I second that. I'd get as many as you can comfortably fit up till they're about 3 months old - you'll know which are cockerels by then. Real Ameruacanas are tough to find and you shouldn't have much trouble selling them. I've had 15 straight run chicks turn out only 4 pullets, so the more the merrier to increase your odds.
Amen to that! Totally spot-on. I agreed to sell a couple eggs to a few people I know who really want them but I asked them not to tell anyone else because I really don't want to sell fertile eggs, Same goes for chicks because I might be selling the next champion, which is the reason I'm doing it, plus I just like doing it of course. I'll be happy to sell any pullets/cockerels/trios that don't make the top cut but I wouldn't be a very successful breeder if I sold my eggs or chicks. Also, if they're like my other SOP birds, they won't churn out eggs like hatchery layers do - I might get anywhere from 2-4 eggs a week from each bird, so assuming a trio, that's only a dozen eggs per week max. That equals one week of the breeding season which isn't that long for me due to my climate. If you're working with less than a trio it might take up 1/4 or 1/3 of the time you have to breed them. You can't compare hatchery service to breeder service - apples and oranges.As someone who has sold and shipped a few chicks over the last few years, I'd like to add to this excellent response.
I just recently had someone ask me if I could hold their chicks for them until they were old enough to sex and I said "no"...here's why.
,
- As a small hobby breeder, I don't have a ton of space and if I'm holding your chicks for grow out, that is that many fewer I can keep for myself to grow out.
- The additional expense/time/effort of keeping those chicks for 4-5 weeks (minimum for the solid colors) and 3-4 weeks for the wheatens/blue wheatens is not compensated by the extra couple of dollars I have to charge you for those chicks and keep it within reasonable range. At 4-5 weeks, no one can guarantee a show quality, or even breeder quality, chick, so the additional charge is only because they are older chicks. It is more cost effective, for me, to hold on to any chicks that aren't shipped out as day olds until they are old enough to determine quality and charge accordingly - eg $50 + for a show quality started bird, versus $10 for 3-5 week old chick.
- If I've promised you 10 3-5 week old pullets, and the only ones I had set aside for you all are cockerels, that means that I've got to go into my own grow out pens and supplement your order - at a loss to my future show/breeding prospects.
I am not a commercial operation and the chicks/eggs I sell do not begin to cover the costs, but I do have to be careful that I'm not reaching into my own pocket every time I sell someone else a chick. Actually, I give away quite a few chicks/eggs/started birds from time to time, so I'm definitely not in it for the money. My primary purpose in raising my Ameraucanas is to improve on my breeding program - not to capitalize on how much I can get for them, so sometimes I just have to say "no" to certain request.
I really hadn't considered that the true Ameraucana males would be a bit easier to sell! If my parents will allow it, I'll go for 10 or more. Like you both said: the more chicks, the more chances for girls!
I will definitely know what questions to ask next time! This is the first breeder (of 2) that didn't stop responding after the initial email. I'm very happy with how things are going with this breeder and I hope that I will be able to get birds from him in the future when more space opens up in my backyard (I have a couple older girls that I'm keeping because I got attached to them). I am driving to the farm itself to pick up the chickies: not quite 4-5 hours, but a solid 2 or 3. He has been very nice and is letting me bring a friend, so I do hope I haven't made things too hard
I understand completely. This breeder offered started birds for a reasonable enough price, but to show them at fair I need to have them before May 1st. We came to the conclusion that- since he doesn't break out the incubators until March- chicks are the way to go. There is the possibility that I could ask for him to hold them for 2 or 3 weeks, but all these great responses from you all have convinced me that that is not the way to go. I'll be off to pick up my chicks in mid to early April depending on how his breeding pens go. No need to take up room in someone else's flock!As someone who has sold and shipped a few chicks over the last few years, I'd like to add to this excellent response.
I just recently had someone ask me if I could hold their chicks for them until they were old enough to sex and I said "no"...here's why.
,
- As a small hobby breeder, I don't have a ton of space and if I'm holding your chicks for grow out, that is that many fewer I can keep for myself to grow out.
- The additional expense/time/effort of keeping those chicks for 4-5 weeks (minimum for the solid colors) and 3-4 weeks for the wheatens/blue wheatens is not compensated by the extra couple of dollars I have to charge you for those chicks and keep it within reasonable range. At 4-5 weeks, no one can guarantee a show quality, or even breeder quality, chick, so the additional charge is only because they are older chicks. It is more cost effective, for me, to hold on to any chicks that aren't shipped out as day olds until they are old enough to determine quality and charge accordingly - eg $50 + for a show quality started bird, versus $10 for 3-5 week old chick.
- If I've promised you 10 3-5 week old pullets, and the only ones I had set aside for you all are cockerels, that means that I've got to go into my own grow out pens and supplement your order - at a loss to my future show/breeding prospects.
I am not a commercial operation and the chicks/eggs I sell do not begin to cover the costs, but I do have to be careful that I'm not reaching into my own pocket every time I sell someone else a chick. Actually, I give away quite a few chicks/eggs/started birds from time to time, so I'm definitely not in it for the money. My primary purpose in raising my Ameraucanas is to improve on my breeding program - not to capitalize on how much I can get for them, so sometimes I just have to say "no" to certain request.
Yeah, the breeder I've been talking to seems fine with selling either started birds or chicks. I'm thinking that I might bring a present of dried mealworms or something because he is being so nice!
I recently found out that I can... "drop off" ... any unwanted chickens at a local farm for a fee of $5. If worse comes to worse and I can't find anyone to take them I think I might have to consider making a donation
