Homesteading and Hobby Farm/Ranch

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Burns

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Emu and Ostrich meat have the same problem that Alpaca and Llama wool have, in that it's trying to start from scratch, and compete with industries that have been around for 100s of years.

They might be able to get a decent market share at some point, but it's way too early in the process to be profitable for most farmers. Then, as soon as it reaches that critical mass threshold, the corpo farmers will step in and run all the family farms, that worked so hard for it to get there, out of business.

Well, at least in the case of Alpaca wool...by the time Emu meat would reach that point, everyone will be eating pressed insect bars.
 
Kiroy

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Burns said:
Emu and Ostrich meat have the same problem that Alpaca and Llama wool have, in that it's trying to start from scratch, and compete with industries that have been around for 100s of years.

They might be able to get a decent market share at some point, but it's way too early in the process to be profitable for most farmers. Then, as soon as it reaches that critical mass threshold, the corpo farmers will step in and run all the family farms, that worked so hard for it to get there, out of business.

Well, at least in the case of Alpaca wool...by the time Emu meat would reach that point, everyone will be eating pressed insect bars.
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Ya according to that article they needed to sell emu meat for like 25 bucks a lb. Good luck.

Another problem with starting from scratch is generational breeding for efficiencies. All the other meat industries have like 500 years head start.
 
Locnar

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Ratites today is mostly about the pet trade. Also breeding for rare colors (white emus , etc). The other major change from the 90s is the internet itself. It creates demand and allows you to market and advertise to millions. Among those millions , you will find buyers for your animals. And there are also regional exotic auctions if you want to take less but move animals quicker. I’ve never ever had to sell “for meat” (or oil, or leather etc).

I’ll tell you they make a shit ton more money than chickens, all costs considered.
 
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Sludig

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Locnar said:
Ratites today is mostly about the pet trade. Also breeding for rare colors (white emus , etc). The other major change from the 90s is the internet itself. It creates demand and allows you to market and advertise to millions. Among those millions , you will find buyers for your animals. And there are also regional exotic auctions if you want to take less but move animals quicker. I’ve never ever had to sell “for meat” (or oil, or leather etc).

I’ll tell you they make a shit ton more money than chickens, all costs considered.
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Yeah basically pet for me. Shame you have to kill them for the oil, though I was half interested in meat, but with all stated above, feel like horrible return for novelty. But if I can sell egg or chick's and try to Semi break even I'd be very happy
 
Locnar

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Sludig said:
Yeah basically pet for me. Shame you have to kill them for the oil, though I was half interested in meat, but with all stated above, feel like horrible return for novelty. But if I can sell egg or chick's and try to Semi break even I'd be very happy
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Standard color chick will sell for $200 easy. One pair should give you on average 30 a year. Do the math.
 
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Sludig

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Locnar said:
Standard color chick will sell for $200 easy. One pair should give you on average 30 a year. Do the math.
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Probably not in Oklahoma but any luck letting them self hatch, or do you incubate them all, that part would be new to me.
 
Locnar

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Sludig said:
Probably not in Oklahoma but any luck letting them self hatch, or do you incubate them all, that part would be new to me.
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I collect and incubate. Maybe let the dad sit and hatch the last 8 or so if you want. He can only fit so many under him at a time. Don’t sell for less than 200 no matter where you are. 500 for blondes , 800 for whites. Minimum. Just be patient. Also find and visit your local exotic auctions and you will see what they go for there. Selling from home is/should be more than auction.
 
Foler

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Been a while since I’ve posted in here.

Started a food forest, chickens incoming next month, greenhouse in the works.

Initial goal is to be able to feed 100 people a day by fall. It’s a pretty easy goal with FF + greenhouse. Will add aquaponics early fall.

At roughly 40 different kinds of fruiting trees/bushes. Number of which are same fruit different varieties. Amazing what you can grow in Florida with low chill hour varieties of fruit/nuts etc. Peach trees already in bloom.
 
Foler

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lurkingdirk said:
I always have a dozen on the go, different ages, so I'm harvesting a couple every couple of weeks. Keeps us with plenty of chicken to eat for our tastes. I have four spaces for them to keep the ages separate. The older ones tend to pick on the younger ones.
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How many coops are you running?

