what I've seen people will pay $4 for a day old chick.

now they only eat maybe a dollar's worth of food in the first month (conservatively).

does this make $5 a good price for month old chicks?

what are people willing to pay for standard breeds or is it more efficient to just go for the super premium breeds?

What is a good price when selling week old or month old or 3 month old birds? is there a graph that exists somewhere pertaining to this information?

 

[bobbi-j]

There is no simple one size fits all answer to your question. There are way too many variables. How much they cost besides buying the chick and food depends on your setup and how much you put into it. Some people use used pallets to build their coops, keeping the costs down - others will buy pre-built fancy little buildings that cost a lot. And fencing. Do the chickens free range, or will they be in a fence made of hardware cloth and oak beams (I know oak beams isn't realistic, but I'm trying to make a point here)? There are people who will pay $4 or more for a chick, and there are people like me who won't. It depends on the breed or breeds you're selling, where your market area is, who you're hoping to sell to, if you will be shipping the chicks or selling locally... The only graph that will help you out is the one you make yourself listing all of your expenses, and spreading that cost out per chick. Then you'll know how much it costs to buy, feed and raise them and how much you'll need to charge to make a profit off them.

 

[AceODST]

The deals from trac supply when they're just getting rid of them make's for some pretty easy budget balancing... Worst comes to worst I'll just have a stuffed freezer

 

[bobbi-j]

That works, too - at least you have a plan for your extra birds!

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

The deals from trac supply when they're just getting rid of them make's for some pretty easy budget balancing... Worst comes to worst I'll just have a stuffed freezer

A question about the TSC deal. Were they separated before you purchased them? If its was a fry pan deal you may be in for a shock as the feed stores/TSC (And like places) get these a lot. They are almost always ALL roosters. If they are just unsold birds you might get lucky (I did 1 year every week to make room for new birds coming in, they sold all leftover to me for $1/ea. Also the "chick girl" wouldn't have to come in until Tues if they were not there.). Even if they are and you plan on selling or eating them you might be ok. But if your planning on getting layers your in for a rude shock, or will be lieing to people if you sell them as future layers. Either way I hope you made sure what you were getting before you purchased them.

 

[AceODST]

They were sex-link amber pullets for a dollar each so I took all 29 and they threw in some bantams freebies. They just wanted to take the whole setup down. I did the same for Pekin Ducks way early on because it was so cold no one was buying them. I got those for $2 each because they were "too big". Only telling y'all this in the hopes you go to a different trac supply than me.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

LOL I generally don't go to TSC, other farm store is closer and when I did try TSC they only had CX, which were already in the mail for almost 1/2 price.

My chicks this year, other than CX are all home hatched, ducks also. Other purchased birds were POL pullets that have fertile eggs in bator. Otherwise I did buy some day old roosters for replacement breeding this fall. But that's all I am buying wife is supporting heavily this year breeding and expanding flock. If able I am done with hatchery birds.