Entering the poultry (broilers) business?

[gertman]

I am strongly considering going into the broiler business. I love agriculture and feel like it would be a great complement to the cattle. Anybody else in the broiler business I want to hear your loves,hates, anything you would like to share about the broiler business.

 

[1982vett]

Well, after you consent to and successfully pass all the mental illness test..............I wish you best of luck.

First off, I'd find and talk to the ones that went out of business, not the ones that are still trying to say in...

 

[Howdyjabo]

I would think HARD.
Once you are in they have got you by the ####'s now adays. There isn't enough competition between companies in most areas to foster good relationships with growers.And It costs an astronomical amount to get in now.
The only ones I know that have done well are those that got in BIG- like eight houses or more. Two to four is just enough to keep you hanging by your nails. As soon as you see daylight they will make you do something else to put you back in the hole
If you get in realize that you are stuck close to home- the only time off you will get is between flocks. And you are either working hard to get ready for the next flock or the down time is too long and you won't make your payments.
Once you build chicken houses there is NO OTHER way to make them pay out -- so you are stuck
The houses are so mechanical now that one failure and the whole house is dead- you have to live with them.

I don't like growing chickens enough to spend my whole day doing it.
The only way I managed to get out from under mine was a lucky shot by a tornado(I had good insurance)- otherwise I would still be stuck with no way to ever get out from under the debt load, it would have caught up with me sooner or latter.

 

[F350]

i thought about jumping into the broiler biz several years ago. I have a lifetime of experience with poultry. still have some to this day. what killed it for me was the cost of the houses, built to the companies spec and approval. the fact that they own the crop (the chickens), which mean't no disaster/crop insurance for me. the chickens die and you get nada. at the end of my research i concluded that didn't want to whore myself out as a contract laborer for the corporate producers. my $0.02 only.

 

[1982vett]

I am strongly considering going into the broiler business.

You might give a little insight as to what you really mean when you say broiler business. I mean, Jogee got The Bug into the "egg business" last year with a half dozen chickens. So maybe you ought to make a reference to size of the business and/or your clientele. We may be thinking way bigger than you are.

 

[bigbull338]

do not sign your life away tobe a broiler grower.the rules an regs will kick you in the backside.1 you have todo things the way your fieldman says.2 you have to update the houses when they tell you to.3 they can an do send you bad chicks.an that can cause you massive death losses.4 your on a flock to flock contract.wich means they can quit bringing you chicks when ever they decide to.5 here they are on a 3 bad flock rule.wich means they could an can loose the right to grow anymore broilers.i know 4 broiler growers.an most of them would love to sell their houses.people ask me if id grow broilers.an i tell them id build a 10,000 cow dairy fore i would chicken houses.

 

[gertman]

I am strongly considering going into the broiler business.

You might give a little insight as to what you really mean when you say broiler business. I mean, Jogee got The Bug into the "egg business" last year with a half dozen chickens. So maybe you ought to make a reference to size of the business and/or your clientele. We may be thinking way bigger than you are.

We are on the same page size wise, I'm talking contract growing. Thanks for the replies not really what I wanted to hear, but I asked.

 

[Jogeephus]

I am strongly considering going into the broiler business.

You might give a little insight as to what you really mean when you say broiler business. I mean, Jogee got The Bug into the "egg business" last year with a half dozen chickens. So maybe you ought to make a reference to size of the business and/or your clientele. We may be thinking way bigger than you are.

The Bug got $5/doz today! I think it was due to the free chicken litter that was stuck to the eggs. Kinda like the organic stamp of authentification. :nod:

Based on what I've seen around here, if I was younger and had half a chance of paying back the loan before kicking the bucket, I think I'd do it. I think the company that you contract with makes all the difference in the world. I haven't heard any of the normal complaints from any of the new guys who are in the business here. Seems the company has been very straightforward with them. Of course they could be bought out tomorrow or worse yet fold. Not having an exit plan in this eventuallity is what would scare me. But there are things like bcap money that may make raising chickens even more attractive.

 

[firemen122]

I have grown both broilers and pullets. I am thankfull I sold out of my last farm when I did. 20 years ago person could make some money in the chick biz. The cost of houses today will not cash flow at the current pay, if ya know the real cost numbers. Not what the poultry co. and bank tell ya. P.m. me with specifics if ya like. :mrgreen:

 

[makemfat]

After having grown up in the business....I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy! No, wait, I would only wish it on my worst enemy!!! Thank God an ice storm took ours down, and the insurance paid off!

 

[Sean M]

Doesn't sound like a great business when two people on this thread are happy that tornadoes have destroyed their businesses :lol: . You could probably make some money firebombing chicken houses though.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Sadly there might be more money in firebombing than growing. I know of several that burnt in the last few years and arson investigators were sent out.

Years ago one of mine caught fire and I put it out- I was standing right close when it started. I thought at the time how lucky can a person get- latter I regretted being around Although at the time I probably would have rebuilt :dunce:

 

[novaman]

And look at all the people pushing for more vertical integration in the cattle industry. Sure sounds like it is working out well in the poultry industry :roll:

 

[Howdyjabo]

I don't think they can vertically integrate cattle-- one calf a year and grazing being the cheapest way to keep a cow doesn't fit integration real well.

The hog people around here have done real well-- they put a moratorium on new houses so the ones that already had them had and kept alot of influence .
There were too many people with 10 acres willing to build chicken houses(no matter how stupid it was to) to keep the chicken growers with much influence or power as the comp[anies consolidated.

There really should be some anti trust laws enforced with agriculture.

 

[makemfat]

I'm not saying it was all bad....after the storm, there was nearly 100 feet of building salvagable.....makes a great hay barn!

 

[Jogeephus]

Not arguing with those who have been there only making some observations but it seems to me if you are in the chicken business you are working for the company and must do whatever it is they want. Essentially, they own you and your future and have absolute power over you. I think we've all seen power being misused and abused but it all goes back to who has the power. I know several chicken producers who work or have worked for different companies. Several wish they had never gotten in the business but all that I know that work for one company like their arrangement. So with this in mind, I think it all goes back to the integrity of the company and if they are looking for someone who will work with them or for them. JMO

 

[Angus Cowman]

I'm not saying it was all bad....after the storm, there was nearly 100 feet of building salvagable.....makes a great hay barn!

I just bought 2 400ft barns and while we were tearing them down I had 2 other guys stop and ask if I wanted to buy theirs cause they wanted out of the business
I have been selling them for machine sheds and haybarns

 

[1982vett]

I'm not saying it was all bad....after the storm, there was nearly 100 feet of building salvagable.....makes a great hay barn!

I just bought 2 400ft barns and while we were tearing them down I had 2 other guys stop and ask if I wanted to buy theirs cause they wanted out of the business
I have been selling them for machine sheds and haybarns

Only problem I see with that.......If things don't get better around here, I won't need the machine shed or haybarns.

 

[agmantoo]

Howdyjabo
We have a layer house in the family. Could you please email me how to start a tornado?

 

[Howdyjabo]

Sorry I have no idea-
At the time it didn't seem real good
Hubby and three men were in the house unloading chicks.
The whole roof lifted off and fell back down on the walls- only 100 ft right where they were was left standing. And part of it was a door that they could get out thru. When they got outside they realized they were in the safest place in the area. The other house and the biddy bus looked like pin cushions with 2x4's sticking out all over.
Lucklily God had this tornado under his gracious control.