Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

[Kenneth Brown]

Lots of this kind of activity in the area (surrounding 100 miles or so) and it iterests me. From what I've "heard" it is a full time job for two people that pays very well. I know thats debateable as to what you call very well but I'm interested in a dollars figure and would love to converse with someone who has done it/is doing it to pick your brain.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Oh.... I gave it a try but everyone said I must have planted the eggs too deep and they never came up.......

There is a good size turkey farm not too far from here and he only sells fresh never frozen birds. Has some elaborate plucking machines and his staff gets big around thanksgiving.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Sanderson Farms has a processer close by. These type deals are I put 1/4 down and they cover the rest. They supply the birds as hatchlings and I grow to fryer size and then they buy them back. At least thats what I've heard.... You're not supposed to get rich but you are supposed to make a nice income from it. Something I'm looking into.

 

[greggholmes]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

get this book. Joe is the guru on raising chicken. he makes bucks and has been doing it most of his life. he has done all the work and will tell you how. I went to hear him speak at the local collage a few years ago. I have no connection with him or his farm. Also here is his web site

http://cumberlandbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=116

http://www.polyfacefarms.com/default.aspx

Joe knows his chickens period!!!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Sanderson Farms has a processer close by. These type deals are I put 1/4 down and they cover the rest. They supply the birds as hatchlings and I grow to fryer size and then they buy them back. At least thats what I've heard.... You're not supposed to get rich but you are supposed to make a nice income from it. Something I'm looking into.

I would read all the fine print..... is there a speciifed # required ....... I am just cautious..... I would hate to see you stuck with 250-500 chickens to process because they did not need them or something was wrong.

 

[mscher]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

What does the "1/4 down" buy in this deal? are you building the facilities?

Chicks are relatievly "cheep" to buy. The real killer is the feed, which is horrendous with the current corn prices.

Get it all in writing, include the contract fryer buying price.

Take a grain of salt if you talk to other established producers. Starting a business today is night and day different, cost-wise, that just a few years ago.

Good luck.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

What does the "1/4 down" buy in this deal? are you building the facilities?

Chicks are relatievly "cheep" to buy. The real killer is the feed, which is horrendous with the current corn prices.

Get it all in writing, include the contract fryer buying price.

Take a grain of salt if you talk to other established producers. Starting a business today is night and day different, cost-wise, that just a few years ago.

Good luck.

cheep!! LOL

+1 on the feed prices. I actually thing pork is easier/cheaper...... beef prices are going nuts lately too and the newest trend is grass fed "organic" beef.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

I know about the feed prices. I have horses, goats, and rabbits. Feed has skyrocketed here lately.
The 1/4 covers all initial start-up costs ie building, monitors,water,electric whatever it takes to get it established.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

I know about the feed prices. I have horses, goats, and rabbits. Feed has skyrocketed here lately.
The 1/4 covers all initial start-up costs ie building, monitors,water,electric whatever it takes to get it established.

What is the commitment? Years of business or volume of product?

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Call your local Cooperative Extension Agent... They should have lots of info...
The Georgia Extension Service has a lot if information available to anybody.

Here is a paper on "Cash Flow Estimates for Contract Broiler Production in Georgia":
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1228.htm

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Oh, and remember that inputs have gone up... Natural gas to heat, feed, etc. Although food costs have gone up in the supermarkets too... But I dont know if that increase is making its way back to the farm gate.. might get swallowed up by processors.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Call your local Cooperative Extension Agent... They should have lots of info...
The Georgia Extension Service has a lot if information available to anybody.

Here is a paper on "Cash Flow Estimates for Contract Broiler Production in Georgia":
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1228.htm

Thats EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thanks.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Masaryktown, Florida, where we live was called "the egg capital of Florida". Seems back in the 1920's a hundred or so Czechs move from NY to this area, roughly 50 miles north of Tampa. They were here to citrus farm, but two freezes ended that. Their chicken population did quite well and that began all the chicken farms that were in this area untill the 1960's. Seems as tho the big breeders could outsell all the little local farms as well as the newer generation just wasn't interested in farm life. Today, there is one big grower left. We keep a dozen or so hens just for the eggs. They eat feed that really is not all that expensive for the eggs we get, as well as they eat all the vegetable and garden scraps.
Certainly not a proper response to your post, just don't see anyone around here trying to start anything like that back up again.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Thats good info too Rick. I plan on having a coop of 15-20 birds for myself regardless of how the commercial venture goes. These will be for egg production only as I really don't enjoy killing/cleaning birds. Fresh brown yard eggs, mum, I'm ready right now!

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Thats good info too Rick. I plan on having a coop of 15-20 birds for myself regardless of how the commercial venture goes. These will be for egg production only as I really don't enjoy killing/cleaning birds. Fresh brown yard eggs, mum, I'm ready right now!

Kenneth,
Most integrators dont allow their contract growers to have any type of bird on their premise other than the ones brought their by the company. This ensures that no disease or ilness of any sort is transfered from a "yard bird" or a pet parrot to the flock.... You wouldnt want to risk it as a producer either.
These commercial birds are bred to grow fast... not to ward off illness as well as a yard chicken. As a grower, you generally bear all of the risk for any type of disaster..ie water turns off, heaters stop working, fans stop working, etc... These types of things can cause huge kills, and your usually SoL when they do.
Might have to buy those eggs at the grocery store!

PS: my girlfriends father has 6 chicken houses.... I have been working with him on occasion for about 8 years now... So, if you have any other questions id be happy to help...

 

[JCF350]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

Ran a breeder house for Tyson's a while back.
I supplied a 400' x 40' house, water/waterers, feed handling, cooler room, and nest boxes.

Tysons supplied hens (roosters came later), food, vet, picked up eggs for hatching.

I picked up eggs, stored them in the cooler room, and maintained the house.
Was always done by 2:30 pm.

Picking up 4,000 to 5,000 eggs a day does get a little old but the birds are in the house for only 10 months before they "hit Mcdonalds "

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Any commercial chicken/turkey farmers?

As luck would have it one of my former maintance men stopped by today to visit. His farm is about 4-5 miles from mine. He has just put in 10 houses and is ready to accept birds. He offered to fully disclose everything to me. One part he did tell me is he's got about 2.12 million in loans, I ain't too sure if I'm ready for that..........