What Raising Meat Chickens Really Costs (You’ll Be Surprised)

Currently Happening on the Farm
I am starting something new in these newsletters. This section is here so you can see what is happening on my farm right now, both the good and the not so glamorous. Think of it as you pulling up a chair at my table while I share what is going on.

Last week I recorded my first YouTube video for the farm. It will be out in a few days, and I am excited (and a little nervous) for you to see it. The farm has slowed down some, but the chicks I hatched earlier this year are finally starting to lay. I will share pictures of them in the next newsletter. There are some very cool chickens.

Yesterday, I also filmed a video about things I would have done differently with my chicken coop. You can watch it on Facebook or Instagram if you want. If you are not already following those accounts, that is where I post everything first.
Facebook Video
Instagram Video

Next week, I will finally share something I have been keeping under wraps for a while. Insert evil laugh here. Thank you for all the support. If you enjoy these newsletters, please share them with friends and family. Unless your chickens are your friends, then don’t worry, I have plenty.

Now let’s wrap up this series.

The Real Cost of Raising Meat Birds

People often ask if raising meat chickens saves money. Here is what it really looks like.

Chick Costs

• Hatchery chicks usually cost $2 to $4 each

• Shipping is often $15 to $30 unless you pick them up locally

• Example: 25 chicks at $3 each plus $25 shipping = $100

Feed Costs

• A Cornish Cross bird eats 12 to 15 pounds of feed from start to finish

• Conventional feed at 35 to 40 cents per pound = $5 to $6 per bird

• Non GMO feed at 50 to 60 cents per pound = $7 to $9 per bird

• Organic feed at 70 cents to $1 per pound = $10 to $15 per bird

• For a batch of 25 birds you will need 300 to 375 pounds of feed, or 6 to 8 bags

Supplies and Infrastructure

• Bedding: 2 to 3 bags of pine shavings at $6 to $7 each

• Feeders and waterers: $40 to $60, but these last for many years

• Chicken tractor: $100 if built with scrap, $300 or more if purchased

Processing Costs

• Do it yourself: Ice, propane, knives, cones, and bags add up to about $30 for a batch. After the first year, it is mostly just ice and propane

• Processor: $3 to $5 per bird, which comes out to $75 to $125 for 25 birds

Total Per Bird

• Conventional feed, DIY processing: $10 to $12 per bird

• Non GMO feed, DIY processing: $13 to $15 per bird

• Organic feed, processor: $20 or more per bird

What You Get

• The average Cornish Cross dresses out at 4.5 to 6 pounds

• That puts the cost at $2.50 to $3.50 per pound for non GMO meat

• Compare that to $5 to $7 per pound at a farmers market

Why It Is Worth It

• The flavor is better than anything in the store

• You control the feed and conditions

• Your pasture improves with every batch

• You gain food security that you cannot buy at the grocery

Bonus Tip
Save the backs, feet, and giblets for broth. That stretches every bird further and lowers your true cost per meal.

Fun Fact
Joel Salatin likes to say, “You cannot fake freshness.” Once you taste a home raised bird, the store chicken never looks the same again.

Tool I Recommend
If you did not see my recent chicken coop video, go watch it. In that video I show you the one tool that has changed my chores more than anything: the automatic chicken run door.

I cannot say enough about it. It opens and closes on its own, keeps predators out, and saves me from sprinting out at dark every night. I have used mine for years without a single problem, and the app makes it simple to run.

Here is the link to the one I recommend:
Automatic Chicken Run Door

This is hands down one of the best upgrades you can make on your coop. If you buy through this link, it also helps support the newsletter.

That Wraps Up This Series
We started with breed selection, then feed, tractors, processing, packaging, and now the real cost. You now have the full picture from chick to freezer.

If you have questions, reply to this email. If you want to request the next series, reply to this email. I want this to be useful for you, so tell me what you want to learn about next.

-Tim Parker
Start My Homestead