Demand for live chickens doubles

Household demand for live chickens has doubled in the past year, despite higher prices.


While some poultry farms have not noticed much change, long-term chicken farmer Colin Carr, of Milton, says it seems just about everyone once again wants to keep chickens for eggs or meat.

‘‘It's been over the last 10 months,'' Mr Carr said. ‘‘I'm getting at least twice as many calls . . . from Dunedin and everywhere south of Oamaru.''

Representatives of Bloem's Poultry Farm, in Dunedin, and Brougham Poultry Park, in Mosgiel, said there had been little or no increase in public demand for live chickens.

But a different picture was presented by internet discussion boards and by Mr Carr who had spent his working life raising chickens for point-of-lay sale.

Most of the household chicken farmers, whether they were lifestylers or townies, were looking for a few point-of-lay pullets to supply the family with eggs, Mr Carr said.

‘‘People say we're going back to the old way - the way Mum did with a few hens in the backyard.
‘‘They are doing it because of increasing costs and to get fresh eggs.''

Demand has returned to the level it was 30 years ago, he said. On the internet, the discussion board at www.lifestyleblock.co.nz has been buzzing about the price of pullets.

‘‘Yes, I've been amazed at the prices,'' wrote someone with the username Beedee.

‘‘I think folk are getting on the bandwagon that city folk are going to have some hens in their backyard supplying the eggs cheaply.''

‘‘The problem here is impatience,'' added someone logged in as Inger.

‘‘If people were prepared to buy some $2 each eggs from the various purebred breeders, they could grow their own pullets for $25 to $30 in feed costs and be prepared to eat the roosters they don't want. . . But no, they want point-of-lay pullets.''

The increasing cost of pullets was due to increases in the cost of power and grain, Mr Carr said.

Earlier this year the price of grain doubled in a three-month period. Mr Carr had raised his pullet prices from $16 to $20 during the past year.

But most other retailers had raised their prices to $25, he said. ‘‘I really think, if you want to make money out of pullets you need to charge $28.

‘‘I'm just breaking even. But I'm just doing it as a hobby now. ‘‘I've got arthritis and if I don't keep active I'll seize up.''

Mr Carr said he was also getting many more calls for meat chickens, which he did not have, and for chicken manure for vegetable gardens.

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