ANYONE, ever sold or auctioned old hens that aren't laying anymore? ?

[lashawnb]

A friend of mine wants to get rid of some older birds that have stopped laying. She's thinking she can get $5.00 a bird at a local sale in Collinsville? ANYONE had any luck selling
older birds? if so how much do you get?

Lashawnb
Bville, OK

 

[asher]

I haven't, but she needs to be honest about it (no longer laying) and should be okay with knowing that they'll almost definitely be going to the stew pot.

 

[lashawnb]

Well in this day & age ya never know for sure, but OH YAH, of course she's going to be honest & sell them AS OLD NON-LAYIN HENS. She doesn't eat a lot of chicken, & doesn't know what else to do with them. She's not sentimental about them at all, most of the older ones she inherited, & she just needs to cull the flock & get some more layers.

I guess, I mean do people actually buy old non-layin birds for the pot? If so, what is a usual price to ask? What else would you use them for, they aren't pet quality! :> LOL

Lashawnb

 

[asher]

Sorry, I didn't mean that to come across mean or snarky...just seen that happen a lot, sadly. *sigh*

I'm not sure what they sell for. Are they nice big fat ones? If so, they may go okay. Never know until you try, right?

 

[lashawnb]

Quote:
No offense taken. I've heard about it happening, but just don't generally think
along those lines. And my girlfriend is one of the most honest persons I know. She,
herself is afraid to buy grown hens because
they may be getting too old & she might get lied to about it.

 

[Scrambled Egg]

Quote:
Very sad.......

 

[burntumber]

People buy mature sized hens for good money at the livestock auction not far from me. The few times I've taken chicks to the auction, I'm stunned at what older hens fetch- easily $5 a piece, usually more.

As for eating older layers I have two words for you... crock pot!

While we raise and process our own meat chickens every summer, I honestly don't think I could dress out our layer hens. I have a couple that are going on five years old- I don't even know if they ever lay. I just get so used to having them around I get attached.

 

[palabeco]

I thiink that the people who buy chickens at auctions can tell by looking at them that they are old. At our local livestock auction, old hens sell for around $3 and roos for $5. I bought a crate of old hens, for warmth and companionship to my 3 young chickens, a couple years ago and paid $2.75 each. I also sold my roos this year for $5 each. I took some of the old hens too, but someone bought them right from the car when I was unloading them, I just asked $1.50 for each of them, because the auction company would have took commission if they sold them.

 

[lashawnb]

Quote:
Very sad.......

Sad that people lie or sad that she's going to sell
her chickens for the stewpot?

 

[katrinag]

The swap meet that we have around me gets between $3-$5 for an old non layer. They are bought to eat.