How much feed start to finish for 100 CX

[Buster52]

I'm applying for a grant for my new meat bird business, and while I am raising my first CX batches right now, I have not kept track of how much feed it takes to get them to butcher age of 8 weeks. I'm terrible at record keeping, something I need to improve if I'm going to make a go of this thing.

So, to keep things simple, could someone help with an approximate amount of feed it takes either 100 birds, or a single bird, to get to butcher weight in 8 weeks?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lexiluke]

If you base it on the Welp hatchery chart and average hen/roos it would be 16.36lbs per bird at 8 weeks and 1636 total lbs. for 100. Hope this helps.

 

[Buster52]

Excellent. I'm wondering if the practical experience of folks here bears that out.

 

[Buster52]

By the Welp chart, 1000 birds a year would take 16,360 pounds of feed, or 409 forty pound bags. Times about $13 a bag for commercial feed comes to $5,317 to get 1000 birds per year to market weight. If I use my self mixed ration, at about $10 per 50 pound bag, it is more like $3,272.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

You could simplify the math by assuming it will take 3.5 pounds (or about $5) of feed per pound of chicken if raising to around 5 pounds dressed.

In my opinion, which I offer cautiously, it is very easy to outrun your marketing ability with chicken. Assuming a chicken is similar in volume to a gallon of milk, how many gallons of milk can you store in your freezer? If possible, sell the birds before you grow them.

You need about $500 in depreciable equipment and $600 in feed to raise a single batch of 120 broilers to market weight. With that same equipment you can easily raise 6-10 batches of broilers in a single season...given that you are further south. The first batch should cover nearly all expenses if sold for around or above $3 per pound whole. Each additional batch should be putting money in your pockets...unless you plan to do the processing yourself and have to pay for that equipment too.

If all else fails you can liquidate the equipment easily enough. Why are you applying for a grant?

Results and situations may vary. I'm assuming you're out there doing the work yourself as opposed to trying to keep employees running...and not paying yourself for your time as is typical of early entrepreneurial ventures.

 

[Buster52]

We will be doing the processing ourselves. We actually have to split into two seasons, fall and spring, as summer is just too hot here for broilers. We would experience heavy losses and put the survivors through torment. We are doing a test run for the spring to see how they go. Pre-orders are fair at them moment. We hope they will pick up as we approach summer.

I have a lot of freezer space (two freezers and seven spare refrigerators), but we don't want to have to put too much in there. Better to sell them fresh. We are raising close to 300 this spring, since it is my first time with meaties, and hope to do another 500 in the fall. Next year we want to do the whole 1,000 allowed exemption for Oklahoma. And we are selling them for $3 a pound as you suggest. Although that is low for Oklahoma. Most charge $4 or more in other parts of the state.

To get the setup we want, it will cost about $3,600+, and that is doing it on the cheap. Nothing fancy. Thus, the grant. I could go into debt on it, but we are trying to do this debt free. Less risk that way. I'm buying the plucker and a couple of cones out of pocket, which leaves close to $2,500 for the rest, and that is the grant we will likely request. That doesn't include the cost of feed and birds. We have to come up with the cash for that.

 

[WinklerFarms]

I sell mine for 2.50 per pound all by pre sale. So far i have 300 birds sold/preordered.My feed costs are lower though. My feed costs only $17/cwt. mine are raised in batches of 50 two weeks or so apart. I process them myself and have access to a commercial chamber vacuum sealer from my job for only $.08/ bird. I am able the raise these cheaper than most and therefore sell them cheaper.

 

[bigredfeather]

I always figure 20 pounds per bird for an 8 week run. They may not eat quite that much, but if you consider waste, I think it's close.

 

[Buster52]

I sell mine for 2.50 per pound all by pre sale. So far i have 300 birds sold/preordered.My feed costs are lower though. My feed costs only $17/cwt. mine are raised in batches of 50 two weeks or so apart. I process them myself and have access to a commercial chamber vacuum sealer from my job for only $.08/ bird. I am able the raise these cheaper than most and therefore sell them cheaper.

You must have it mixed, then. What is your formula? Mine seems to be a bit off, as my birds don't seem to be growing the way I have seen in pictures here.

 

[Buster52]

I always figure 20 pounds per bird for an 8 week run. They may not eat quite that much, but if you consider waste, I think it's close.

That's very helpful. A bit over the Welp chart, but better to overestimate than under. Thanks.

How much do you sell yours for, if you don't mind my asking? And how do you package them? Poly bags or shrink bags?