re raising pullets/off season for PROFIT! $$$$$$

[Julie_A]

I've never managed to get much of anything in return from farming unless you count a farmer's tan, calloused hands and the love and affection of my sweet pets.

My dad has a 100-acre cattle farm and it's the same with him. He says they are his bushhoggers who keep the grass down, that's about it.

 

[silkiechicken]

At least here, after the cost of housing them and feeding them, selling all the eggs and meat for $3 a dozen and $4a lb, I can't break even. Grandpa got out of the commercial chicken business in the 60's because it just wasn't profitable where we live. Maybe if we lived in the country, but the cost of maintaining acreage pretty much IN the city just wasn't going to be met by agriculture. In this area at least, the cost of the feed alone to grow a lb of meat is at least 2x that of a chicken not on sale from the store.

Kudos to those who can pull a profit from their birds, but here at least, to grow them up on good food and in secure shelter, you'll be in the hole even if you do sell started pullets for 20-25 each to city dwellers looking for their 3 backyard hens.

 

[Equus5O]

This is why I don't plan on hatching chicks. What am I going to do with the darned things, especially if there's roosters? I don't have the coop and run space to just accumulate hatched chickens. In the area I live in, I just don't want to take a chance on there not being a market for the birds.

If one of my Silkies had turned out to be a hen, I flirted with the idea of breeding Silkies. Fortunately, or not, they both turned out to be roosters. One I actually did sell for the same price I paid for him. If one had turned out to be a hen, I would have been posting their pictures here left and right, trying to determine if they were good stock for breeding.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Not profitable for me at all. When I do have excess cockerels if not sent to the freezer I have to give them away. I'm always in the red with my hobby farm.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I sell most of my eggs with no problem(when I'm not hatching). If I'm lucky I can pay for the girls feed, a little bedding, and a bag of lime for their run. In the spring/summer I have no problem selling day old chicks. In fact it may seem like I'm making a killing, however looking at it from a profit standpoint in a years time I'm still way in the hole. Now to make a profit, somehow the cost of the coop, run, and accessories has to be taken into consideration. I guess you could say my chooks get free housing and maintenance. The only profit I get out of them is the enjoyment and satisfaction of having and raising them.

Marty

 

[mistyfeather]

im about to start my 1st flock

im sooooooooo excited!!!! i planed on having enough to just sell a few extra eggs, word of mouth got around from friend, family and neighbors ............... there must be a very good market here were i live, i have a long list of people waiting patiently for eggs and meat. i figure aslong as the birds cover their feed cost i will be happy to supply eggs and birds to the locals, here lots of places have market days were you can sell of your extras plus the farmers markets, the farmer love to see the little hobby farms come to and have a good day at the market. its very fun.

 

[maf2008]

Well. I must be a lucky one at that...... I live outside of Houston TX in a very small town and the city slikers are "backyard chickens nuts!" and I have no problems selling 6/10 young pullets at a time to those on my waiting lists...

Gee maybe this is just dumb luck? I will keep my fingers crossed

that in January/Feb when the spring will be getting ready to start... I will have a pen full of layers and can sell them all....!!! I am not going to be rich... but I can pay for the extras to replace the lost income due to the econimic times... Most people are afraid of the "new reality" for the economic times...

I for one just want to have a few hens to sell to those that are prudently preparing.

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[Katy]

I'd still like for you to tell us where the $3000 figure comes from.....is that projected income?....is it since you asked about selling birds back on July 15?

 

[maf2008]

Like I said, Just lucky, I am already seeing these figures... go figure! Thanks for wishing me well in my endevor. I have learned a lot here from everyone...(well that and 30 plus in sales and marketing and being in the right place at the right time ANYONE can get lucky sometime.)

I plan on having the hard to find breeds ready to POL in Spring (speckled sussex, wellsummers feathered and non feathered coo coo marins plus all the standard egg layers. They will be ready to lay in January! The others are nearly sold out for now.
(down to my last 150 pol mostly Ideal 236, Black stars, RIR, and EE's my favorite)

Just be happy for me and leave it at that

thanks all!

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[Katy]

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If you're going to sell them you might want to learn how to spell the breed correctly....it's Cuckoo Marans. Speckled Sussex and Welsummers are not hard to find breeds. Good ones are, but many hatcheries sell them. I hope you're telling your customers that they may not get the dark eggs from the Marans and welsummers since a lot of hatchery stock don't lay dark eggs like the breed is supposed to.

So the way you continue to avoid my question I'll take that as it's a projected figure and not money in your pocket.