Chicken Economics

I started with my first ducks when I was in 6th grade. Thats been 4 years ago. Since then I have really gotten into showing and that is expensive. But any money I make goes into the TK Poultry savings account. I don't think I've ever broke even but the one month. I'm in the process right now of switching from Bantam Ameraucanas to Standard Ameraucanas which is also expensive. If you are anything like me then you will change your mind and when you do that means selling and buying new birds. If your parents aren't supportive than it makes it alot harder. My mom took awhile to warm up to the idea now she has Call Ducks! In short its and expensive money pit of a hobby but its the only thing I can see myself doing!!!

Rare Feathers Farm- I'd be interested to learn anything else about the breed since you have them, are the roosters generally nice? Is there a big market for hatching eggs? I have never bought eggs to hatch before so I really don't know how many people would be buying my eggs. I plan on moving my egg price up as I see what the market is, would people think my eggs aren't any good since they are priced so cheap? I don't want to start them out to expensive till I figure the market and gain a reputation. I'm don't know the breeders name with the cochins, they are located in Jackson, La and advertise on craigslist in the spring. I think they also have french black copper marans and some other breeds. Their birds all look really nice and I wouldn't be suprised if they are on BYC somewhere. I plan on starting out keeping 6-8 hens and 1 or 2 roosters. Thanks for the laying age tip, I'll have to ajust for that. Do you have any pictures of your birds? I would love to see them

SLC- wow thanks, thats alot to think around. I can't do any kind of meat chicken though. We raised 15 broilers with 4-H last year and my parents said never again lol, all those things did was eat and sit! And then we had to prossess them... that took us all day. It also wasn't very cost efficient for us with feed cost. I'm sure there are better ways to do it but I don't think my parents are going to give it another chance and personally I didn't care for them that much either. So laying chickens is what it is.


My goal here is to be able to raise a breed I like for fun and have it sustain itself (ie not keep having to throw out more money). I know there are big production ways finding best prices, going largescale, etc.. But I just want a few chickens I like and can work on improving the breed and make alittle money off them as a side.

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Yes, I know why your parents would say that, the cornish cross are like that. They are suitable for industrial production but kind of pitiful creatures in a natural setting. French broilers, aka Freedom Rangers, redbro etc. are not like that, they are like regular chickens who run and fly etc.

I wish you luck.

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You can't make any money with your plan. First off if you can buy 8-10 chick it will likely be half cocks. That probably only leaves 4-5 hens. Cochins develop slowly! They do not lay nearly as many eggs as any egg breed. Also there is NO SUCH BREED as Giant Golden Laced Cochins. The variety would be Standard Gold Laced Cochins. Do you have an incubator to hatch eggs already? Hens will quit laying when they go broody. If you want to do it go into with the idea that you are doing it for fun and a profit would be a bonus.

ok even if you cant do it on large scale as i do why not just order 25 pullets and sell them least you be making some money

Black Cochin Bantams- Thanks for your input. The breeder advertised them as giant as a marketing tool and I just wrote it down like that. So I guess they really are just standard sized. I have an incubator and have hatched a few times before, I probably won't let them go broody if I can help it. I relise I will only end up with 4-6 hens out of the original batch so I was planning on keeping a few chicks for replacement/additional hens once I hatch some myself.
Birchhatchery- I could but making money however I could wasn't really my intent. I love the gold laced cochins breed and want to be able to keep some and work with them but not spend alot of out of pocket money. And I do plan on hatching some and selling the chicks and started bird so I would still make money that way.

I'm going to talk with my dad tonight and lay out my plan and see if he goes for it yet. If not... Back to the drawing board. I will let y'all know the outcome.

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Yes, the roosters are usually nice. You'll get an occasional mean one but I cull those right away. Also, I have found the broody rate to be 50% with my GL hens. So plan on those not laying and wanting to sit. When they want to sit, they REALLY want to sit. Even a week in a wire cage sometimes won't break them and you'll lose a week or two at least every time they do that because they'll stop laying. The demand is higher than I can keep up with my birds and that's because:

1. They mature very slowly.
2. They don't lay every day.
3. They frequently go broody.
4. When it gets hot out, they stop laying




My rooster got some frostbite on his comb last winter and it froze pretty much off....but it used to be nice!



Young pullets:

Gorgous birds! I love them thanks for sharing. I'll probably be asking alot more questions when/if I get mine in the spring. Good to know there will be a demand for the eggs, maybe I can work towards breeding the broodiness out of them a little bit but still maintain all of the normal character.
I don't think I'm going to lay out my plan for my dad tonight, he isn't in the right mood . I'll see what tomorrow brings