Tracking Costs

[Mylied]

Anyone track costs to figure out how much the bird ends up costing? I'm raising some ducks for meat and I wanted to track how much feed I buy and how much they grow.

 

[Molpet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...enses-and-income-from-chickens.124260/page-51
This member does a free spreadsheet

 

[Mylied]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...enses-and-income-from-chickens.124260/page-51
This member does a free spreadsheet

Thanks for that.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I do. I use an excel sheet i put together for chickens, ducks, wild game (hunting) and my garden harvest. I record all materials used from feed and bedding to coop construction materials. I also record every egg and weight of bird harvested and use the price to purchase the type of bird or egg at our grocery store to determine their value.
I have done so for 3 yrs. I find that in warm weather, i get enough eggs to cover the cost of bedding and feed (break even). In winter, i do not. But the value of free range chicken and duck meat per pound when the birds are harvested helps offset the cold weather costs.
Side note: my garden saves me more than $1000/yr in groceries and hunting saves me nearly $2000/yr in meat.

 

[Mylied]

I do. I use an excel sheet i put together for chickens, ducks, wild game (hunting) and my garden harvest. I record all materials used from feed and bedding to coop construction materials. I also record every egg and weight of bird harvested and use the price to purchase the type of bird or egg at our grocery store to determine their value.
I have done so for 3 yrs. I find that in warm weather, i get enough eggs to cover the cost of bedding and feed (break even). In winter, i do not. But the value of free range chicken and duck meat per pound when the birds are harvested helps offset the cold weather costs.
Side note: my garden saves me more than $1000/yr in groceries and hunting saves me nearly $2000/yr in meat.

My husband made a spreadsheet for me. We raise pigs to but I know that's been some expensive meat. Lol. I bet my husband would love to track everything. I wanted to sell a few ducks when it's time to process but only if it makes sense compared to cost.

 

[Mtnboomer]

My husband made a spreadsheet for me. We raise pigs to but I know that's been some expensive meat. Lol. I bet my husband would love to track everything. I wanted to sell a few ducks when it's time to process but only if it makes sense compared to cost.

I am a nerd for statistics. I even graph which nesting box is used the most, during which time of year, which months are most productive, etc.
I also label on the day any changes made to see if it effects egg production. Such as birds butchered, change in feed, addition of chicks to free range flock, etc. Its really very curious as to why they do what they do.

 

[Mylied]

I am a nerd for statistics. I even graph which nesting box is used the most, during which time of year, which months are most productive, etc.
I also label on the day any changes made to see if it effects egg production. Such as birds butchered, change in feed, addition of chicks to free range flock, etc. Its really very curious as to why they do what they do.

Sounds like it'd make for an interesting research paper.

 

[Molpet]

I am a nerd for statistics. I even graph which nesting box is used the most, during which time of year, which months are most productive, etc.
I also label on the day any changes made to see if it effects egg production. Such as birds butchered, change in feed, addition of chicks to free range flock, etc. Its really very curious as to why they do what they do.

Have you thought about doing an article about your findings?
I Would be interested in your findings.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Have you thought about doing an article about your findings?
I Would be interested in your findings.

Im not sure i have enough data for anything conclusive. Right now I can only speculate. But perhaps it would be worth compiling it in another year or so

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I do. I use an excel sheet i put together for chickens, ducks, wild game (hunting) and my garden harvest. I record all materials used from feed and bedding to coop construction materials. I also record every egg and weight of bird harvested and use the price to purchase the type of bird or egg at our grocery store to determine their value.
I have done so for 3 yrs. I find that in warm weather, i get enough eggs to cover the cost of bedding and feed (break even). In winter, i do not. But the value of free range chicken and duck meat per pound when the birds are harvested helps offset the cold weather costs.
Side note: my garden saves me more than $1000/yr in groceries and hunting saves me nearly $2000/yr in meat.

Can I ask...without sounding like a jerk...how much time does it take for you to do these figures? Are the birds your only farm animals or do you have livestock? If so, do you track them as well? Do you breed the livestock and sell the offspring? I have a farm..hobby farm. We are breeding now. Selling now. I try and try to track my expenses, but I am so bogged down with 35 acres of work and 200+ animals, that I forget. I would love to know how you manage.