feed price versus bird price/profit margin

[sugar run gamebirds]

just wondering if everyone is dealing the same on prices of birds due to higher feed costs? are you raising prices to make up for feed price rise or how is everyone handling the situation?


    Lenny
Sugar Run Gamebirds

[WHITNEYPLU]

With the cost of EVERYTHING  going up we can not but help to raise our prices to what they are now. Wire goes up daily, feed, feeders, waterers, shavings, brooder bulbs everything is getting out of hand compared to last year this time.

[wildergamebirds]

I am relatively lucky, in this regard.  Demand here for Bobwhites, and Chukar, is pretty strong, a couple of growers have lost a few birds, and, most importantly, everyone else has raised, or announced they would raise prices $0.25-$0.50 per bird, perhaps a dollar for Chukar.  I was also fortunate to have time to make a lot of phone calls before buying tons at high(er) price.

  I would recommend that, even seasoned producers call every supplier within 100 miles, or so.  Even if you are sure they will be higher.  By calling the main office I was able to get medicated 30% starter bagged, and delivered to local store for about $20 per ton less than their unmedicated 27% starter.  That's actually cheaper than bulk, because of a fluke in their distribution system.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

I am relatively lucky, in this regard.  Demand here for Bobwhites, and Chukar, is pretty strong, a couple of growers have lost a few birds, and, most importantly, everyone else has raised, or announced they would raise prices $0.25-$0.50 per bird, perhaps a dollar for Chukar.  I was also fortunate to have time to make a lot of phone calls before buying tons at high(er) price.

  I would recommend that, even seasoned producers call every supplier within 100 miles, or so.  Even if you are sure they will be higher.  By calling the main office I was able to get medicated 30% starter bagged, and delivered to local store for about $20 per ton less than their unmedicated 27% starter.  That's actually cheaper than bulk, because of a fluke in their distribution system.

wildergamebirds,

I tried locking in on the price that I was paying per ton for the year of 06, which was @ $238.00 in Jan. 07. I was going through two ton a month and that was for 12 months. I ask my mill and was going to pay up front the full amount ($5712.00). Needles to say, he decline. I am still paying $30.00 +/- $10.00 more per ton then last year. The prices for all grains have not gone down as expected.

Even the dog food has taken a big hit due to the grain increases.

Raising bird prices from anywhere from $0.25 to $1.00 a bird doesn’t sound like much compared to what we pay to feed them. The purchasers don’t look at it this way though. The end results will be what the shooting preserves will charge their customers. Will they eat the added cost per bird, or will their customer?

There is a higher profit margin per bird in the shooting preserve industry then in the game bird breeding industry. They have a faster turn around on birds then we do since most of us start with the egg.

I have noticed quite a few shooting preserves in WV and Ohio that stop raising their own birds due to the higher costs of feed and maintenances and bringing down their profit margins.

It all depends on the economy, and supply and demand. The end results will be when the end user, being the customer (our) and the shooting preserves (their) that have decided that they have had enough of the higher end costs passed on to them. When a shooting preserve closes down, we then lose income.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm   

[quailfarm7]

I wanted to bring this one back to the top, since its time to start setting prices for the upcoming year. I have worked numbers a few different times different ways and still havent come up with a perfect method for setting my prices. I was told from a couple different feed stores that it looks like feed might go down a little so I am holding out locking in all my prices. With the propane prices, feed prices and chick prices going up there has to be a significant jump this year. What is everyone else thinking?
Adam

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

I wanted to bring this one back to the top, since its time to start setting prices for the upcoming year. I have worked numbers a few different times different ways and still havent come up with a perfect method for setting my prices. I was told from a couple different feed stores that it looks like feed might go down a little so I am holding out locking in all my prices. With the propane prices, feed prices and chick prices going up there has to be a significant jump this year. What is everyone else thinking?
Adam

Adam,

I think it is still to early to figure price increases. I increased last year on the eggs, chicks, and adults to compensate for this year.

The biggest issues will be whether the shooting preserves get their diehard member to return. I am not doubting the local members 50miles or less, but I think that the over 50 mile members that drive may be looking for some kind of compensation especially if they(the owners of the clubs) increase the rates, either due to our increase, or their increases.

The only two winners I see this year are the Feed production industry and the Gasoline industry.

I don't see the feed going down at all, considering I just had an increase in my last ton purchase. It wasn't just the corn that qwent up either, it was all the grains.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[quailfarm7]

I will be able to figure out most of my costs, I know my chick prices, I got my propane tanks filled and in the next 2 weeks I will be locking in all my feed for the upcoming year. I can set prices pretty early.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

I will be able to figure out most of my costs, I know my chick prices, I got my propane tanks filled and in the next 2 weeks I will be locking in all my feed for the upcoming year. I can set prices pretty early.

Adam,

You happen to very fortunate to be able to lock in your feed price for the whole year.

Not to many retailers will to do this especially when the grain commodity fluctuates just like the price per barrel of oil.

I tried 2 years ago in locking in on my feed and paying in advance. Needless to say, my mill would not do this.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[quailfarm7]

How many tons do you go through in a year? I am working with 3 different feed companies right now and I already have my starter locked in.

[Pretty_Bird]

After reading the different posts about pricing of the birds, I was wondering exactly what the price is that you are charging this year per bird?
For Jumbo Bob Whites and Northern Bob Whites.

  Feed prices are going over the wall here the last purchase I made of Game Bird Starter the price was $14.25 per #50 bag.
 I asked about the price of Conditioner and it was $13.80 per bag.
He also stated that as far as he knew they didn't make a Laying feed especially for Game Birds. 
I assumed he meant the brand of feed they carries because I have seem many posts from people using Layena Layer Crumbles.
 Now I have a Question, Is the Layena Layer Crumble for all poultry?  Or specifically designed for game birds?

[quailfarm7]

http://www.straubsgamefarm.com/index.php?cmd=prices
These are my prices on Bobwhites