Rasing Phesants Advise Please

[scottish lurcher 185]

I have been asked by friend to let him use some land I have, to let him raise phesants that he plans to rear and sell for profit he now asked me to help out financial to for a percentage of profit. Can anyone give me idea of start up cost needed and how many birds would be needed to make it worth while ,as I like to have idea if this could work or if lad is out of his depth.

[scottish lurcher 185]

They will be reared on my land then transferred to his land where he will charge the guns . But sounds like a lot of birds for not much money .

[BIGLURKS 874]

It would also depend if you plan on keep doing it every year cos after a couple of years you'll be likely too move the lot but it would depend on how many he wants too rear and if he has buyers set up I mean raising 500/1000 is not much work and not too much of an outlay all it will be is a big shed and a big pen maybe 3 grand for supplies 2 weeks work for a couple of lads but how many is he thinking

[Lab 10,979]

It's very difficult to tell you start up costs. Simply because you could buy all new stuff or you could use second hand.

But to make a wage from rearing if you base 20000 birds per man you'd make a decent living. Obviously the more you do the greater the profit.

[jok 3,255]

Don't forget the dreaded VAT. You got to be legal. Lol

[sussex 5,777]

Has he ever raised birds before ? ..are the plans to buy in day olds or is he hatching ? ..the trouble with pheasants they have a great likening to killing themselves by any means at there disposal and if possible take as many of there mates out at the same time ..the only time they practice self preservation is the day the shooting season starts ..if all the angles arn't covered they can be a great way to loose a few quid , something akin to owning a race horse ..good luck with it ..

[scottish lurcher 185]

Thanks lads for replys , the lad has reared birds as part of a small shooting syndicate where I belive they all take turns looking after the birds . He wants to buy young poults to save the cost of heat lamps etc he wants to have around 2000 /3000 birds all equipment would have to be new. And he would be only guy looking after birds , so no wage costs but wonder if a operation like this could make a small profit and likely cost of start up as I would imagine feed costs might be high to

[BIGLURKS 874]

If he is buying in poults would he not be better rearing them were he is going too be penning them were he is realising them I mean if all the rearing is done but I can't understand why he would be wanting too rear poults were he is not realising them

[jok 3,255]

You know when you go for an MOT and you pass but with advisories. Well mate I think an advisory is in order. This sounds like a huge failure. (Only in my opinion). Lack of knowledge and clearly not knowing the great unknown. For sure you will have a visit and all your budget plans etc will go to the wall. How do I know? The buggers did it to me in one night .All right not the numbers you are on about, but all the birds cleared in one night. Heartbreaking. Thing was, I never saw it coming,which, when I found out who it was even more levelling. Don't think all your enemies are where you can see them. Like I say, an opinion.

[Rabid 1,936]

You know when you go for an MOT and you pass but with advisories. Well mate I think an advisory is in order. This sounds like a huge failure. (Only in my opinion). Lack of knowledge and clearly not knowing the great unknown. For sure you will have a visit and all your budget plans etc will go to the wall. How do I know? The buggers did it to me in one night .All right not the numbers you are on about, but all the birds cleared in one night. Heartbreaking. Thing was, I never saw it coming,which, when I found out who it was even more levelling. Don't think all your enemies are where you can see them. Like I say, an opinion.

Wise words jok, very wise.

As an aside, I have to agree with most of the comments so far, Sussex is right about them been suicidal, I have seen them kill themselves in some very odd ways and it opened my eyes.

 

I fail to see why you would buy in chicks at a few weeks old (to avoid the heat lamp situation they will really need to be feathered) and bring them on for release in the hope you will make money, (that's a situation smaller keepers put themselves in to save money not make it) the money is in the hatching and full rearing for sale as poults, as that is where the risk is that's where you earn the money.

One man rearing the numbers you want can easily do it, IF he has not got a job or any other commitments as they need a lot of attention, hence those numbers are an in between, you either need just a few so part time, or a lot more to cover been full time.

The initial outlay will surprise you if buying new, and the time and effort required to setup..........

 

In summary, a strange setup he is planning, and the numbers don't stack up for profit making, perhaps 10'000 and sell the surplus to other shoots ?

Edited March 16, 2016 by Rabid

[scottish lurcher 185]

Thanks lads I don't think I will invest but will allow him the use of land and sheds as they are sitting unused !!

[BIGLURKS 874]

Thanks lads I don't think I will invest but will allow him the use of land and sheds as they are sitting unused !!

ask him for a days shooting for you and your friends if your a shooter that is

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

If hes buying in poults ,they will be 7~8 weeks old and go straight to wood .If hes buying in days olds then outlay as said will only be recouped on a large scale .Dont know anywhere that sells birds mid term as no money in it .You need to get answers before investing mate as well as a good alarm system .

[burnie69 376]

Remember there's not vat on birds or food.