For the last 3 or 4 years I have raised Cornish X's for my family and parents. I typically order 25, twice a year because it works out better with freezer space. I process any that are having problems (legs, breathing etc) but the rest (all but a couple a year) get taken to a local meat market for processing. Processing day typically takes me away from work for the morning, and then I need to pick up the processed meat the following morning. Which keeps me out of the shop for another couple hours. As everyone knows, raising chickens takes time and meaties seem to need more attention than laying hens due to their waste and feed management. And here is the delema. For decades a good friend of mine raises meat birds for people. His customers call and say I need 40 of them and he raises, processes, and delivers the 40 birds. He sells them for what the going rate is at the local grocery store. I am thinking of just letting him raise our meaties and I will stick to hens and quail. And here is my reasoning. If I miss a total of 8 hours of work (I am self employed) at $45.00 hr. shop rate I will be out $360.00 If he raises 40 birds for me, each one averaging 6 pounds (or less) at the current rate of $1.50 a pound that would equal $360.00 So by having him raise, process, and deliver 40 birds for me and me concentrating on work instead of driving to a butcher shop my meat for the year would be paid for. I will miss the awkwardness of Cornish X's though so if I do this, I may have to visit his barn just to get my fix. They are so much fun to watch when they do finally move away from the feeder to chase something! Any thoughts?
Why not butcher them all yourself? Hubby and I get up early on a Saturday morning and have a "processing party" Saves the $ of someone else doing it.
You could let your friend do the raising of Arizona so to speak but what are ya gonna do with all your free time and no chickens to sit and chill you out? I find my chickens to provide me with a great deal of personal satisfaction and de-stress time. I talk to them, pet them, hold them and let them out of the pen to forage around me while I am in the barn. It's an even split. Which provides greater soul satisfaction?
Quote:In all honesty, it takes all I have to do the couple injured ones. My stomach isn't up to the task. Weird thing is as a Fireman I can extricate a victim from an car and it doesn't get to me... must be the adrenaline
hmmm maybe you could raise them then pay your friend to do the butchering? Would that work out cheaper? Or enlist the help of your family?
Quote:I still have my laying hens, rabbits, and new this spring... Quail!!! Hmmm, now after saying quail and replying to AussieSharon I may be in for processing anyway. The quail were going to be mostly for eggs but I did want to try a few on the table.
I found the first few times I had to process chickens it was stomach churning ( I used to do nursing and nothing bothered me ) but as time goes on I don't even notice it. The first time I did a rabbit I cried. Now I don't even think twice.
With the cost and time of raising birds it is hard to match chicken pricing in the supermarket but I use raising a flock of birds as a hobby such as gardening which does not save me much money but brings me enjoyment.
Quote:Your absolutely right want2bfarmer. I can't even compete with local stores or even farmer's markets. So why do it if my friend raises the same way I do but at a slightly (10x's) larger scale? They are the same birds I order, literally from the same hatchery. And I don't have to deal with the special management that Cornish X's require.
