Quote:
If we assigned a value h for each mode of raising chickens beginning with commercial confinement and working out way up to organic free-range, a value w for where -- geographically speaking -- they were raised working our way from the poor, rural areas of the country up to affluent, social and eco conscious areas like California and finally a value s for the business, community and marketing savvy of the farmer who raised them, the amount any given person would pay for a processed chicken (C) would roughly work out to the function: (h + w) x s = C
That said there are a few red flags in your numbers above. Like CARS pointed out, your feed cost seems high. Buy from a mill and buy in bulk. I also wonder what type of feed you're using -- what percent protein are you giving them? And what your feed schedule is -- 12-on/12-off, rationed? And what their environment is -- are they on a dirt lot, pastured?
Freedom Rangers take longer to grow out but generally have better foraging instincts than CX and because they need less feed in the same amount of time (that is they'll eat just as much but over a longer period) they can get a greater percentage of that from pasture if it's available. So, depending on your setup they may or may not be more expensive to raise.
Grower feed at either Wilco or the local feed store. I looked at recietps. 20% protein for broilers. Feed free choice, not like they're eatin at night anyhow, plenty of water. "Pastured" to mean that they have a smallish coop/box (got at wilco for the layer chicks before we got a shed.) Butted up to the little coop is a small pasture area. We try to move it to fresh grass when it gets poopy, about every week. They don't eat the grass, but they like to be outside.
Ya, I think feed costs are high, but what else to do for a small amount? For our own use I suppose it's ok, knowing what they eat. But I don't see a profit.
I have the freedom rangers comming next week.
If we assigned a value h for each mode of raising chickens beginning with commercial confinement and working out way up to organic free-range, a value w for where -- geographically speaking -- they were raised working our way from the poor, rural areas of the country up to affluent, social and eco conscious areas like California and finally a value s for the business, community and marketing savvy of the farmer who raised them, the amount any given person would pay for a processed chicken (C) would roughly work out to the function: (h + w) x s = C
That said there are a few red flags in your numbers above. Like CARS pointed out, your feed cost seems high. Buy from a mill and buy in bulk. I also wonder what type of feed you're using -- what percent protein are you giving them? And what your feed schedule is -- 12-on/12-off, rationed? And what their environment is -- are they on a dirt lot, pastured?
Freedom Rangers take longer to grow out but generally have better foraging instincts than CX and because they need less feed in the same amount of time (that is they'll eat just as much but over a longer period) they can get a greater percentage of that from pasture if it's available. So, depending on your setup they may or may not be more expensive to raise.
Grower feed at either Wilco or the local feed store. I looked at recietps. 20% protein for broilers. Feed free choice, not like they're eatin at night anyhow, plenty of water. "Pastured" to mean that they have a smallish coop/box (got at wilco for the layer chicks before we got a shed.) Butted up to the little coop is a small pasture area. We try to move it to fresh grass when it gets poopy, about every week. They don't eat the grass, but they like to be outside.
Ya, I think feed costs are high, but what else to do for a small amount? For our own use I suppose it's ok, knowing what they eat. But I don't see a profit.
I have the freedom rangers comming next week.
