Should I order 100 meat chickens?

[V-NH]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to decide whether or not I should order 100 broiler chicks. I have been comparing prices/cost of shipping between multiple hatcheries and I am torn.

I can order 25 red rangers from Murray McMurray for $70.96 including shipping, or I can order 100 cornish x from a place called Central Hatchery for $116.00 including shipping. I'm concerned about the waste that 100 chickens would generate, but I would feel silly buying 25 chickens for close to the cost of 100 chickens.

I've got a very simple paddock built for meat chickens (it cost me about $40). It is essentially a bunch of iron rods and 4 foot high poultry netting held together with zip ties. It is about 400 sq ft. I already let the grass in the area grow to about a foot high so that when I put the meat chickens outside they have a lot to forage on. By the time I put them outside, I imagine it will be even higher. I free range my egg laying hens, but to be completely honest I can't imagine free ranging 100 chickens. If 10 or 15 chickens wander into my neighbor's yard, that is forgivable. If 100+ do, that is bound to cause a serious issue

So what do you think? Should I buy 100 broilers and hope for the best?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Think about how much help you'll have processing that many birds.
Poultry netting will be scoffed at by most predators. Meaties aren't fast are are easy prey.
Buying in bulk is the way to go for cost.
Long grass isn't delectable to chickens. New sprouts are. So I'd either mow the area just before they go in or plant things they like. Buckwheat, field peas, turnips, radishes, beets, clover, alfalfa are good for them.

 

[V-NH]

Processing them would probably be myself, my fiancee, and a friend of ours. Do you think that is sufficient for 100 birds?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It probably won't happen in a day.
At my house it is usually just me and I limit myself to about 4 at a time.
A means of keeping the water hot, like a turkey fryer, helps a lot. If you're doing it often a plucker is the way to go but they're pricey.

 

[jak2002003]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to decide whether or not I should order 100 broiler chicks. I have been comparing prices/cost of shipping between multiple hatcheries and I am torn.

I can order 25 red rangers from Murray McMurray for $70.96 including shipping, or I can order 100 cornish x from a place called Central Hatchery for $116.00 including shipping. I'm concerned about the waste that 100 chickens would generate, but I would feel silly buying 25 chickens for close to the cost of 100 chickens.

I've got a very simple paddock built for meat chickens (it cost me about $40). It is essentially a bunch of iron rods and 4 foot high poultry netting held together with zip ties. It is about 400 sq ft. I already let the grass in the area grow to about a foot high so that when I put the meat chickens outside they have a lot to forage on. By the time I put them outside, I imagine it will be even higher. I free range my egg laying hens, but to be completely honest I can't imagine free ranging 100 chickens. If 10 or 15 chickens wander into my neighbor's yard, that is forgivable. If 100+ do, that is bound to cause a serious issue

So what do you think? Should I buy 100 broilers and hope for the best?

No.

 

[V-NH]

I see. I wouldn't mind sticking to 25, but it just seems like a waste to order 25 when it's only a little bit more to get 100. I'll have to think about it for a few days. Processing 100 chickens seems like it would take a whole weekend.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another thought is to process perhaps a quarter of them as Cornish game hens at about 3 1/2 to 4 weeks.(which is what I do) That makes more room for the others and makes the last processing less daunting.

 

[V-NH]

How much do you think it would cost to take 100 cornish X to eight weeks? I estimated $400 at $17 a bag, which is what I pay at the local TSC.

 

[V-NH]

Another thought is to process perhaps a quarter of them as Cornish game hens at about 3 1/2 to 4 weeks.(which is what I do) That makes more room for the others and makes the last processing less daunting.

Good idea.

 

[BackyardAR]

Having just started with meat birds and having to do it all myself I definitely think that your number should be most influenced by how much real help you will have processing them. I've cleaned all sorts of animals growing up so I know how. Still, by myself, plucking, gutting, the whole nine yards takes me about 40min a bird. With just 24 to do that's still 16 hours of processing. 100 birds would be eight eight hour days solo. Did six yesterday and still have a lot to go. I wouldn't do 100 birds without having either a LOT of dedicated help lined up, or an actual processor that wouldn't charge me the full cost of a prepped bird just to process them.