Selling Manure, price?

[JG3]

How much does rabbit manure typically go for when selling? New to this and want to make sure I don’t ask too much.

 

[Cindy in SD]

The lady I just bought my weanling kits from told me she sold it for $5.00 (US) a feed bag. Considering the current cost of fertilizer, I thought that was way too cheap, but I didn't say so. I figured that she'd know what it would fetch in our area. I think I'll be able to use all of mine in my garden.

I think a lot depends on where you live, but around here, I wouldn't object to $15. Of course, I understand how much it can cost to make that fertilizer as I've had chickens for several years. I've heard of folks getting $30. If I didn't have my own source, I'd pay that. I'm told bunny pellets are a great, complete fertilizer and I've paid more that $50 for commercial organic fertilizer in bags about that size. Fertilizer is expensive, especially lately—if you can get it at all.

 

[Zee-Man]

Check it out on etsy, folks will evidently spend alot on it.

Rabbit manure (as with other hind gut creatures) is nutrient rich and considered "cold" so it can be sown directly with live plants. Compare to green cow manure, which is still fermenting and is considered "hot". It will cause nitrogen burning on sensitive root hairs. So it needs to be composted before use. I recently planted 14 rose bushes. Each hole got a gallon of rabbit manure!

I think we have several threads on manure. You should also do a site search. That is, I am not complaining about yet another thread, just there is a bunch of other info already typed.

 

[JG3]

Check it out on etsy, folks will evidently spend alot on it.

Rabbit manure (as with other hind gut creatures) is nutrient rich and considered "cold" so it can be sown directly with live plants. Compare to green cow manure, which is still fermenting and is considered "hot". It will cause nitrogen burning on sensitive root hairs. So it needs to be composted before use. I recently planted 14 rose bushes. Each hole got a gallon of rabbit manure!

I think we have several threads on manure. You should also do a site search. That is, I am not complaining about yet another thread, just there is a bunch of other info already typed.

Thanks, I looked on Etsy and craigslist and I thought the price was insane I’d never pay that for it. LOL! And I don’t see anyone local to me paying that much either. It was like $9 per lb and more. I found a few local ads around here and they were about $1.50 per lb. Maybe the US has more demand. LOL.

Ill try another search but I did do that first snd only threads on mulching, cleaning, drying and storage came up, I couldn’t find pricing anywhere, just comments saying people sell it but no details.

I can use what I need, but living in town with neighbours I can’t keep and store a huge pile and have them complain about a smell, be reported and forced to get rid of the rabbits. The smell isn’t strong, as I’m sure you know, but it’s present and if it catches the wind, I don’t want to anger the wrong person. LOL

 

[ladysown]

I used to sell it for $10 a feed bag and charged $1 every time I had to move it. So if I Had to move it into my truck to transport it, and if I needed to move it out of my truck an extra dollar etc. (plus gas fees of course). Often times people would take it out of the truck for me, but often enough I'd make $12 for one bag of feed.

You might want to talk to the local garden clubs and see what they think and get some ideas. They might want it to be straight poo, you could offer to make rabbit "tea", or sell the urine separately, etc. All kinds of ideas to try.

 

[Lewis]

What is urine used for?

I used to sell it for $10 a feed bag and charged $1 every time I had to move it. So if I Had to move it into my truck to transport it, and if I needed to move it out of my truck an extra dollar etc. (plus gas fees of course). Often times people would take it out of the truck for me, but often enough I'd make $12 for one bag of feed.

You might want to talk to the local garden clubs and see what they think and get some ideas. They might want it to be straight poo, you could offer to make rabbit "tea", or sell the urine separately, etc. All kinds of ideas to try.

What is the urine used for?

 

[Zee-Man]

What is urine used for?

Urine is packed with nitrogen. Unlike manure, urine is "hot" . Personally I do not collect it. One could capture it in straw, let it ferment and collect the saltpeter. But, practically speaking, if you collect it, it should go into the compost. My rabbits excrement falls to a screen where the manure rolls away and the urine passes through to the ground. @KelleyBee has stacked hutches and uses corrugated plastic roofing to move both to a gutter which has the separating screen, ingenious!

