price of chicken meat

[whisperinghopef]

I am deciding whether to raise meat chickens and process them for others. I have been searching and can't find any pricing on how much would the processed chickens go for? Knowing how much the processed chickens sell for will help me to decide if I want to grow them for others or if it isn't cost effective depending on the price. So my question (I live in NC) what is the price of a processed home grown chicken in your area?

 

[BCMaraniac]

I have a friend who lives in Boone, NC who went to the farmers' market there and bought a chicken, and I am thinking she she paid 4-4.50 per pound. I think that it was organically grown.

 

[whisperinghopef]

thanks. I found 1 farm on the internet in NC that posted prices and they were the same price that you posted. I am so used to buying the cheap chicken in the store BUT with this new chinese processing I am really thinking of doing the meat chickens. I read that the new chinese processed chickens are not allowed in animal food but it IS ok for human consumption. Sounds strange.

 

[BCMaraniac]

thanks. I found 1 farm on the internet in NC that posted prices and they were the same price that you posted. I am so used to buying the cheap chicken in the store BUT with this new chinese processing I am really thinking of doing the meat chickens. I read that the new chinese processed chickens are not allowed in animal food but it IS ok for human consumption. Sounds strange.

Yeah, go figure.......I want mine grown and processed here in the USA....preferably right here on my farm.

I started with layers and quickly graduated to meat chickens. I am to the point that I don't even want to have to buy meat chicks unless I want to so I am hatching them out. They won't be as large, but they will be self-sustaining.

Start raising them for yourself and your family......see how it works for you, the labor and cost involved and then decide about raising and selling them. You might find that you have friends who will buy them from you ready for the freezer each time you butcher. You can raise a batch every 8-10 weeks if you get the Cornish Rocks.

Remember to see what regulations there are regarding any selling if you proceed further than you and your family and friends.

Where in NC do you live? I am in NE TN.....gotta go get apples down below Wilkesboro in a few days.

 

[donrae]

Yeah, go figure.......I want mine grown and processed here in the USA....preferably right here on my farm.

I started with layers and quickly graduated to meat chickens. I am to the point that I don't even want to have to buy meat chicks unless I want to so I am hatching them out. They won't be as large, but they will be self-sustaining.

Start raising them for yourself and your family......see how it works for you, the labor and cost involved and then decide about raising and selling them. You might find that you have friends who will buy them from you ready for the freezer each time you butcher. You can raise a batch every 8-10 weeks if you get the Cornish Rocks.

Remember to see what regulations there are regarding any selling if you proceed further than you and your family and friends.

Where in NC do you live? I am in NE TN.....gotta go get apples down below Wilkesboro in a few days.

I second this. Start small, just for your family and maybe close friends. You'll need to see how much effort and money YOU have to put into them, and if it's even worth it for you. Keep good records so you know how much you have into those birds. You'll need to check your state Dept of Ag site to see what your regulations are, I think most states let you sell uninspected if it's under a certain number of birds a year.

 

[whisperinghopef]

Yes I am convinced that I will raise the meat chickens for my family. May not be able to process them at first by myself but I will try to get there. I am in Gastonia straight south of Hickory, NC. I just hatched out 20 pekin ducklings and who knows I may raise them to process also. Guess I am changing... getting satisfaction by raising things to eat. Last week I made lasagna for the first time (not a cook) out of goat milk cheese that I made out of the milk I got out of my goats. That was too cool. Today I made baked macaroni and cheese out of my goat milk and goat milk cheese.

BCMARANIAC so if you hatch out the meat chickens they won't get as big? Wonder why that is? I have heard it is hard to hatch out the meat chicken eggs. Is that true?

 

[BCMaraniac]

Yes I am convinced that I will raise the meat chickens for my family. May not be able to process them at first by myself but I will try to get there. I am in Gastonia straight south of Hickory, NC. I just hatched out 20 pekin ducklings and who knows I may raise them to process also. Guess I am changing... getting satisfaction by raising things to eat. Last week I made lasagna for the first time (not a cook) out of goat milk cheese that I made out of the milk I got out of my goats. That was too cool. Today I made baked macaroni and cheese out of my goat milk and goat milk cheese.

BCMARANIAC so if you hatch out the meat chickens they won't get as big? Wonder why that is? I have heard it is hard to hatch out the meat chicken eggs. Is that true?

I am raising dual purpose birds for meat and eggs. It takes longer to grow them out and they don't get as big but they are self sustaining. I haven't had any trouble hatching them, but you may be referring to the meat birds from the hatcheries which are hybrids. Since they are hybrids, bred to grow really big in a short period of time, they won't breed true.....and a lot of them get too big to breed by the time they are of breeding age.

 

[whisperinghopef]

I understand. So what breed of chickens are you using for dual purpose? I have a couple lemon cuckoo orpingtons and yes they are bigger than the rhode island reds that I have.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I understand. So what breed of chickens are you using for dual purpose? I have a couple lemon cuckoo orpingtons and yes they are bigger than the rhode island reds that I have.

I have Black Copper Marans. This year, I didn't have a Marans rooster, so I bred some of my Marans to a Lavender Orpington rooster when I had a hen go broody, and I ended with some pretty big birds, which I have and will continue to butcher. Hopefully pure marans next year.

 

[trunkman]

I am from Rock Hill SC just south east of Gastonia, howdy neighbors!! I've raised dual purpose and meat birds, and like you say, the dual purpose take much longer to get to a good butcher weight. This past spring I raised 15 cornish, 2 died of that flip over death, that was because I had them on food 24/7. This time I bought 25 cornish rocks, they are 4 1/2 weeks now and not one death yet. I followed the advice of many that say 12 hours on feed and 12 hours off. When I kept them on feed full time they ate like pigs and I figured it cost me about $1.70 a pound to raise them from hatch to butcher age, so 4 or 5 dollars a pound would be a good price. That includes the price of chicks, feed, electricity for the brooder light, bedding. I know that may be a bit more than the grocers back then but I knew exactly what I was getting. As far as price for processing, I haven't seen anyone who processes in this area. I'm sure it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 or 4 dollars a bird, that's why I have my own set up now. If you're thinking about getting into processing you may want to find a way to get rid of the entrails, there may be rules on how you have to do that, let us know if you find that out.
Just my 2 cents.