Anybody having hard time selling chicks?

[beak]

Last year we ordered 25 chicks for ourselves. They sent us 53. So we put the extras on Craigslist for 5$ each. They were all pullets but mixed breed. We sold the in a few days. So we ordered more. Sold them. We sold a total of 200 over 6 weeks. A lot of people wanted RIR's and EE's.So this year we ordered 50 of each. The EE's are 5 weeks old and the RIR's are 4 weeks old. We sold about 10 of each. The feed stores are selling them at cost and there are bunches of people selling them on Craigslist. It's like all the sudden everyone thinks they're the money maker of the year. Now we're stuck with about 70 chickens that keep growing and eating. I don't want to make them into meat chickens. I would rather buy a meat selection for 1.00 ea. the RIR's were 2.60 ea with shipping and the ee's were 3.10 ea with shipping. Anyone else having the same problem?

 

[youdontknow32]

Yea, it's sicking, people want to pay us $1 a bird, and they are under a year old, but almost a year old...and they are full grown....$1......

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I raised my hatchery excesses up to 6 weeks and then sold 'em for $20 each.

 

[youdontknow32]

Wow...that is crazy...we do not get that, and we did not get our birds from a hatchery either....we charge $10 for hens that are 10 months old.

 

[GardeNerd]

Could it be the timing? Was it at a different time in the year last time?

I put an ad up on craigslist and here for anyone wanting to share an order back in January. I had more ordered than I could handle by the end. We did end up with a bunch of extras due to a reshipment of the ones that didn't make it. Lots of folks around here wanted the extras, 4 weeks ago when I listed them. I just had two baby chicks from a hatch and I had a hard time giving them away. I also only had a couple of responses for my 4 week old pullets that I wanted to "rehome" because I had too many. That's what made me think maybe it was a timing thing. Earlier was easier.

 

[jason britton]

we raise until 18 weeks then sell for $20 ours are friendly and healthy we are in alabama

 

[beak]

We listed them when they were 3 days old. About 4 weeks ago. We live in the boonies. I think we'll just wait till they start laying and sell them for 15 or so.

 

[youdontknow32]

..wow, well we have people call and tell us they can get birds for nothing at the auction, so why should they pay us for our birds....it is crazy.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
I get that sort of tomfoolery as well, but for every one of those, I have four, five or more people who are just thrilled to have found 6-week pullets available at any price.

 

[youdontknow32]

oh yea same here!