Grassman
Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
I will stick to selling at the gate. As soon as you go wholesale you are in a numbers game!
Diversifying into Poultry
- Thread starter Rossymons
- Start date
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
I deliver (no passing trade) - the public love it. Takes me 2hrs very local I leave the eggs by the door pick up the money from under the mat - simple. Every Friday morning and tie it in with collecting stuff/shop/ dropping stuff off so its efficient. I make a few quid its enough to provide us with a few trays of eggs a week for ourselves and sell the rest. People now want things delivered so it works well. Downside means you sometimes have to chat with them which adds time. If I could up my game it could make a good tiny income. But for the effort I put in with the firewood its enough to trickle over. All done by FB and text.
warksfarmer
Member
What and risk another few hundred thousand getting it turned on before the tariffs are cut or abolished?
Maybe a couple of years ago but not now. It's the same as tagging a biomass boiler on the side for heat production and rhi tariff. It justifies the chicken unit better but why not put a boiler in anyway for existing grain drying or heat production and not bother with the chicken unit! That way you get all the rhi and it's not subsidising another enterprise.
Perhaps arable farmers like the idea of converting straw into muck for their tired soils? Or just the appeal of a cheque in every month without kowtowing to the RPA.
Big sheds and animals ideal here.
Old McDonald
Member
- Location
- Harray, Orkney
As someone who has made a living from egg production on a couple of occasions I would say you will increase the number of hours a week you work by more than just a few. Wholesale is not worth the extra time you will have to work. Retail is the only way (as it is with many farm products unless on a gigantic scale) and that involves even more time - see Chasingmytail's post above.
You must have multiple sheds if you are retailing because you will have different customers requiring different sized eggs. More logistical problems. Multiple sheds mean you need to bring replacement pullets on site well before they begin to lay - preferably about 3 months old, because otherwise they will be hit with the local "bugs". It works in humans too, think of the new kid in the school, new person in the offic, etc. Two weeks and they are sick.
I go along wiht Pasty and think it is a mistake for biggerr acreage farmers to even consider it. You will not be farming, you will be an egg salesman. I was one for 6 days a week before we moved here. I have only ever wanted to farm. If I wanted to be a salesman I would have taken a job as a rep - and we all know what we think of reps.
Do what you already do better. Easy to say, difficult to do. We are all in the same boat. If we could do it better we would already be doing it better.
Short answer - unless you already have a lot of experience in egg production forget it. It is a specialised business, like breeding and selling pedigree livestock, or training racehorses, you have to know what you are doing to be successful.
You must have multiple sheds if you are retailing because you will have different customers requiring different sized eggs. More logistical problems. Multiple sheds mean you need to bring replacement pullets on site well before they begin to lay - preferably about 3 months old, because otherwise they will be hit with the local "bugs". It works in humans too, think of the new kid in the school, new person in the offic, etc. Two weeks and they are sick.
I go along wiht Pasty and think it is a mistake for biggerr acreage farmers to even consider it. You will not be farming, you will be an egg salesman. I was one for 6 days a week before we moved here. I have only ever wanted to farm. If I wanted to be a salesman I would have taken a job as a rep - and we all know what we think of reps.
Do what you already do better. Easy to say, difficult to do. We are all in the same boat. If we could do it better we would already be doing it better.
Short answer - unless you already have a lot of experience in egg production forget it. It is a specialised business, like breeding and selling pedigree livestock, or training racehorses, you have to know what you are doing to be successful.
R J
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
I went from never having a hen to 32000 3 years ago with no probs !
Plenty of manure for my corn ground , lovely jubbly
Plenty of manure for my corn ground , lovely jubbly
Old McDonald
Member
- Location
- Harray, Orkney
RJ, Do you look after them yourself? Who lets them out in the morning and locks them up at night? Obviously your feed, water and egg collection is automated, but who oversees it all, and who does your grading. How many extra staff did you need to employ?
R J
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
The first year we had 1 shed and ran it just myself with some help from parents. Built second shed and took on a full time fella which we now alternate weekends off which is good I am in most mornings too till mid morning , Must admit it's not everyone's cup of tea though , you have to enjoy the stress / debt !
Lloydsfreerange
New Member
Retailers have announced that by 2025 they want cage free egg supply for their shell egg sales. In addition to this, we are seeing retailer demand for Free Range “liquid egg” increase for added value food products such as bakery items and sauces. Lloyds Free Range are seeking to procure additional producers and would happily consider talking to you further about starting an egg enterprise. Please call me on 07943815455 or email [email protected] if you would like to know more
Pluto Matt
Member
Just an idea, but instead of being an egg producer, what about being an egg hatcher - hatch the eggs and sell the chicks?
I'm no expert but my wife is a bit of a nut for rare breed chickens!
http://www.birdtrader.co.uk/poultry-for-sale/chickens-for-sale
I'm no expert but my wife is a bit of a nut for rare breed chickens!
http://www.birdtrader.co.uk/poultry-for-sale/chickens-for-sale
You can make a few quid but most people will want 2 or 3, turn up late, if at all and half the time bend your ear for half an hour and then decide they don't want them after all. I have sold day olds from time to time but always in larger lots to aim at more serious buyers.
little_p
Member
- Location
- Powys / Herefordshire
Where exactly are the 'product' / chickens going? Hereford? I'm wondering as I see loads of sheds are going up, but not many lorries with chickens on!
Not heard that before. Where was that stat from?Radnorshire has the highest density of poultry sheds in Europe.