Is $40 too much for a chick?

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Little Miss Oli

Little Miss Oli

In the Brooder
May 21, 2016
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I went to an organic smaller scale chicken farm to get my chickens. I went to get adult chickens but ended up getting 1 week old chicks. 2 golden laced brahmas and 2 lavendar americuanas. The womans ad said the chickens were $20 but i guess that was only for her orphingtons. She charged me $40 per chick. I was shocked at the price but i had driven far and had already spent alot of time looking at all of her chickens and picked out the babies. I still cant believe i spent $160 on 4 baby chicks. I expressed my concern about the cost to her and she said they will be amazing, gorgeous wonderful chickens and all of theif chicks and chickens have been handled with love and care. Its like getting designer or purebred dogs except these are chickens. So i felt weird saying never mind and parted with the money. I would have been fine paying 40 each if they were already ready to start laying eggs soon but im still feeling weird about the whole situation. Would you pay that much for a week old chick?
 
If they were from very good quality stock, that's on the high end but still within pretty normal range. I'd expect $30-$40 to be typical for the Brahmas and $20-$30 for Lavender Ameraucanas. So pricey even for breeder chicks but not totally insane.
 
That's quite a bit of a stretch in my book... the top breeders of Lavender Ameraucanas charge $10 per day old chick... granted, most have to have them shipped from them and their minimum orders are 25 chicks, but still... I can see $20 each for top lines, but not more than that... I would consider those prices to be closer to POL prices...
 
RavynFallen said:
That's quite a bit of a stretch in my book... the top breeders of Lavender Ameraucanas charge $10 per day old chick... granted, most have to have them shipped from them and their minimum orders are 25 chicks, but still... I can see $20 each for top lines, but not more than that... I would consider those prices to be closer to POL prices...
Click to expand...


Really? Maybe we just have overpriced chickens out here in CA.
 
QueenMisha said:
Really? Maybe we just have overpriced chickens out here in CA.
Click to expand...

I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes...depends on where in Cali. heh ;)

Even buying a dozen hatching eggs for laced brahmas, you can find them for around $40 for all 12 if you're willing to hatch them yourself around here. And while they're straight run, I can find a couple of hatched lavender ameraucanas for about $8/each. Of course, I feel like it's reasonable to spend more if you're buying SOP chicks that you're going to show or that you know are absolutely disease free and won't die...just like you're going to spend more on a registered horse that has perfect conformation.
hu.gif
But I also feel like this person wasn't being completely honest with you and took advantage of the situation a little. I'm sorry that happened to you Little Miss. :(
 
Our hatchery charges
20 for lavender orpingtons and for jubilee orpingtons 49! They don't have the LA.
Those are most rare and unique chicks and I believe that's why yours are so much. I'd love either lavender orpingtons or ameracanas
 
Whosoever birds you have, you need to make sure their growth and development at this stage doesn't have any hitches or they will not grow to their advertise potential. I don't know whose strain you have. But doesn't matter in development. These 1st 2 months are critical in getting their genetics to develop properly. Remember the birds will go thru 3 sets of feathers before they mature. Plus the 1st 2 weeks are very important for proper development of the internal organs. Regardless of what you want, put them on medicated chick feed. First of you need to feed them a quality ration for Calif. . Then get some vitamins . or supplements. Queenmisha? I always grow out my chicks on Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutri-Drench. http://www.nutridrench.com Top quality nutritional supplement which doesn't need digested. great stuff. Make their water look like very weak tea. I get it ( smallest bottle) at Tractor Supply ( or your feed store). But maybe queenmisha already has a complete development regimen to share with you?
Best,
Karen
 
Last edited:
QueenMisha said:
Really? Maybe we just have overpriced chickens out here in CA.
Click to expand...


Ya youre right about that.
Chicks and hatching eggs seem to be twice as much out there then most are back here in the midwest. But hey everything cost more out there i hear.
And then even here you put that word "organic" with something the price goes up.
Those chicks would be about $8 on the Ameraucanas and $10 to $15 on the Brahmas here.
 
welcome-byc.gif


For you, in your situation, yep, it was waaaayy too much. You're just getting started, you're not breeding specific birds or showing, and honestly neither of those breeds are stellar layers. Plus, at only a week old, you very likely have two cockerels. I say shame on that seller for taking advantage of you.

Don't ever be embarrassed to say something it too expensive.
 

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