Selling meat birds or eggs?

[BYCforlife]

Hello! I was figuring out the profit for layers vs broilers.

If I had 45 layers, and sold every egg they laid for only 25 cents, I would make way more (in a year) that I would with 70 broilers, sold at $5-6 a pound.

Why do people choose to sell meat instead of eggs? I really like broilers, but it seems like they don't give you much of a profit.



Also, on a slightly different topic, how many broilers do you keep in your coop? I read that people put way more broilers in a coop than layers, because they won't stay there for long.

Thanks!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Eggs are how we gain. Not in our pockets but pays for feed and other expenses. The bird sales are hit and miss where we live. Eggs are more consistent.

 

[BYCforlife]

Eggs are how we gain. Not in our pockets but pays for feed and other expenses. The bird sales are hit and miss where we live. Eggs are more consistent.

Okay, good to know! I do have a friend that sells about 280 broilers before they are hatched yet! A lot of people like chicken here.

Thanks for the information! I'll probably get a coulple of broilers and mostly layers.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

we just sell eggs to family/friends, not much of a market, but it pays for feed. plus a few extra change in our pockets lol.

we raised meat birds and sold to family (like 10 birds in total) but i see your in Canada, just be careful of that quota system.
here in SK we are allowed only 299 layers, 999 meat broilers and 99 turkeys

there is no limit on duck/geese for eggs or meat.

 

[Taylorbrood]

Eggs are how we gain. Not in our pockets but pays for feed and other expenses. The bird sales are hit and miss where we live. Eggs are more consistent.

how did you get started selling? we can sell here but only from our homes. I see prices all over the boards, one proclaims GMO/range free hens for 4.00 a dozen, others 3-3.75. I sold 2 1/2 dozen for 5.00 but none since then, everyone wants you to just give them to them for free as if they are doing you a favor by taking your eggs off your hands

 

[itsasmallfarm]

how did you get started selling? we can sell here but only from our homes. I see prices all over the boards, one proclaims GMO/range free hens for 4.00 a dozen, others 3-3.75. I sold 2 1/2 dozen for 5.00 but none since then, everyone wants you to just give them to them for free as if they are doing you a favor by taking your eggs off your hands

where do you live?

i may only sell to family and friends but they all expected to see the same as store bought eggs or a bit more.

 

[BYCforlife]

we just sell eggs to family/friends, not much of a market, but it pays for feed. plus a few extra change in our pockets lol.

we raised meat birds and sold to family (like 10 birds in total) but i see your in Canada, just be careful of that quota system.
here in SK we are allowed only 299 layers, 999 meat broilers and 99 turkeys

there is no limit on duck/geese for eggs or meat.

I was planning on going to a market sometimes, we have 4-5 that are 15 minutes away from us. I don't think I'll be getting that many broilers or layers, but that's good to know! I am hoping to start with either 50 layers or a lot of broilers.

I am hoping to sell eggs and some meat at the farmers makret, according to the rules I can do that as long as the meat is processed at a registered butcher, and I (think) have to make sure that people know the eggs are uninspected.

Can you still make a pretty good profit with a quota?

 

[BYCforlife]

how did you get started selling? we can sell here but only from our homes. I see prices all over the boards, one proclaims GMO/range free hens for 4.00 a dozen, others 3-3.75. I sold 2 1/2 dozen for 5.00 but none since then, everyone wants you to just give them to them for free as if they are doing you a favor by taking your eggs off your hands

I know what you mean! I was thinking of doing mine about $4.00, but I'll probably match other egg sellers at the market so I don't take their business. (Too much. )

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I was planning on going to a market sometimes, we have 4-5 that are 15 minutes away from us. I don't think I'll be getting that many broilers or layers, but that's good to know! I am hoping to start with either 50 layers or a lot of broilers.

I am hoping to sell eggs and some meat at the farmers makret, according to the rules I can do that as long as the meat is processed at a registered butcher, and I (think) have to make sure that people know the eggs are uninspected.

Can you still make a pretty good profit with a quota?

i don't really know much of the quota, (i could be wrong about the quota so take what a say with a grain of salt) but as far as i gathered if you have one, you have to sell to a market/company instead of direct consumers and you have to buy into the quota.

 

[rjohns39]

The margins on broilers are thin, but manageable. As long as you have the customers to support sales. First step, is to be very efficient and maximize production while minimizing labor and other costs. For example: it takes the same amount of labor to setup and tear down or clean a processing center weather you do 1 bird or 300. My friend processes 800-1000/day. I give broilers a little more than 1.5 sq ft/bird in their shelters as they are only there for 35 days, and their shelters move every day, sometimes twice a day. I only feed them what they can consume in 30-40 minutes, twice per day.