What to charge for a bird?

[PlumpChicken]

I live in West Michigan and I am not sure how you charge for a bird. The next batch I am doing I am going to sell all of the birds to friends and family who want farm raised birds. Do I charge per bird or per pound? I take my birds to the local poultry processor who charges $1 per bird to process and .50 more to cut into an 8 piece.

Any help on how pricing is typically done would be a great help.


Thanks,

Ben

 

[jaj121159]

Good processing prices. I would follow Michigan's laws. Basically, if you are selling to family and friends, you are technically under an USDA exemption that allows 1,000 birds to be sold. If state law doesn't require you to have any licenses, then you can price them per bird. If you need a license of any kind, usually if you advertise, or sell through a farmers' market, then you'll have to sell by the pound. Your processor should be labeling your birds and have an USDA Exemption Number on the label. You can ask him whether or not you can sell by the bird.

Your price is going to be different depending on who your market is. For instance, if you live in Big Rapids, you are not going to be able to get as much for your birds as you could in East Grand Rapids. If you are in Newaygo, you won't get as much as you would in Pentwater or Mukegon. Keep in mind, when and if you start selling to the general public, in many areas of West Michigan (Stanwood, and Fremont) you may have competition from Amish farmers.

What ever you charge, you should have as much profit built into your price as the market will bare. Your profit will be the amount over fixed costs like feed, bedding, processing and bird cost. This doesn't even include hidden or in-direct costs like electricity for your brooder, gas for your vehicle to haul birds to the processor, and even your time. Try to estimate your in-direct costs and add in your fixed costs and try to make a few bucks per bird.

Good luck and welcome to BYC!

 

[PlumpChicken]

Thanks for the information. Any way possible you could give me a high and a low price per bird. I am looking for a number I can start from and decide what I will end up charging. I am selling to family and friends who are looking for a healthy farm raised bird. I have no competition from outside sources.

Am I looking at $5 per bird or more like $10+

The feed I use costs like $12 per 50 lb. bag and I have all the stuff and setup that I need. Other than feed I don't have many other costs other than buying the chicks.

 

[NovaAman]

HOLY COW! Where do you pay a buck a bird? I pay $2 per bird, and then extra if I need extra done.

Anyway, You could look at what your local supermarket is charging for fresh chicken, and then undersell them a bit. For me, I figure it is going to be roughly $3 a pound. I free range my meaties,,, Kinda, they are in a large fenced area. They are 4 weeks tomorrow, and I have only purchased 2 bags of feed, and I also feed the broiler feed to my silkie hen since she is a broody hen constantly. Well anyway...

Welcome to BYC, and come on over and join us on the MICHIGAN thread. Maybe you can find someone more in your area and see what they are selling for...

 

[NovaAman]

Also Ben, you could set up your own processing station, and do it yourself to cut cost. Instead of plucking, just skin the bird instead...

 

[fair weather chicken]

plump chicken, we are a csa and we charge 7.50 each bird. we pay 11.00 a bag for feed, from an amish feed mill. we process all on farm.

 

[PlumpChicken]

Anyone have a baseline average for how many bags of feed you would go through feeding 50 Cx? I finish them right at 8 weeks. I might trying feeding once per day enough food for about 5 hrs. My last and first batch ever I kept food full at all times and we only lost 3 out of 50. We lost 4 total but one we lost as a baby chick. I just want to try and manage the weight gain a little more so it is a bit more even over 8 weeks and not all at once.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

The price of your birds depends on what your costs are, not simply what others are charging.

If you target an 8 lb bird that converts feed at 2.5:1 you have 20 lb of feed in that bird. If feed costs $12.50/50 lb then you have $5 in that bird in just feed.

Add in the price of the chick of $1.50, another $1.50 for processing and you are at $8 in just direct costs for the bird. This does not include any charges for equipment, labor, death losses, transportation, utilities.

 

[PlumpChicken]

Any idea what the feed conversion rate for Xc is? I just don't want to over charge or under charge and sell myself short. This its there first time I will be selling a batch of 50 to family and friends.

 

[loanwizard]

Market folks, market. Ever wonder why some people get $3.00 per lb and others only $1.50lb?

You have spent the time and energy to raise a farm fresh bird. What makes you unique to any other birds around you?

Is your time worth anything?

I get $2.49lb wholesale for my Freedom Rangers, $3.49lb retail.

Do you have a farm website? Facebook? You have customers right there! Please don't turn your efforts and your chickens into a commodity. Profit is not a dirty word lol!