Unsure is anyone here involved in chicken farming on a commercial basis.
There is a three-page feature in today's Bangkok Post on contract chicken farming in Lop Buri province; too much to copy and paste here, so you can link from the header below.
Contracts coop up chicken farmers
At a glance it seems agri-business guarantees benefit all concerned, but some poultry raisers in Lop Buri say the system is stacked against them
this except will give you an idea of the situation:
Some farmers who did not want to be named said the feed, vitamins and vaccinations delivered by the companies are overpriced, but they are obligated to take them because they do not have ready cash. They also said the the feed sometimes has a high moisture content. The company deducts for supplies and services when they sell the chickens.
. . . .
For example, one farmer sold 3,950 chickens at 45 days for 237,440 baht. After the deductions, he received a check for 29,510 baht, meaning he earned 7.38 baht a chicken. However, this fails to take into account the labour of the farmer and the cost of electricity. At the minimum wage of 182 baht a day for 45 days (16,650) and an electricity bill for the same period totalling 8,000 baht, he came out with 4,860 baht at selling time.
The same farmer showed another invoice showing he sold 4,267 for 256,227 baht. But after deductions he owed the company 2,357.90 baht, without even calculating the labour and electricity costs.
MONUMENT TO FAILURE: Thongjua Kiewthong abandoned his chicken farm after it brought him only years of stress and growing debt.