Trying To Make Money On Meat Birds

[Ruthster55]

I can't imagine hanging a bird to age more than a day or two except in nearly constant hard freezing weather.

 

[Pine Roost]

Do yall think I would have good results with feeding 17% broiler starter/grower from hatch to harvest (7-8 weeks)? I found that a little cheaper and would like to use that if they will grow like they should.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Do yall think I would have good results with feeding 17% broiler starter/grower from hatch to harvest (7-8 weeks)?  I found that a little cheaper and would like to use that if they will grow like they should.   

17% is a good percentage. How much is it in your area? I use 26% game bird, which may be too high and it's only $13.99 for a 50 lb bag.

 

[Pine Roost]

I found 17% for $11.18 per bag. That's the best I can find

 

[kuntrygirl]

I found 17% for $11.18 per bag.  That's the best I can find 

That's a great price!

 

[LindaB220]

I've read on another BYC post that fermenting their feed will reduce cost and it's better for them. I'm hoping to raise a small flock of CX this spring and am planning on doing the FF system.

x2

 

[larry529]

Thank you for this information. I will share this with other people who are raising broilers at this time.

I like Meyer Hatchery, they are about 70 minutes from my house. They have a great store and reasonable prices in person. And they do have some charts for what birds eat. I bought leghorns from there. And 1st i will say, MANY birds u buy at a hatchery are not 100% that breed. That's my 1st worry. So when I got midget white turkeys, I ordered them from a breeder I trusted. And so back to the feed charts, I would wipe my *** with those charts before I followed them! I bought 6 leghorns from Meyers, they are about 10 weeks old, and since week 8. them little fkers eat about 20 lbs a week in feed. I asked someone should I weigh the food according to the chart? They said, no leave feed 24/7 right now. So it boils down to 2 things. I got a mix chicken that is part pig part leghorn and eats like the 1st half, or that chart is useless, and made to make it look like the birds are very affordable and do not eat much. When I seen the chart, I thought holy ****, I can raise them on 25lbs for a month or more.. Bahahaha, what a jackass I was eh... So I would just go with the flow.. Julie, I wish u would pm me, text me, or call me as I could help u in a big way with ure broiliers and tell you something. Its clear your a chicken nut, but are lacking experience on raising them fat fkrs for meat and not just a pet. And that's fine, your a turkey guru, not a chicken nugget master, so you ask questions and have a lot of concerns. Maybe we will talk soon, and I will give you some peace of mind information Brat! LOL.

 

[Arielle]

IMO three issues need to be over come.

feed costs
butchering costs
finding buyers

A lot of the cost of feed is the milling and handling. Buying in bulk is cheaper. Finding a copmany to deliver is another problem. Consider using other feed stuffs that are by products of other industries in your area like whey or brewers grains. Consider pasture management = grwoing the right pasture mix to benefit growing birds. We have been looking at a shed type silo.


Butchering must be done by regulated facilities and adds about $5 per bird in my area. ANd the birds must be held in some kind of cage for transport and holding, another expense.

Pockets of high income communities will buy organicly grown meat and pay huge prices for a frozen bird. About $8/lb. was the rate I saw this summer at farm stands.


I backed off from selling to the public and only process for myself. Even at $8 for a cull it is not worth my time dealing with buyers. Just easier to put it in my own freezer.

Just my humble experience.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you for this information. I will share this with other people who are raising broilers at this time.

I like Meyer Hatchery, they are about 70 minutes from my house. They have a great store and reasonable prices in person. And they do have some charts for what birds eat. I bought leghorns from there. And 1st i will say, MANY birds u buy at a hatchery are not 100% that breed. That's my 1st worry. So when I got midget white turkeys, I ordered them from a breeder I trusted. And so back to the feed charts, I would wipe my *** with those charts before I followed them! I bought 6 leghorns from Meyers, they are about 10 weeks old, and since week 8. them little fkers eat about 20 lbs a week in feed. I asked someone should I weigh the food according to the chart? They said, no leave feed 24/7 right now. So it boils down to 2 things. I got a mix chicken that is part pig part leghorn and eats like the 1st half, or that chart is useless, and made to make it look like the birds are very affordable and do not eat much. When I seen the chart, I thought holy ****, I can raise them on 25lbs for a month or more.. Bahahaha, what a jackass I was eh...  So I would just go with the flow.. Julie, I wish u would pm me, text me, or call me as I could help u in a big way with ure broiliers and tell you something. Its clear your a chicken nut, but are lacking experience on raising them fat fkrs for meat and not just a pet. And that's fine, your a turkey guru, not a chicken nugget master, so you ask questions and have a lot of concerns. Maybe we will talk soon, and I will give you some peace of mind information Brat! LOL.   

Thanks for the info. I will be in touch. You know I have a zoo of animals over there and when I think about it something else comes up.

 

[larry529]

Arielle, I agree, the processing really changes the price on the end. I pay 4.00 on average here, and than you add in feed, I have over 3,500 in a coop, gas to drive 50 miles to drop off the chicks, come home, go back the next day 50 miles to pick them up, bedding, feed, and I no im not in order here lol, electricity for the brooder, cost of the actual chick. Now try to figure all that up and tell me how you can even consider charging under 3.00 lb just for yourself, let alone sell one to a customer for more money. I think the "city" people think when we sell them a chicken, we are rolling the profits in a wheelbarrow to the bank and we are making huge money. I have a plan in place in my head, and we will see where that plan goes, it will sadly cost a lot more money to do my vision and I will either lose my ***, or break even. I am pushing to break even, not even make a profit.


And kuntry... Oh woman I could beat you

You know how to reach me when your ready to talk, and for me to help you in a huge way