Backyard Hatchery?

[johnnymax]

Hey, has anybody tried o raise a few extra chickens in their backyard to sell in their area? I guess you could post an add on Craig's list.

I was wondering if I could make a little extra to put toward my feed. I guess I would be selling the hens and eating the roosters.

 

[DTchickens]

Lots of people do that

. I probably will later own too when i get some extras.

 

[greathorse]

If you have a bit of extra room I have had the best luck hatching some early stuff and selling pullets near point of lay or at about 8 weeks or so. Here pullets sell for about 8 dollars each if they are pretty good and fully feathered etc. I have less interest in my straight run chicks, as a lot of folks are in the city and cannot have roosters. I think I am going to try some sex links next spring.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

My "backyard chicken hatchery" pays for the chicken feed, plus the donkey's feed (I have ten donkeys).

People around here prefer started chicks to day olds - so anything that can be sexed or that is old enough to go into the coop sells really well. (Last issue of Backyard Poultry has a good article on this issue).

Day olds I can sell if they are high demand chicks - for instance, in my area high demand chicks would be Barred Rocks. I can sell any barred rock I can hatch - be it rooster, hen or day old on up. Day olds also sell well in the spring - but usually by fall no one wants to have chicks in their house for the winter.

A lot of folks will buy your extra roosters (if priced cheaply) for food - they'll raise it up and butcher it. Now, if they are city folks, this might not work for you, but most country dwellers (near me at least) have no problem killing and butchering a rooster. This is an option if you don't want to butcher and eat them yourself.

I sell extra roosters (started) for 3-4 dollars each, depending on age or breed. I have people who will buy five or six of them at a time to raise up to eat. It isn't big money, but a couple of roos will buy a bag of feed for me. Last friday I took 14 extra roos to the auction (I sell in the parking lot instead of running them through the auction) and I sold out before I had even unpacked them all. I parked, sold and left within ten minutes

wish I had taken a few more along with me.

Of course, I've been selling there for a few months, now, and people recognize my truck, so they look for me to pull in because they know I sell at reasonable prices. I never make less than 80 bucks a week, whether I am selling at auction, or from home - usually it is a combo of both. I also sell eggs for eating - buck a dozen - to a couple of customers who buy 5 or 6 dozen at a time from me.

I could probably make more on each sale, or more on the eating eggs, but I make my money on volume. I know a lot of folks out at the auction who charge higher prices, and more often than not they end up taking their chickens home with them to feed longer, and invest more money in them. They may make more per sale - but how much more have they spent on keeping them longer?

I may be doing it all wrong, but I'm doing well enough, for now.

eta - I have also made some good sales through Craigslist ads.

meri

 

[greathorse]

Sounds to me like you are doing if very well, good for you. I wish I had more luck with roosters and straight run.

congrats

 

[brirhor]

Sounds like a great idea. I use the local paper and it does a great job; of course there is no selection on Craig's List for this area.

 

[onthespot]

buck a dozen!!!???? I am selling mine for $4/dozen! (for eating. hatching is way more)

 

[johnnymax]

GREAT Responces and info.
Thank you guys.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
None for my town either - I just pick between the two closest ones and post in one of those one time, and the other the next time.

Both of the "closest" areas to me are at least a good hour drive - but I've had folks drive one or two hours before.

meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:

great!!

I live in a farming community, however, and what most folks sell for is 1.50 a dozen. I may up my price to that once I get more laying and can find more customers - right now I am simply supplying the two or three that I have - and don't have extras to advertise. My customers bring me back the cartons, so I don't have that expense (in fact they brought me all of my original cartons

so it worked out well). I only make about 25 bucks a month on the eating eggs. Have not sold any hatching eggs, really. I will be getting more into that once my breeder flocks are settled in.

meri