Ok Folks how does this sound...

[CoopCrazy]

Ok so i have been trying to get together a price list for Cornish x for a green grocery store locally.. I will be raising the birds only and the grocer will be paying for transportation to the processor and processing fees.. I have done my math and "think" that I will charge $9.00 a bird but this seems low to me.. What do you all think??? Pastured chicken is selling for roughly $2.80 to $3.00 a pound around here.. If you think its too high or too low let me know... Math I have so far Chick with shipping $1.01 and 25 lbs of feed (1 bird) $4.75... 1.01 + 4.75 = $5.76 .. Then at $9.00 a bird I would make a profit of $3.24 per bird... Do you think this is too low, especailly as i would also have to provide Electricity for heat, water is free as we have a well, and most supplies aer already on hand...

Also should I just plan to not make a profit and just get in good with the owner of the store and negotiaite higher prices next year.. ATM I am really just wanting to get the processing done for free on my birds .. (Butchering 50 birds by myself may just kill me LOL) Any advice is greatly apprecciated...

 

[al6517]

I think now that you have an agreement with the grocer raise your first batch and learn and and make it clear your prices are low so that the both of you can grow this enterprise together, he will be glad to see you understand and will be more agreeable to future price increases as all grocers know is a regular practice. If you think this deal may work out well for you take baby steps and really do it right it seems to me like the way to go and that frame of mind has helped my personal business grow very well over the last 15 yrs while the other guy's fell on their faces

AL.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
Awesome thanks for the reply.. I havent actually submitted my price to the grocer yet.. Actually gonna try to have a sit down meeting with them this coming week, that way we can make sure we are a 100% on the same page as far as number of birds etc... Thansk so much for the feedback .. I feel like i am repeating myself but I really want to go about this in a professional manner and hopefully have an increase in income in a year or so...

 

[al6517]

In that case ( regarding your meeting ) recrunch your #'s and then give yourself a High & a Low $$$ start a little higher where it will be a good deal for you, continue to build value in your birds and your commitment to working with them during the negotiations and then if need be slide your price down a little each time until they grab, try not to leave any money on the table so to speak by offering a too low of a price too early. This a very professional way to enter into this operation and they will like your willingness to accomedate them, and your profession handling of the deal. I do this in every aspect of my business and it is the cornerstone of keeping your #'s in the black and put a smile on your face when you wake every morning.

AL

 

[jjparke]

Sell them for $9.00 each but keep track of all the time it takes for you to raise them. Feeding, watering, cleaning, babysitting, keep track of all the time you spend on them and see how much you end up paying yourself per hour. It won't be pretty.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
You really dont know how much i appreciatte the advice.. This is invaluable... I have been working in business for quite some time but that is always taking care of someone elses... So this is my first venture into business for myself.. Thanks again

 

[ChicksnPacas]

I hope you can make this work at a profit! It would be great to hear your final results. This is the first year we've raised cornish, and we sold our surplus to co-workers for $2.75/lb. We still had very little profit, and we didn't figure anything for our time/labor. Fortunately, we had no losses for medical issues or predators, but from reading other posts it seems you need to factor in dollar losses for that. If you love what you are doing, are raising some for your own use, or have other animals, etc. where you are outside anyway, it seems to work out well. I'm not sure if selling to someone that in turn sells again, will earn you much profit though. Good luck with your meeting!