Is it cheaper to buy chicken at the market or raise it?

[Mahonri]

My back yard eggs are going to cost much, much more than the eggs I could buy at costco. I've done the math.

Come September, I'll tell you if there is any difference in taste.

One thing for certain, my hens will be happier than the ones that produced the flats of eggs that I can buy at costco, but when it comes down to the numbers, eggs and meat from my backyard are more expensive at the present time.

If there is ever a truckers strike or the grocery stores go empty, I have a supply of feed and my chickens should be able to produce protein for me and my family for a while.

 

[okiemommy]

You can do it. You have to decide what you are willing to do without now (if it comes to that) in order to feed out chickens that will provide you a bounty in 8 weeks.

My broilers were 10 - 13 pound each. How many meals can you make off of that? How willing are you to sweat it out hoeing in a garden to grow something to help feed them instead of buying feed?

It can be done and done well without their entire diet being purchased commercial feed.

That is an excellent point MissP. I can't speak for the OP but I think that's the underlying question after how much will it cost: How can I do this? How can we do this so that it is affordable for my family?





I would be willing to venture that there are probably at least %25 of people on here that all of this is completely new to, so there isn't a frame of reference for the questions they are asking, other than what they know. And what they know is store bought chicken, and how much that costs. Many of us weren't raised to cook from scratch let alone produce our own animals for food.

I get frustrated with the posts that all but state(and the ones that blatantly do state) that it shouldn't matter how much it costs as long as the food quality is good.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if some newbies to these subjects are scared off, in a situation where otherwise they could get some good guidance and direction on how to get started on their endeavors. I think it's important to remember, if we are asking, we're genuinely interested, and most of us for the right reasons, we just need to know how to make it work for our family.

ET to delete an extra word​

 

[digitS']

Here's some academic stuff you can use as a rule of thumb even if the backyard produces more variables than you can shake a stick at:

If your feed is costing 35¢/pound and your Cornish X broiler chick eats 14 pounds (6,350 grams) of feed over 9 weeks; your feed cost will be $4.90.

The last broilers I raised (in 2006) were not Cornish X's. I put well over $6 of feed into each one of them and decided I would no longer raise meat in my backyard. By that time, I'd gone the Cornish X route, the Plymouth Rock route, the RIR route . . . etc. etc.

Note that raising a Leghorn-type pullet to point of lay at 20 weeks requires the same amount of feed as raising a broiler to 9 weeks. Personally, I'd rather put my $5 in a laying hen.

Steve

 

[daeichler]

Steve,

Thanks so much! very helpful info!

David

digitS' :

Here's some academic stuff you can use as a rule of thumb even if the backyard produces more variables than you can shake a stick at:

If your feed is costing 35¢/pound and your Cornish X broiler chick eats 14 pounds (6,350 grams) of feed over 9 weeks; your feed cost will be $4.90.

The last broilers I raised (in 2006) were not Cornish X's. I put well over $6 of feed into each one of them and decided I would no longer raise meat in my backyard. By that time, I'd gone the Cornish X route, the Plymouth Rock route, the RIR route . . . etc. etc.

Note that raising a Leghorn-type pullet to point of lay at 20 weeks requires the same amount of feed as raising a broiler to 9 weeks. Personally, I'd rather put my $5 in a laying hen.

Steve​

 

[kstaven]

If we raise meat birds for resale, with all costs calculated in including a certified processor the cost is $2.50/pound maximum. If raising for ourselves and home processing, thus no processing or fuel cost, that figure drops to $1.50/ pound of chicken. This is based on organic feeds which we all know are some what higher than standard issue broiler feed.

You can't buy free range organic fed birds out of any store for that price.

 

[2manyhats]

I am sure that it will take quite a while before my backyard flock costs even seem to make sense. I am am raising duel purpose breeds and hoping after the cost of hatching eggs this year that I'll be able to hatch from my own flock from now on. That will help to keep the cost down to a reasonable amount. We are raising our own lamb, rabbit, turkey and chickens in an attempt to improve the quality of our food long term without paying the cost of organic or free range in the store (plus, I really enjoy the farming thing). The eggs are so worth the trouble. We are also raising 2 pigs, but we buy the piglets from a local farmer rather than breed our own. I am making small steps toward being more self reliant. I am growing my own veggies and fruit (slow process there) too. I feel good knowing that I will always have food for my family.

 

[deb1]

I don't know if this helps or not but you can offset your feed cost a little by asking your local grocery store for the vegetables that they plan to throw out that day. I used to get a box load of lettuce from the grocery store.

I had a friend whose chickens were free range but had access to chicken feed. His birds ate much less feed then my birds because they ate whatever they eat while running on his acreage.

Also, it is easier to invest in something when you make payments then paying outright for that item. Think of car payments. It would be cheaper to buy the automobile outright but most people make car payments instead. The same is probably true of meat chickens. You are putting money in a bit at a time, not all at once.

 

[sandspoultry]

When we raised cornish x's last year it came out to $1.90 something per pound for dressed birds. Yes you can get it cheaper in the store but the quality of the bird doesn't even comapre with home raised.

We found the cross was more trouble than it was worth - (mess, feed waste etc. ) Our free range birds (Buff Orpington, Dark Corinish) have a much better flavor and texture. Plus with them ranging they eat less feed and more bugs etc. Plus with a "regular" breed of chicken you have a never ending supply if you keep a rooster and a couple hens and breed them.


Steve in NC

 

[okiemommy]

Thanks Steve(DigitS'), those are extremely handy tables to have! I bookmarked them.

ETA: Steve in NC, I think that is what we may end up doing; buying reg breed birds. I don't think that I want to mess with the mess that I have heard these guys create. Only with losing my four birds this weekend I may not actually free range them; just feed them lots of bugs and build a massive run for them. The pen for those we won't name ^_^

 

[bills]

Quote:
That price is unbelievably good! A sale price at stores locally for fryers is $1.99 per pound, and a heck of a lot more for roasters. These are factory birds, not organic or free range either.

Neighbors raised 25 meat birds (roasters), and calculating the current store price by weight, the birds would have sold at between $18-24 each. They calculated that their cost to raise them was approx. $10-12 each, including processing. They claim the flavour is unbeatable.