i am ordering a special buy bargain out of grain belt hatchery magazine. 100 heavy breed strait run chicks and is wondering how much it would cost after they got here to raise them up to at least 6 to 7 months old. just wanted to know before i ordered them.

-- greg hargett (birdthehunter@aol.com), September 06, 2001

Answers

The book says 21 lbs over 10 weeks to get up to a average of 7.5 lb per bird. so if you go on the high side say 100 x 21 lbs = 210 lbs at .15 lb for organic feed = $31.70 I could never get mine to feed that cheaply and I free range mine. 6 to 7 months is a long time for meat birds. laying hens is a whole different story.

-- phillip (raines@rainesridgefarm.com), September 06, 2001.

they aren't meat birds but dual purpose breeds like an australorp or orpington or rhode island red chickens like that

-- greg hargett (birdthehunter@aol.com), September 06, 2001.

You will not want to keep them for 5-6 months .The meat will be tough {especially legs} I also suggest limiting there movement .You can give them kitchen scraps to boost there protein .Day old bread to , pick grass and weeds to throw in also .Good luck .Now you got me thinking to order some more !

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), September 07, 2001.

Philip:

I believe you have an error in your calculation on the order of a factor of ten. 100 x 21 is 2,100 pounds of feed, not 210. At $.15 per pound that would be $315.00, not including the cost to bring it home, such as gas and wear and tear on the vehicle.

I suspect a fairly good rule of thumb is they will cost you to raise about what the supermarkets charges when they use chicken as loss leaders.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 07, 2001.

Good catch, $3.15 per bird for feed is still better then what you get at the store. As for wear and tear on the car or truck one oil change at home instead of the local garage will be about the same savings

-- phillip (raines@rainesridgefarm.com), September 07, 2001.