 

[Zee-Man]

... I found a few local ads around here and they were about $1.50 per lb. Maybe the US has more demand. LOL....

I find that you start with cost, it isn't really free. If you feed pellets then that is a real cost. I would make a guess at 30 to 50% ! If you feed forage, then at least your time.

Then you add value with packaging. Not just the cost of the package, but the convenience of the end user.

Now add what profit margin you would like. 20% is a modest figure.

Finally you take that price and do market testing. I would double your price and see if the market accepts it. Then decrease it by degrees until you find the sweet spot. You would be amazed to find that many folks won't buy it at the reasonable price, but will snatch it up at the insane price.

 

[ladysown]

THIS (arrows up) is SO very true.

 

[KelleyBee]

@KelleyBee has stacked hutches and uses corrugated plastic roofing to move both to a gutter which has the separating screen, ingenious!

I’ve got an update on that system. It’s labor intensive and I no longer want to use it due to this fact. that system you speak of is in my breeder hutch. My growouts hutch is less fancy and the cages are suspended anywhere from 3 to 4 feet above the ground with all waste debris falling right to the ground. By comparison, the growouts setup is less labor intensive and far less smelly, attracts less flies. I am hoping to change out the breeder hutch to a ground system before the next winter.

 

[Zee-Man]

I’ve got an update on that system. It’s labor intensive and I no longer want to use it due to this fact. that system you speak of is in my breeder hutch. My growouts hutch is less fancy and the cages are suspended anywhere from 3 to 4 feet above the ground with all waste debris falling right to the ground. By comparison, the growouts setup is less labor intensive and far less smelly, attracts less flies. I am hoping to change out the breeder hutch to a ground system before the next winter.

You would like my separator idea for your growouts. it is simply a piece of 1/4 inch wire cloth bent to a funnel shape that feeds to a bucket.

 

[KelleyBee]

You would like my separator idea for your growouts. it is simply a piece of 1/4 inch wire cloth bent to a funnel shape that feeds to a bucket.

Share a photo when you get the chance.

 

[JG3]

I find that you start with cost, it isn't really free. If you feed pellets then that is a real cost. I would make a guess at 30 to 50% ! If you feed forage, then at least your time.

Then you add value with packaging. Not just the cost of the package, but the convenience of the end user.

Now add what profit margin you would like. 20% is a modest figure.

Finally you take that price and do market testing. I would double your price and see if the market accepts it. Then decrease it by degrees until you find the sweet spot. You would be amazed to find that many folks won't buy it at the reasonable price, but will snatch it up at the insane price.

Very true. Didn’t consider that.

 

[jaxmarblebuns]

i sell mine for $5 a feed sack (50lb feed sacks) but i have had many buyers tell me they would pay up to $20.
if you want to make a good profit while still being reasonable/thoughtful with the price $10-$15 would probably be good.

 

[Zee-Man]

Very true. Didn’t consider that.

Once upon a time I had visions of opening a commercial meadery. My cost per bottle was about $2 . I tried selling them for $5, then $10 and even $15. At those prices they would sell adequately. At $20 a bottle stock was depleted quickly. Until the price was what the customer perceived of as value, the product only moved slowly.

As a professional sweep, I set my hourly rate by a sound accounting formula. My services are reasonably priced. I also happen to be one of the more costly providers in my area. Part of that is due simply to devoting more time to provide a premium service. Most of the difference, however, is that other sweeps in the area set their price only by what they think the client will accept. It's a "what they think they can get away with" mentality.

The company I formerly worked for was one such. Selling in such a way, I netted the company a significant amount in sales, but closed only 2 in 10. By sticking to my guns, so to speak, I now close at 9 in 10 and my cash flow is exactly where I expect it to be. To make a long story short. Don't lie to yourself about what your clients perceive as value. Price is not always the prime factor.

 

[Zee-Man]

Share a photo when you get the chance.

Primitive but effective. Urine still collects on the screen so I need to make it removable for cleaning. Otherwise, berries roll to the bucket, urine passes through. I've added a string to shake the screen when needed. In the plan is to make it wider for more coverage and bring the bucket closer to the front. I also have a vision of a conveyor system so dirty sections move to a convenient place for cleaning and berries get collected centrally.