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Message
re: Any chicken farmers on the board?
Posted on 5/12/23 at 7:58 am to CUSTER
Posted on 5/12/23 at 7:58 am to CUSTER
quote:
You are at the mercy of the huge vertically integrated poultry company. All the contract provisions favor them. Try putting truck scales on your place to weigh the feed coming in and the chickens going out. They will cut you off.
I know a guy/family who built two houses a while ago. The houses he had built and contract he had signed were for we will say (because I'm a little fuzzy because this was around 13-14 years ago) a twelve pound chicken. He raised the first couple batches, but never once produced a twelve pound chicken. He got in touch with his Tyson rep and told them the problem. He put him on the schedule for an inspection which couldn't happen for several months. While waiting, he raised another batch of small chickens. Keep in mind that be was essentially losing money on every batch of chickens. Anyway, a week out from his inspection the rep called and told him it would be another three months before he could get some one out there. So, he raised another batch that was also light.
He finally got his inspection after seven or eight months or whatever it was, and was told that the wrong feeders had been installed in the houses. The feeders he had were for smaller chickens. All work was done via Tyson, so it was their screw up. However, he was now outside of the window to make major changes to the houses, and would have to foot the majority of the cost to change over to the correct feeders.
The last time I talked to him he still hadn't raised a twelve pound chicken in those houses. They're still in the business, and he eventually built two more houses, but I don't think he/they last much longer in it.
0
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:02 am to cubsfan5150
quote:
Selling my soul to Tyson
My experience, at least from the lending side, is that you work your tail off and don't have much at the end of the day. Every year Tyson wants you to buy the latest and greatest upgrades. I don't blame them for that, but the growers feel pressured to do it.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:03 am to cubsfan5150
I have a few friends who have them for Perdue. Of course they had the land and houses free and clear since their family has been doing this forever. But still it's a PIA. Anytime something happens, you get a text and that app tracks you and if you don't get on site in 10-15 minutes, then you will get a reprimand or strike which puts you in jeopardy of losing the contract.
My son goes to college up in NE Arkansas where there are a few chicken processors. They're one of the foulest smelling manufacturing plants I've smelled. Most of the big chicken farms I see on the way there have cow/calf operations as well and none look like side jobs. In fact, most have a lot of activity with 10+ illegals working them. Beautiful area though.
My son goes to college up in NE Arkansas where there are a few chicken processors. They're one of the foulest smelling manufacturing plants I've smelled. Most of the big chicken farms I see on the way there have cow/calf operations as well and none look like side jobs. In fact, most have a lot of activity with 10+ illegals working them. Beautiful area though.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:05 am to cubsfan5150
My in-laws do it for Koch Foods. They have 5 regular sized houses and 2 super houses. My sister-in-law told my wife recently they had net income of over $500k last year.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:07 am to FightinTigersDammit
quote:
And you can't take vacations.
Not true if you plan accordingly.
We have 10 chickens. You need more then you think cause as mentioned everything wants to eat them.
But realize it’s a hobby and I enjoy it. It’s not a big money saver. You need a coop, food etc. The fresh eggs are much better then store bought.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:10 am to cubsfan5150
Ask your mom, she knows how to raise a cock.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:11 am to cubsfan5150
Layer (egg production) houses are the only ones I would consider buy they are the most expensive now.
Typically have low debt coverage ratio, 1.3/1 was usually on the high side.
An off farm income is usually required by the spouse.
Your loan won't exceed the useful life of the worst house.
Tyson/George's/Simmons/Cobb can pull your contract at any time.
There is very little time off
Typically have low debt coverage ratio, 1.3/1 was usually on the high side.
An off farm income is usually required by the spouse.
Your loan won't exceed the useful life of the worst house.
Tyson/George's/Simmons/Cobb can pull your contract at any time.
There is very little time off
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:12 am to cubsfan5150
quote:
Selling my soul to Tyson
They cancel at a moment's notice...and they demand the world.
This post was edited on 5/12/23 at 8:14 am
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:20 am to goofball
Power washing driveways seems to be the best / easiest way to make some extra $.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:26 am to cubsfan5150
Mostly chicken chokers on the OT.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:49 am to Big Gorilla
We have 30 chickens and we sold 8 dozen eggs yesterday.
5 bucks a dozen. At this rate we should recover the costs of our coop by about 2025.
5 bucks a dozen. At this rate we should recover the costs of our coop by about 2025.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 8:59 am to BoogaBear
Who did you sell the eggs to, a grocery store or a stand on the side of the road??
Posted on 5/12/23 at 9:02 am to Big Gorilla
quote:
Not true if you plan accordingly.
We have 10 chickens. You need more then you think cause as mentioned everything wants to eat them.
Homeboy is talking about buying a chicken farm raising 10s of thousands of chickens every few months
Posted on 5/12/23 at 9:05 am to cubsfan5150
A side hustle I've legit thought about getting back into is raising rabbits and worms for fishing bait. I did that as a kid/early teen with my Pops. We raised rabbits and used the litter in eight worm beds we had. We also used them to compost kitchen waste and cardboard. I'd sell rabbits for pets and to people who had snakes, and maybe or maybe not for meat....
I usually had ten or so outlets/gas stations for the worms. I'd sell straight to them and they would mark them up to whatever price they wanted. During the Summer I would have to run some of the stores twice a week.
The most rabbits we ever had were around 125 at a given time. That would be heading into the Easter season where I would sell anywhere from 50-75 "baby" rabbits for pets.
It was work, but most of it got done in the afternoons after school. The weekends were used for turning worm beds and picking/boxing worms. Later we got into selling the worm castings and worm eggs which was a ridiculous money maker. We started with legit worms we dug out of the ground under a pile of gin trash (remnants of the cotton ginnning process). I have still yet to see red worms bigger than what we ended up raising.
Feed costs for the rabbits now may be cost-prohibitive. I haven't checked prices in years.
I usually had ten or so outlets/gas stations for the worms. I'd sell straight to them and they would mark them up to whatever price they wanted. During the Summer I would have to run some of the stores twice a week.
The most rabbits we ever had were around 125 at a given time. That would be heading into the Easter season where I would sell anywhere from 50-75 "baby" rabbits for pets.
It was work, but most of it got done in the afternoons after school. The weekends were used for turning worm beds and picking/boxing worms. Later we got into selling the worm castings and worm eggs which was a ridiculous money maker. We started with legit worms we dug out of the ground under a pile of gin trash (remnants of the cotton ginnning process). I have still yet to see red worms bigger than what we ended up raising.
Feed costs for the rabbits now may be cost-prohibitive. I haven't checked prices in years.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 9:08 am to beerJeep
Hilarious
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:02 pm to bird35
quote:
Who did you sell the eggs to, a grocery store or a stand on the side of the road??
People on Facebook
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:05 pm to cubsfan5150
I won a purple ribbon for Poultry Judging at the St. Tammany Parish Fair.
It's a tough life, but not without its rewards.
It's a tough life, but not without its rewards.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:11 pm to beerJeep
I was trying an attempt at humor. I only have a handful of birds. Just a hobby
Posted on 5/12/23 at 1:59 pm to cubsfan5150
Forget about chickens. You should try and bring back the emu fad from the 90's.
Posted on 5/12/23 at 2:32 pm to deltaland
To offer a counterpoint to the negativity, a client of ours has an egg farm and makes bank. They managed to keep their chickens safe during the great avian flu epidemic a few years ago and made a killing when everybody else's flocks were dying off. They sell to wholesalers and also have their own brand that local grocery stores carry.
The secret, as others have noted, is staying out of debt.
The secret, as others have noted, is staying out of debt.
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