Number of hens needed to turn a profit

[Hipkiss1987]

Just after some info.

How many free range laying hens would it take to turn a profit?

Thinking about broad costs.

TIA

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Just after some info.

How many free range laying hens would it take to turn a profit?

Thinking about broad costs.

TIA

You can make a profit from half a dozen. Even more profit than someone with many thousand.
What you don’t say is how big a profit you need.

 

[Hipkiss1987]

You can make a profit from half a dozen. Even more profit than someone with many thousand.
What you don’t say is how big a profit you need.

Very good point. Enough to justify employing someone to help out on a dairy farm with set up for hens currently but not being utilised.

 

[teslacoils]

Very good point. Enough to justify employing someone to help out on a dairy farm with set up for hens currently but not being utilised.

So, you have the facilities but aren't using them? Why aren't they being used?

 

[Hipkiss1987]

So, you have the facilities but aren't using them? Why aren't they being used?

They are actually someone who employees to milk at weekends. And I looking for a way in permanently. So was thinking about these large coops they have 3 of them. They used to have hens and sold eggs locally. But didn’t keep up with it so they got rid of the hens. Was hoping there was a way I could show it would be profitable enough to take me on to care for hens and milk too

 

[tr250]

My sons just started a poultry unit but I’m not convinced he’s going to make much profit. We already had the infrastructure ie the coupe so it now stands him at £26 for 3 hens 1 bag of layers pellets £7 water is free from a well. He’s getting 2 eggs a day at the moment think it’s about 150 days to break even and about £60 profit for the year. ??

 

[Hipkiss1987]

My sons just started a poultry unit but I’m not convinced he’s going to make much profit. We already had the infrastructure ie the coupe so it now stands him at £26 for 3 hens 1 bag of layers pellets £7 water is free from a well. He’s getting 2 eggs a day at the moment think it’s about 150 days to break even and about £60 profit for the year. [emoji38][emoji12]

These coups arnt a hobby unit they are large. Could possible even hold 30hens each (a rough guess)

I know it’s all about can you sell what they lay and even does it equate to worth while as an enterprise. Was just after an idea of realistic expectations

 

[tr250]

These coups arnt a hobby unit they are large. Could possible even hold 30hens each (a rough guess)

I know it’s all about can you sell what they lay and even does it equate to worth while as an enterprise. Was just after an idea of realistic expectations

All I was getting at is my sons 3 hens are a hobby for an 8 year old child but it really doesn’t matter how many you have as long as the costs are under control and it’s all relative

 

[Hipkiss1987]

All I was getting at is my sons 3 hens are a hobby for an 8 year old child but it really doesn’t matter how many you have as long as the costs are under control and it’s all relative

I get that. Thank you.

Not sure if my employer will take that as enough to develop a free range egg enterprise. But I totally understand what you mean

 

[Frodo2]

My sons just started a poultry unit but I’m not convinced he’s going to make much profit. We already had the infrastructure ie the coupe so it now stands him at £26 for 3 hens 1 bag of layers pellets £7 water is free from a well. He’s getting 2 eggs a day at the moment think it’s about 150 days to break even and about £60 profit for the year. ??

£8 a pullet. I'm sure he could make savings there. Maybe get rescue hens for free? Or buy eggs on the internet and rear his own. What size of bag is his feed in. If 25kgs he's doing OK. Maybe invest in lights to boost winter production. Amc will lend the money.

 

[Exfarmer]

I get that. Thank you.

Not sure if my employer will take that as enough to develop a free range egg enterprise. But I totally understand what you mean

Seeing as most free range units are in the order of 30,000 birds and I dont see the owners driving Rolls Royces I would guess 90 birds is hardly going to make enough to employ anyone.
it may make a small sideline if you can sell eggs locally for a good premium.

 

[HasthorpeGrange]

You’d maybe be better to see if he would lend you the coops to operate your own enterprise with a 10% profit share for them. It’s better than getting nothing currently from them and keeps you and hand if they need you. Depends on what income you currently require also and who will look after them if you go away for a weekend for example

 

[Suffolk Serf]

I know one or two people doing quite well with a hundred or so hens, selling all the eggs direct to the customer and at farmer's markets as a sideline to a full time job.
The marketing part takes more effort than the looking after the hens bit and they "might occasionally" have to buy in a few eggs from a much larger producer to keep supply up, especially in the winter.

 

[Hipkiss1987]

I know one or two people doing quite well with a hundred or so hens, selling all the eggs direct to the customer and at farmer's markets as a sideline to a full time job.
The marketing part takes more effort than the looking after the hens bit and they "might occasionally" have to buy in a few eggs from a much larger producer to keep supply up, especially in the winter.

Thanks for this. Quite interesting. Unless it’s from the doorstep I imagine marketing for markets and such is quite important. And that large hobbiests and small producers are at loggerheads with trying to get them sold.

 

[Netherfield]

Does not matter if you've a hundred or a million, without a good reliable market for the eggs you're not going make to make a penny profit.

Father and son enterprise local to here had 5 x 2000 birds, made a reasonable wage for the both of them, until father got ill, son couldn't manage to get even a day off never mind a holiday. Some customers will drop you for a penny a dozen and go elsewhere.

 

[Pan mixer]

We have 99 birds (one more and the rules change) at £3.00 a dozen for large eggs at the door they make money.

We sell out most of the time, no eggs at all for breakfast today for example until someone goes and picks todays eggs and several of those are ordered for customers who will come and collect. Like that most weekends.

 

[Hipkiss1987]

We have 99 birds (one more and the rules change) at £3.00 a dozen for large eggs at the door they make money.

We sell out most of the time, no eggs at all for breakfast today for example until someone goes and picks todays eggs and several of those are ordered for customers who will come and collect. Like that most weekends.

That’s a really good way to do it. Get the customer to come to you.

Would be interesting to see on this sort of scale like cost expense analysis to see how much this earns over time.

Thank you

 

[Exfarmer]

I know one or two people doing quite well with a hundred or so hens, selling all the eggs direct to the customer and at farmer's markets as a sideline to a full time job.
The marketing part takes more effort than the looking after the hens bit and they "might occasionally" have to buy in a few eggs from a much larger producer to keep supply up, especially in the winter.

Used to be someone, not far from you sold alot of eggs at the door “free range”. They were actually from a hatchery up the road, the candled out rejects .
used to be big sale for those to body builders, but I think no longer legal.

sadly you will always find some dishonest ones, i suppose little different to some of the supermarkets though.

seasonality will always be an issue unless you have lighting right as you will lose your hard won customers very quickly if you have no eggs

 

[Sid]

Kids had chickens here and used to sell eggs.
Made a huge margin over purchased feed.
Nanny and grandad bought the hens, I paid for all the feed and the money went in their bank accounts!

 

[som farmer]

our 20 hens, and a box at the bottom of our drive, filled up the petty cash tin very quickly ! until the fox got them.
your never going to make a fortune, but it's suprising how much those few dozen add up. Start small, and grow.