At one time most Minnesota farms had their own poultry flock. Now, few farms have poultry on them, so small flock owners find a ready market in their own area. You have to have suitable housing and be willing to process the birds or eggs for most of your customers. By waiting until the cold weather is over you minimize housing needs and reduce brooding costs. You won't be able to compete with the production costs of commercially grown poultry, but your farm poultry may bring a price that gives you a very satisfactory labor return.

In most areas there is a limited market for live poultry. You might be able to get rid of a few birds to customers who are willing to process their own chickens, ducks, geese, or turkeys. Do not raise more birds than you are willing to process yourself until you have investigated the potential of the live market in your area.

If there is a local locker plant that processes poultry, you could sell live birds to customers who would have them custom processed at the locker plant. There are not many locations that have a local locker plant that custom processes poultry. If you are willing to process your birds in a clean, sanitary manner and they are wellfleshed birds free from major defects, you will find an almost unlimited market for your product. Before raising any poultry, regardless of the number, check with your local planning and zoning department. Before raising and processing and poultry on your farm check with your local Department of Health.

There is a market for broilers or fryers at any time of the year. Ducks and turkeys are being consumed more on a year around basis, but there is still a peak demand for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. There is a little demand for geese except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

There is a demand for eggs on a year a round basis, but supplying them is often difficult. Egg production may stop for two to six weeks when molt occurs. Random pauses in egg production will occur in most hens sometime after the first year of lay and periodically if hens are kept beyond two years of age. Try to reduce production pauses and molt in your flocks by providing proper lighting, adequate protection from cold weather, and feed and water at all times.

By using an existing building you will have no housing costs. If you do not have equipment, you may be able to find some used equipment in the area from producers who no longer have poultry flocks. You will need a brooder as a source of heat, feed troughs, and waterers as your major items of equipment. Feed will be approximately seventy percent of production cost. Other costs involved will be the cost of day-old birds, electricity or fuel for brooding, and litter.

You must decide on whether you are wanting to raise poultry for meat or eggs before obtaining the stock. For example: an egg laying chicken will have a poor feed conversion to meat but an excellent conversion to eggs. Most livestock feed stores will either have or can order poultry for you. There are also mail order companies available to order directly from.

University of Minnesota Extension Home Page

Copyright ©  1998  Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.