Price of feed is so expensive rant.

[ziggywiggy]

I'm feeding 8 turkeys, 23 RIR's and 4 Guineas Flock Raiser pellets which cost me 38 cents a pound or $19.00 per 50lbs.
Turkeys in Wal-mart are selling for 86 cents a lb. There is no way I can raise a Turkey for that price. I doubt I could raise one for less than $10.00 a lb. I notice also that a lot of people in my area are getting rid of their flocks. I'm always seeing people giving chickens away on craigs list. This is turning into a very expensive hobby and feed just keeps going up in price. I plan on cutting my flock in half but know one is buying anything and the turkeys are to young to butcher.
What can we do?

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Raising poultry for meat will never compete with storebought in cost. There is no way ... you simply know the quality of the meat. Even with eggs, right now, in our area, it's hard to get more than $1.50 a dozen. Now that my girls have reached their second year, they are going in moult and slowing down, so it's costing me the same feed $$ for half or less eggs. So, I recently sold off half of my hens and am contemplating selling more. I'll just have enough to give us eggs and look at new chicks in the spring.

We also have ducks which will need more feed now that winter is moving in. I may find it necessary to part with some of them too. With the economy the way it is, business is slow and the budget just keeps getting tighter and tighter.

 

[HEChicken]

What about the "you get what you pay for" aspect? Sure, you can usually get store-bought eggs for $1 or less per dozen but they are nutritionally inferior to what you can raise yourself, not to mention that the chickens who produce them are kept in pretty awful conditions. I have always been willing to pay a little more for a superior product. Right now, since my chickens are not old enough to lay yet, I drive a 20-mile round trip to buy free range eggs from a guy out in the country whose chooks are totally free-ranged. I pay more for the eggs than I would at the store ($2.50 per doz but he only charges $2 if I take my own cartons) PLUS the cost of the gas, but its worth it to me to get good quality eggs and know how they were produced. Of course, I will be even happier when I don't have to make the drive and can get the same quality eggs right out of my backyard

The point is, you might be able to buy turkey cheaper in the store but is the quality as good? Are those turkeys kept in the same type conditions that your are? Isn't the peace of mind worth something?

 

[Wifezilla]

There are people willing to pay extra to know their food was well care for BEFORE it became food. You need to find a way to tap that market. You will never out-Tyson Tyson or out-Walmart Walmart. You have to define and promote your specific niche to receptive customers.

 

[EngieKisses]

Where are you buying your feed? We only pay 9-10 dollars for a 50lb bag of layer, and usually around 11 for grower. We also charge 2 dollars for a regular brown dozen, 2.50 for a green and 4 dollars for duck. With the exception of the duck eggs, we have problems keeping up with demand.

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
I know from a previous thread that our feed is more expensive than the Midwestern States and I know that I get a much higher quality product than store bought. But feed has risen from around $14.00 per 50 to $19.00 in the past 4 years. So something has to give.
It's the same with Hogs. I raised a hog until my feed bill was $2.65 per lb and then I got nailed by the butcher for another $1.65 a lb. Total cost $4.30 per lb. not including my labor and hauling expenses. Why can't the small farmer break even anymore?
I know there is nothing I can do except cut back and complain. Sorry, just needed a place to vent.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If price is the sole reason for keeping birds then get rid of them and go back to buying your eggs and poultry meat at the store. Unless you are producing a fair part of their feed yourself there is no way to compete with the economy of scale that the big factory farms have available.

Yesterday the sign at the Wal Greens I went past advertised a dozen eggs for 99 cents. That doesn't even cover my feed cost for the eggs I produce. Mine are three dollars a dozen and even that just means they aren't costing me money.

Qualiity wise however there is simply no comparison which is why I have more demand than I can supply.

.....Alan.

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

shop around for feed. We just found a farmer willing to sell us 80# bags of wheat for $4 a bag. You can also mix in some less expensive feed to help with the cost.......i know some people mix 1/4 hog feed in the chicken feed.

 

[ziggywiggy]

A.T. Hagan :

If price is the sole reason for keeping birds then get rid of them and go back to buying your eggs and poultry meat at the store. Unless you are producing a fair part of their feed yourself there is no way to compete with the economy of scale that the big factory farms have available.

Yesterday the sign at the Wal Greens I went past advertised a dozen eggs for 99 cents. That doesn't even cover my feed cost for the eggs I produce. Mine are three dollars a dozen and even that just means they aren't costing me money.

Qualiity wise however there is simply no comparison which is why I have more demand than I can supply.

.....Alan.

The problem is we don't have the market or population(thank goodness) in Southeastern Arizona that you do in Florida and I am not giving up something I enjoy. I will, however cut back.
I guess what I am trying to say is that raising chickens is becoming more and more a hobby for those who don't really need it and less affordable to those who could benefit most. And no, I'm not against free interprise and I'm not for spreading the wealth. I'm just stating a fact.​

 

[ams3651]

if the cost is a hardship to you maybe it would be more cost effective to sell off your birds and find someone local to purchase eggs, chicken and turkey from. You would pay more per pound but still have the fresh meat at less of a cost compared to feeding them yourself. Or maybe you need to lessen your flock to a manageable level. I have 9 birds and spend $10.25 on 1 50 pound bag of game bird feed per month. That is do-able for me and the fresh eggs I receive, expect for this molt and no eggs.