About to have a custom coop/run made, 8x10 coop with 8x20 run. Was considering maybe doing multiple smaller coops/runs
 
Foler

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Where are you guys sourcing your chicks/chickens? Going with a view solid egg layers and then some fun breeds. Curious if anyone orders online.
 
Araysar

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Foler said:
Been a while since I’ve posted in here.

Started a food forest, chickens incoming next month, greenhouse in the works.

Initial goal is to be able to feed 100 people a day by fall. It’s a pretty easy goal with FF + greenhouse. Will add aquaponics early fall.

At roughly 40 different kinds of fruiting trees/bushes. Number of which are same fruit different varieties. Amazing what you can grow in Florida with low chill hour varieties of fruit/nuts etc. Peach trees already in bloom.
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Foler this isnt your garbage thread in the rickshaw to make up bullshit.
 
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Foler

The_Black_Log Foler

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Getting ready to seed some clover to use as nitrogen fixing ground cover and daikon radish to break up some more clay like soil.

My soil isn’t very good.. Food forest sits on hill. Very alkaline on him. You get closer to river and of course it becomes richer.

Will post pics this weekend.

Is everyone in here a mono-cropper?…
 
Araysar

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Foler Foler who will manage this "feeding 100 people per day" agricultural marvel in your backyard?
 
Sludig

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Mini donkey after a month of being scared of the emu turned and plucked her a bit, happened in a space of a couple hours, I'm still confused how it looks like she woulda sat still and taken it. A part of me almost still would believe some maniac came into my pen. No wounds really, just one kinda scrapey abrasion on the edge. I'd accuse her of self plucking if it whernt for a tiny spot on neck, and a little further up back not sure if she can reach.

Like 15 degree nights, she was shivering when we discovered it, so spent a couple days indoors, that was a fun mess to keep up with, finally got our hospital shack some heat, tricky getting enough heat without the power strips overloading since it's coming out on 250 feet of extension cord. (Yes I am gambling I burn the shack down, but I can't keep up with the fountain of 150lb birdshit. )

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Foler

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Araysar said:
Foler Foler who will manage this "feeding 100 people per day" agricultural marvel in your backyard?
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Not super hard to manage a food forest once it gets off the ground running in 3-6 years. You’d be surprised how many people you can feed with some fruit trees. Add a greenhouse and aquaponics and it increases significantly.

It’s how far should be done. Not monocropping.. Monocropping is for globohomo mega corps and people who don’t know how to produce food.
 
Foler

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Sludig said:
Mini donkey after a month of being scared of the emu turned and plucked her a bit, happened in a space of a couple hours, I'm still confused how it looks like she woulda sat still and taken it. A part of me almost still would believe some maniac came into my pen. No wounds really, just one kinda scrapey abrasion on the edge. I'd accuse her of self plucking if it whernt for a tiny spot on neck, and a little further up back not sure if she can reach.

Like 15 degree nights, she was shivering when we discovered it, so spent a couple days indoors, that was a fun mess to keep up with, finally got our hospital shack some heat, tricky getting enough heat without the power strips overloading since it's coming out on 250 feet of extension cord. (Yes I am gambling I burn the shack down, but I can't keep up with the fountain of 150lb birdshit. )

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Hope you’re harvesting that bird shit for compost. Not sure how emu shit is for fertilizer but chicken shit is $$$$$
 
Sludig

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Foler said:
Hope you’re harvesting that bird shit for compost. Not sure how emu shit is for fertilizer but chicken shit is $$$$$
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If the cardinals don't eat it all, it's supposedly not as hot ready to use, but yes I have a large straw/manure/chickenshit/eggshell/coffeegrind/misc other bedding pile I'm hoping is composting in the center somewhere.
 
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Foler

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Sludig said:
If the cardinals don't eat it all, it's supposedly not as hot ready to use, but yes I have a large straw/manure/chickenshit/eggshell/coffeegrind/misc other bedding pile I'm hoping is composting in the center somewhere.
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I’d probably skip the straw and eggshells. If this is super hot you’ll need ample browns for carbons to “cool” it off. Dead brown leaves are ideals for this, cardboard works great as well
 
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