Kylie Magner - Poultry Farmer

Kylie from Co Tipperary is a free range poultry farmer who has recently added beef and sheep enterprise on the farm. Having returned to the farm after a period working abroad Kylie was eager to make the farm a viable fulltime option for herself and her husband Billy. Kylie set about developing a free range poultry business converting existing buildings and selling eggs at local markets.

Main Motivations

Make the farm a viable full-time option
Have a quality work-life balance
Live in the countryside and work outdoors
Run a sustainable enterprise

Success factors

Maximising the return achieved from 20 acres through free range poultry
Product is in demand and sought after both locally and nationally
Egg packing licence allows for packing of Magners Farm eggs as well as packing for other producers
A chicken broth product has been developed which is made from the spent hens adding another product to the farms offering
A hen coup business has been developed where Kylie has designed and built a portable hen coup to facilitate rotational; grazing of the hens

Hurdles

Access to Markets; the markets were developed initially at local farmers markets. The Covid 19 pandemic necessitated a move to farm gate sales and developing an online presence
Access to land; the farm was purchased in 2004. Kylie and Billy worked abroad for seven years before returning to the farm
Access to finance; Finance was secured to purchase the land. Borrowings have been minimised through the conversion of existing facilities