That's pretty funny... Sorry but I completely disagree. I have no idea where you are getting your numbers or what hybrid of bird you are quoting, but you're off.
Processing plant for my part of the country is in Kansas. The breeder market is scarce, sure. 20k per bird average was not sustainable. However there are three other ostrich farms/ranches besides my own who get 1k for 1 - 3 month old chicks, 2k for 4 - 6 month old chicks, and 3k for anything older than 7 months. Gentleman in Texas moved over 300 breeder birds this year and won't tell me how much meat he processed. I know it's a lot. One of my ranch hands used to work for him and made the introduction.
The beauty of today's ostrich market is that US meat exporters are scrambling to fill in the gap left by South Africa from March 2011. It's going to take them more than a decade to recover. (Google it) The Euro market is screaming for ostrich meat (#1 consumer of ostrich meat in the word) and S Africa is barely able to fulfill 30% of the demand. Compound that by a growing demand for exotic meat in the US, mainly from 4 and 5 star restaurants with a VERY limited number of ranches like mine capable of scratching that demand... and we get more money for our red meat than the beef guys do.
And with respect to laying seasons? Mine go from mid to end of January through mid to end of November with 2 - 3 weeks in the middle off for molting. They stop for 60 days at the middle to end of November and then by mid - end of January they are putting them on the ground again. We have two Hatchrites we located still in their shipping crates. One was in a warehouse in Kansas, the other was in a warehouse in upstate New York. Total capacity is 250 eggs between both machines. I had to fire up a NOM 45 this year that was mothballed to hold the overflow. Even then, we were holding eggs for up to 9 days this year because of the birds' extreme output. I have 221 cooking right now with 15 in holding that will be set tomorrow.
So if you can figure out the logistics of processing and have the ability to self market, there is a butt ton of money to be made in my industry. The average is 22.00 to 25.00 per pound wholes for meat processed by a USDA facility. If you can't market or store your own product, then move it to the meat processors at 450.00 - 750.00 per bird. One way or the other, the birds will sell whether they are breeders, meat, or chicks. I've got 49 total coming up for sale. 20 are ready to go now. This is the fourth batch we are moving this year. My breeder and meat bird requirements are filled for the season. The first batch was gone in 10 days. This one won't make it through the end of the coming week. I prefer to move 1/3 meat, 1/3 breeders, 1/3 retained for future growth. And yes, I have the same price model as the man in Texas.
One may not be able to get Rockefeller rich and retire from ostrich. But the deed to my property will be in my hands in 6 months. And I'm not ******** about it, I'll tell you that. Well I do exotic pheasants and quail too. So you're right, it's not ALL ostrich, but it's a chunk
