The Flock's Waiting Line

The Flock's Waiting Line. The twenty percent that eat into your margin.

It’s the day of sale.

Your flock is ready, the buyer arrives this morning.

In your mind, all your chickens are leaving today.

Look at what is really going to happen.

The buyer looks, weighs, chooses.

He takes those that have the weight. About two chickens out of three.

The van leaves full, and you are happy.

Four days later, he returns.

He takes another part of the lot. We reach four chickens out of five.

So far, so good.

But look at what remains. One chicken in five.

Too small to leave.

They will wait another ten days, time to gain weight.

And while they wait, they eat. Morning and evening, like all chickens.

Let’s count. Not in money: in feed.

One hundred and eighty-five chickens waiting.

Ten days of waiting, from the thirty-fifth to the forty-fifth day.

One hundred and sixty grams per chicken per day.

That makes nearly three hundred kilos. Almost six bags of fifty kilos.

Six bags. That will not make any sellable chicken grow.

These chickens have already been fed for five weeks.

And they will leave at the same price as the others.

The one that leaves on the thirty-fifth day has eaten about three and a half kilos.

The one that leaves ten days later has eaten five.

One and a half kilos more, for the same selling price.

So take your notebook. How much does your bag cost? Multiply by six.

That amount has come out of your margin, without anyone telling you.

Why is there a flock's waiting line? First, a lot that is not homogeneous.

Then, males and females raised together. The females reach weight later.

Finally, the buyer chooses alone. He takes the nice ones and leaves you the small ones.

Here’s what you can do. Care for the brooding.

A homogeneous lot at seven days old is still so on the day of sale.

Weigh a sample before the sale. And sell the leftovers separately, even cheaper.

Remember this. Ten days of waiting means one and a half kilos of extra feed per chicken.

The chicken you cannot sell does not sleep: it eats.

Count your bags at the next flock. You will see.

And at your place, how many chickens remain after the first visit from the buyer?

Send this number on WhatsApp to 05 44 83 27 79. We will give you the flock record book, to count your bags.

Your chicks from the next flock? The 07 07 72 78 67. And subscribe for next week's lesson.

Your chicks are born in Agnibilékrou, in our hatchery. With Nextekci, every customer is a satisfied farmer.