Profit analysis and feed

1. Organic Chickens 2017
Profit Analysis & Feed
www.strawberryhillfarm.ca

2. Eggs – Raise the Pullet
 Takes 16 pounds of grain to raise to 20
weeks
 $1,000 per tonne = $0.453 per pound
 = $7.26 per bird
 Cost of chick = $2.00
 Round to $10.00 for costs
 Plus lights and labour
 Estimate $14-$16 to raise a bird before
overheads

3. Eggs – Direct Costs
 Cost to raise a bird ~ $14-$16
 $0.64 at 300 eggs per bird
 Feed
 4 pounds per dozen
 $0.45 per pound ($1000 per MT)
 $1.80 per dozen
 Carton
 $0.30
 $0.64 + $1.80 + $0.30 = $2.74

4. Eggs – Labour
 2 checks per day
 10 min in am
 10 min in pm
 Collect eggs in pm – 12 dozen
 10 min
 Wash eggs – 12 dozen
 10-15 min
 Box Eggs
 10 min
 55 min (round to 1 hour) per 12 dozen

5. Eggs – Cost analysis
 $2.74 Direct Cost
 1 hour of labour
 $20.00 per hour
 12 dozen eggs
 $1.67 per dozen
 $4.41 per dozen
 Selling price on average
 $5.50 x 12 x 365 = $24,090
 Overhead and profit = $1.09
 ~ $12,000 gross profit after direct costs

6. Broilers - Scenarios Fall 2016
B H C
Chick Cost $219 $219 $145
Grain cost per tonne $1,000 $1,150 $1,338
Grain used 1350 1200 $1,150
Grain / pound 3.70 3.72 4.24 lb grain consumed per pound finished bird
Grain Cost $1,350 $1,380 $1,539
Slaughter Cost $876 $892 $517
Direct Costs $2,445.00 $2,491.00 $2,200.62
Birds 204 210 97
Average weight 3.94 3.39 6.17 lb.
Direct Cost per Pound $3.04 $3.50 $3.68
Labor 9 9 9 Weeks
0.50 0.50 0.50 Hour per day
$20.00 $20.00 $20.00 Per Hour
$630.00 $630.00 $630.00
Total Costs with Labour $3,075.00 $3,121.00 $2,830.62
Per pound $3.83 $4.38 $4.73
Average Selling Price $5.00 $5.00 $5.95
Gross Income $4,018.80 $3,559.50 $3,561.02
Gross Profit b4 labour $1,573.80 $1,068.50 $1,360.40
Net Profit after labour $943.80 $438.50 $730.40
% Profit b4 labour 39% 30% 38%
% Net Profit w/o Overhead 23% 12% 21%

10. $950
$875
$875

11. Red Clover – Seeded May, 2013
Photo taken July 8, 2013

12. Red Clover – Seeded May, 2013
Photo taken mid - August, 2013

14. Labour
 Daily job so savings are worth while
 Don’t want it to restrict your other duties
 Collect once per day if possible
 Use feeders that hold at least a day’s worth of
feed
 Don’t want to have to get up early
 Try to just visit pen 2 times daily
 In winter feed am and collect eggs pm
 In summer often feed and collect pm with quick
water and predator check in am

15. Eggs Production
 Use lights
 14 hour day but not over 16 hr.
 Use LED or florescent
 .5 foot candles or 5 lux minimum at feeders
 Off before dusk to give natural light fade
 Minimize excitement
 Organic pork fat - <10%
 Drawing birds out of nest boxes at night - <10%
 Remove feed to control rats - <20%
 Move at night instead of morning
 Pasture production lower than in barn

18. Nest Boxes
 Clean eggs are number one priority
 Roll away boxes
 Can harvest just once per day
 If grading CFIA requires once per day minimum
 Need to have cleanable/shakable mats
 Clean straw or hay
 Collect 2 x per day with hay box
○ About 10:00
○ Mid afternoon or evening

19. Egg cleaning
 Probably single hardest issue with eggs.
 Water wash is fastest
 Want to use water slightly warmer than egg
 Like to use running faucet
 Problem with eggs in kitchen
 Job that you have to do daily….
 If not, where do you put them
 Don’t want dirty eggs in same cooler as clean
ones

24. • 1” in 8” or 1” in 9” if thicker mat
• Must be able to shake mats
• Chickens will pull apart if they can
• 4 x 8’ boxes for 200 birds (4 sections ea.)

25. Egg selling
 Use a best before date
 We use 35 (5 weeks) from day of laying
 European system
 No water
 Dry brush clean
 No refrigeration
○ Film protects egg
 North American system
 Water wash
 Refrigerate