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 Dr. Ebay
Posts: 8507
   
Location: Land Of Oz | kakbarrelracer - 2013-12-30 6:32 PM Ridenrun4745 - 2013-12-30 4:07 PM kakbarrelracer - 2013-12-30 3:07 PM I've read a couple of books on this and one guy really promotes raising chickens for meat. He even has a book out that part of the title includes the line "make $20,000 in 6 months". I'll have to look for the rest of the title and the author. Not sure how possible that is or what the market for chicken meat really is. I think that's one of Joel Salatin's books...hmmmm....he has "you can farm" and "salad bar beef", I don't remember the name of the chicken one and I'm on my phone. His books are pretty straightforward and I enjoy them, he's a big proponent of sustainable ag. Eta-I will say he's probably not for everyone. In the books I've read and when I've heard him speak, he does go on rants about "the Man", lol, and gov't, etc. But, he's got some decent, common sense ideas about farming, IMO - but I do get that not everyone will feel the same : ) You are right about the author. The book is "Pastured Poultry Profits: Net $25,000 in 6 Months on 20 acres".
I considered this but honestly it takes a lot of acreage and a lot of time moving them every single day/making sure they're in at night. He does this behind his rotational cattle grazing pastures. That's when I thought a mini rotational chicken grazing system planted with chicken forage might be easier. It'd be so much less work too.  | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2276
 
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | We raise pigs as an extra income. We only get 6 a year and the pen is big enough that we have NEVER had them stink! We've been doing it for probably 5 years. They are really easy to care for but they like to dig...ALOT! We put railroad ties around the fence so they can dig passed them because we had them escaping. We found a large hog feeder at an auction for $40 and my dad built a waterer out of a 55 gal drum and something like what a hamster drinks from(the spout) and we keep them wet as possible and keep the ground wet so they can dig a mud hole. We buy them from someone who raises and breeds them. We take deposits every spring before we buy them so we know we have a buyer very year. We've only had one pig die and his intestines fell out of his but 
Oh and we have chickens and sell the eggs!! Way better than buying them, better for you and they earn money!
Edited by lexyy12 2014-01-31 11:35 AM
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I Need a Xanax!
Posts: 2774
| Jinx - 2014-01-31 11:03 AM
If you aren't really really rural, a U-Pick would probably go over really well. Even if people aren't interested in coming to you, you can sell produce at Farmer's Markets. You can also make and sell canned good items/jellies etc. Check with laws in your state of course. I planted some small dwarf variety fruit trees that will produce much faster than the big fruit trees. I'm planting full size also but those will take longer. Each year I'm adding more fruit trees, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries which eventually I hope to incorporate into the Pick-Your-Own. Blackberries sell for $$$! I'd like to add some pecan trees as well. That's something that will take a lot longer to establish.
Although we don't have small acreage, most of what I'd like to do will probably take less than 10 acres to do:
A pick your own garden. I have a greenhouse so I will start seeds in a few weeks to give them a head start and put them in the ground in April weather pending. You could definitely do this, there are lots of shorter season vegetables out there and if you built a big enough greenhouse it wouldn't be too big of an issue to get them bigger before you plant outside. You'd be amazed at just how much food you can grow in a small area especially if you go vertical with a lot of things. You can get away with planting tomatoes every 2' as long as you can provide ample water/nutrition.
I plan on doing a mini rotational chicken grazing system. I'm going to fence off multiple 4 yard units with a roosting house in the middle and plant forage chickens like to eat. As long as I can keep it watered it should keep growing. This will eliminate the need for buying grain. Keeping a compost pile in each will also provide you with free fertilizer for your garden/worms bugs chikens like to eat. In Kansas, I can legally process/sell off the farm 1000 chickens a year without having to be USDA inspected. Another point is to hatch your own chicks. Then you aren't out the cost of of buying the chicks. I'm planning on using Delaware and/or New Hampshire reds. They are dual purpose chickens that are pretty early maturing. Cornish cross, although they grow super fast, just won't work for foraging.
I'm going to purchase a Jersey milk cow. I might put 2-3 calves on her and milk her as I need to/want to. I can make my own butter, sour cream, etc., sell raw milk, make soaps. The milk can also be fed to the pigs/chickens and used on the garden.
I'm going to get a sow and boar Berkshire (old lines not show) and raise pigs. Like an above poster said, they won't stink if you feed them/raise them in a pasture setting. I can feed the pigs from the garden & milk from the cow.
I think there are tons of opportunities for a turn-key small acreage operation. Yes, most is labor intensive and requires some startup $$. I think the sky's the limit though!
Wow, this is awesome! You sound very motivated and driven. Good luck on all that you try! | |
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Dr. Ebay
Posts: 8507
Location: Land Of Oz | Used2B - 2014-01-31 1:18 PM Jinx - 2014-01-31 11:03 AM If you aren't really really rural, a U-Pick would probably go over really well. Even if people aren't interested in coming to you, you can sell produce at Farmer's Markets. You can also make and sell canned good items/jellies etc. Check with laws in your state of course. I planted some small dwarf variety fruit trees that will produce much faster than the big fruit trees. I'm planting full size also but those will take longer. Each year I'm adding more fruit trees, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries which eventually I hope to incorporate into the Pick-Your-Own. Blackberries sell for $$$! I'd like to add some pecan trees as well. That's something that will take a lot longer to establish.
Although we don't have small acreage, most of what I'd like to do will probably take less than 10 acres to do:
A pick your own garden. I have a greenhouse so I will start seeds in a few weeks to give them a head start and put them in the ground in April weather pending. You could definitely do this, there are lots of shorter season vegetables out there and if you built a big enough greenhouse it wouldn't be too big of an issue to get them bigger before you plant outside. You'd be amazed at just how much food you can grow in a small area especially if you go vertical with a lot of things. You can get away with planting tomatoes every 2' as long as you can provide ample water/nutrition.
I plan on doing a mini rotational chicken grazing system. I'm going to fence off multiple 4 yard units with a roosting house in the middle and plant forage chickens like to eat. As long as I can keep it watered it should keep growing. This will eliminate the need for buying grain. Keeping a compost pile in each will also provide you with free fertilizer for your garden/worms bugs chikens like to eat. In Kansas, I can legally process/sell off the farm 1000 chickens a year without having to be USDA inspected. Another point is to hatch your own chicks. Then you aren't out the cost of of buying the chicks. I'm planning on using Delaware and/or New Hampshire reds. They are dual purpose chickens that are pretty early maturing. Cornish cross, although they grow super fast, just won't work for foraging.
I'm going to purchase a Jersey milk cow. I might put 2-3 calves on her and milk her as I need to/want to. I can make my own butter, sour cream, etc., sell raw milk, make soaps. The milk can also be fed to the pigs/chickens and used on the garden.
I'm going to get a sow and boar Berkshire (old lines not show) and raise pigs. Like an above poster said, they won't stink if you feed them/raise them in a pasture setting. I can feed the pigs from the garden & milk from the cow.
I think there are tons of opportunities for a turn-key small acreage operation. Yes, most is labor intensive and requires some startup $$. I think the sky's the limit though! Wow, this is awesome! You sound very motivated and driven. Good luck on all that you try!
I'm bound and determined to stay home, be self-sufficient and make money doing it. 
Thank you! | |
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