Question on peak sales months for local sales of barnyard chicks

[goats-n-oats]

Hi, I received a lot of interest from locals for barnyard chicks and pullets, during the months of October '22 - January '23. Also received some brief interest in hatching eggs earlier this month. I have noticed that the hatcheries (McMurray, Meyer, etc) are extremely busy right now. Is it possible that local sellers have more market share during the winter months, when the commercial hatcheries and Tractor Supply are not shipping? If so, I was thinking of ordering production layer chicks for Jul-Aug-Sep, so they are ready at 4 months old for sale in Nov-Dec-Jan. What do you think?

 

[cavemanrich]

I think your plan may work for you. Those pullets may lay thru their first winter when the rest of other chickens are on strike. That may be a good reason to sell laying pullets at that time,,,, and receive a decent price for them.
I think the leader of the pack on laying thru winter,,, are the White leghorns. The other production breeds may lay thru the winter,,,, but may need supplemental light.
My pet chickens do not lay much from autumn to spring. A few just started to lay recently, being in Winter housing,,, inside warm Garage loft. They get 12 hours of electric light. They went into winter housing about middle of December. Beginning of March, they will be in their outdoor coop. (I do not supplement light when they are outdoor coop) Days are longer, and laying of eggs starts to pick up well.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They will only sell well if people want chicks at that time, when it's super cold and birds may be inside the house longer (if they brood inside). I don't know what your population is like, but even if I was getting fertile eggs now, no one out here would by eggs or chicks yet because they won't be outside until the end of March most likely

 

[goats-n-oats]

I think your plan may work for you. Those pullets may lay thru their first winter when the rest of other chickens are on strike. That may be a good reason to sell laying pullets at that time,,,, and receive a decent price for them.
I think the leader of the pack on laying thru winter,,, are the White leghorns. The other production breeds may lay thru the winter,,,, but may need supplemental light.
My pet chickens do not lay much from autumn to spring. A few just started to lay recently, being in Winter housing,,, inside warm Garage loft. They get 12 hours of electric light. They went into winter housing about middle of December. Beginning of March, they will be in their outdoor coop. (I do not supplement light when they are outdoor coop) Days are longer, and laying of eggs starts to pick up well.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Ok thanks for your thoughts. You think white leghorns are stronger than brown?

 

[goats-n-oats]

They will only sell well if people want chicks at that time, when it's super cold and birds may be inside the house longer (if they brood inside). I don't know what your population is like, but even if I was getting fertile eggs now, no one out here would by eggs or chicks yet because they won't be outside until the end of March most likely

OK. I'm in Ohio, cold but not as cold as Montana.

 

[Percheron chick]

I'm hardly the one to weigh in on this as I'm planning on starting 200 pullets this spring and it could all blow up in my face but how much of the demand was a direct result of the sudden spike in egg prices during the holidays? Do you live in a populated chicken friendly area? There always seems to be a demand for pullets late in the season as people experience loss or just need to expand the flock. Typically when feed stores start cutting back. There are a few hatcheries who do hatch most of the year. Privett for sure other than a few weeks during the holidays. They also drop ship for others.
What's your plan if you can't move the last 10? Can you absorb them into your flock? Are you willing to process a perfectly good pullet? They would be most valuable if they are laying while the older hens have quit. Starting them a month earlier so they are producing by the holidays (not all 4 month olds are laying) should make them more desirable.

 

[goats-n-oats]

I'm hardly the one to weigh in on this as I'm planning on starting 200 pullets this spring and it could all blow up in my face but how much of the demand was a direct result of the sudden spike in egg prices during the holidays? Do you live in a populated chicken friendly area? There always seems to be a demand for pullets late in the season as people experience loss or just need to expand the flock. Typically when feed stores start cutting back. There are a few hatcheries who do hatch most of the year. Privett for sure other than a few weeks during the holidays. They also drop ship for others.
What's your plan if you can't move the last 10? Can you absorb them into your flock? Are you willing to process a perfectly good pullet? They would be most valuable if they are laying while the older hens have quit. Starting them a month earlier so they are producing by the holidays (not all 4 month olds are laying) should make them more desirable.

BOOM. Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Exactly what I was thinking as well.