Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Your available time, equipment needs, and even the amount of help needed all in-
crease once you cross that line from hobby to business. Once it's a business, consumers
view you and your poultry-raising work entirely differently. People expect to be treated
as if they were shopping at a large discount store that always has plenty of stock on hand.
Much more is at stake. The more birds you have, the more work you'll have to do and
the greater the chances for problems; a small disease can become not only a single-sea-
son disappointment, but a financially crippling disaster. Do lots of research to find out
what steps are needed to outline a business plan and create a rewarding and successful
business.
Pricing Considerations
When thinking about the pricing of your meats and eggs for sale, take into consideration
options that lower or raise your costs. For example, if you plan to sell your birds for
meat, you want to decide whether you are going to butcher them yourself, whether you
are going to have to pay to have them commercially butchered, or whether the custom-
er will pick up the live ducks and butcher them themselves. You also must adjust your
pricing for both eggs and meat to allow for the extra maturity time and the lower laying
rate of heritage birds.
What Do You Want To Sell?
Perhaps you would like to sell farm-fresh eggs from free-range chickens fed a special
diet to produce eggs higher in omega-3 fatty acids. Or maybe you have fresh, pasture-
raised frying chickens, or even stewing hens in mind. Many poultry product avenues
exist. Possible markets include:
Coturnix quail eggs
Fresh-dressed quail, pheasant, or other game birds
Butchered holiday geese and ducks
Fresh-dressed holiday turkeys
Feathers and goose down for stuffing pillows and other items
Ornamental feathers used for decorating or making fishing flies
Eggs for decorating (especially goose eggs); these may be blown out and decor-
ated with paint as in Ukrainian egg dying (pysanky) — some crafters even carve
the goose eggs in intricate designs with tools such as those used by dentists
Poultry manure for gardening
