What do you think of this? Help please.

[Volkova]

Hello (sorry this a long post! you do not have to answer all of it.) I am new to the forum and I need your help.

About Me - I live in the UK and I live on a diary farm. I love chickens and I am intrigued by their behavior and looks. I believe chickens should be raised to the best standard and I really hate factory farming, it is immoral and should not happen! My parents have had chickens for years and sell the eggs but a recent fox attacks have brought a flock of 80 to 5. I want to start my own business, re-brand and re-invent the old ways, I have renovated our spare coops and bought feeders and drinkers etc. So, I would really appreciate if you could help me.
I am hoping to set up a chicken breeding business, something to do in my free-time. I am going to sell some eggs in a shop nearby and, more importantly, I want to breed chickens to sell to others. I have chosen my main breed, Buff Orpington as they have an attractive and healthy-looking plumage. I have heard they are quite sweet too (I mean personality-wise not taste!!!) They will be arriving next week hopefully. I have became a member because I need advice from professional or skilled chickens breeders like yourselves and I have some questions before I begin. I also need people's opinions on the ideas explained after the questions

1) Could anybody help me find a name/brand name for the business? I would like something catchy and friendly/family-appealing.
2) What are people's opinions on Orpingtons?
3) Is there a difference between Buff and Golden Silkies? I have 3 but I cannot tell whether they are Golden or Buff.
4) How can I get the chickens 'used' to me? My Silkies are much nicer than the other chickens we have (I separated them when I found the Silkie cockerel would not go near my mom's chickens and they kept chucking the hen out of the hut!). They are still shy!
5) Do you think people/or you would prefer chicks raised in an incubator or naturally?
6) How can I get my chicken's to go into the nest boxes?
7) How can I make the chicken's coop attractive and comfortable?
8) How should I advertise?
9) What price do you think is best for an Orpington pullet? (Or cockerel?)

My idea

I am aiming at quality (as I chose Buff Orpingtons to start!) Do you think this is a good idea (below)?

When people (especially families) buy a set of 4 or more chicks they get a brooder set which includes:

• Transport box (for the chicks to go to their new home or for visiting others)
• 5 days worth of food to help get them started (bagged chick pellets)
• A mini-guide for those who are unsure about feeding, storage etc.
• Feeding tray
• Drinker
• 'Home' box; filled with sawdust and newspaper and maybe wrapped up for that 'nice touch'.

If anyone would be willing to suggest anymore ideas, It would be great appreciated!

Thank you in advance. Once again, sorry about the size of this post!

edited by staff

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

Great idea to start like this.

1. Maybe use area names like the city or neighborhood, or your own name?
2. They are #1 on BYC I think... I don't have one so I don't know.
3. Don't know
4. Pick them up often, stroke their feathers, and then offer them scratch so they see they get treats from being friendly. When you give them scratch, maybe put it in our hand and let them take it from your hand. Don't hold them for too long at first, but slowly hold them for a little longer. When you're not holding them, walk around if they are let out of their coop. Go next to them and pick a clover for them. Do a bit of gardening by them, and slowly they'll start to not notice very much if you walk around while they are out. I can open the coup door of mine a little and they will start coming out and then I can pick one up easily .
5. I don't think everyone cares. If they are able to visit your chickens as a tour of your farm, I'm sure people would love to see a mother hen with chicks, but also you would have to make more coops for natural to make sure that the other hens don't enter the youngsters into the pecking order too early, but again, not many care. I think people enjoy being able to pet the chicks heads sometimes(or at least I do) when they go to a place selling chicks.
6. You mean to lay eggs or what? I never had to tell mine to....
7. Paint always looks nice. Make sure they have enough room(duh), and look happy. Maybe put a head of cabbage or something for them to peck at. If possible, make your coop or run I forget what the difference is, o that you can move it often. Mine is moved about once a week, but some farmers have tractors and move theirs daily. I live in a city. I move it with my arms and hands.
8. Ermm....... Let's see... Make sure your sign is nice and easy to read and visible from the road. Hmmm..... Yelp is a good place, I found a place selling chicks there recently and I really liked the place and will go back I think.... They had Iowa Blues! Maybe four-square, since it's like Yelp, and then Google Places I think is another thing like that.
9. I have no idea. I will check at the place I went to recently and see what their price is, and then post their price or PM you.

The idea below seems like a good one, but will obviously cost more, I'm guessing?