On average how much does each one of your meat birds cost you?

[Flyboy718]

Yeah, I should have about $5 into each of my birds when all said and done...and that is about the same than what you can get them at the grocery store for. I wished I would have thought about crushed leaves before I bought pine shavings, I have quite a supply of leaves.

 

[TriciaHowe]

we were given our broiler chicks by the 4-H club to raise for the fair. I am not sure what hatchery they came from.
We got 20 chicks and 1 died the first week. Went through 4 bags of Flock Raiser (20%) at just under $18 bag. They were in the brower brooder for 3 weeks then moved to outside coop for the duration. I have no idea what the electricity cost was. Just 1 125w bulb for the cooler nights so wasn't much I'm sure. Processed at 8 weeks (just this Wednesday). TONS of meat!! Oh, forgot 4 bags of shavings for the bedding in their coop @ $3 bale.
18 x 4 = 72
3 x 4 = 12
19/84= $4.42 per bird (est.) of course you would have to add in the price of chicks and shipping to your total. Wasn't a factor in my calculations.
This is what we got: I skinned and only took breast and leg quarters (livers and hearts for my mom).

 

[CluckyJay]

Using leaves is an excellent tip. That is what I use, dried oak and poplar leaves with some pine needles. Breaks down into the most wonderful mulch/compost! do add a pinch of straw occasionally.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Thanks everyone, guess I'm safe giving my dad the price of $11 a bird.

 

[Swampfarmer]

Here's my numbers based on 100 birds:

Total Each
$114.00 $1.14 purchase birds including shipping
$357.50 $3.58 feed (1300 pounds)
$40.00 $0.40 hay for coop litter
$511.50 $5.12 total cost

550 5.5 pounds of meat produced (Conservative estimate, some were heavier)

$0.93 per pound

 

[Flyboy718]

Thanks everyone, guess I'm safe giving my dad the price of $11 a bird.

I doubt you will have that much in a bird...more like $7-8 per bird...less the larger the scale.

 

[BoomChickaRocka]

chickens are the only ones not economical, beef and pork you end up saving upwards of 50% off supermarket prices.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Probably won't be more then 25 chicks and since I won't be processing them myself I'll need to drive about 45 miles. So this will hopefully cover the cost of gas.

I doubt you will have that much in a bird...more like $7-8 per bird...less the larger the scale.

 

[bloonskiller911]

I wouldn't count the cost of non-depleting supplies. The house, the brooder and the feeders/waterers should be able to be reused unless you're buying all knew with every hatching.

Just the chicks, the feed, and the electricity to run the brooder lamp.

If you're raising your own chicks from egg, I would only count the eggs that are purchased. Not the ones that are naturally hatched by already egg-laying hens and their mate.

I read somewhere, though, that you can't breed Cornish Cross (I think it was McMurry?). Can anyone confirm or deny this?

I am under the impression that a cornish cross is a cornish cokerel over a white rock hen.

 

[Lute]

Thanks Bloonskiller.