Can you make money selling chicks?

[Theeggboxtoo]

So I want to start hatching and selling chicks, but I have a few questions:

*Can you make money?

*What breed?

I have 1 or 2 EE roosters and a bunch of EE hens, I love EE's. I also have a BO roo and 2 BO hens.

*Is my incubator good enough?

I have a 1602n hovabator, an I'm going to get a turner soon.

*Is it rewarding?

Thank you for looking,
Theeggboxtoo

 

[cybercat]

Yes you can on a local level BUT. Mixes will sell alot cheaper than purebreds. Not knowing where you are at or your area, you will have to look into if bantams or large breeds sells better. Also what breeds are in demand local. Then you would want to get the SOP and track down good breeders or join the breed club to get the best stock. Then learn how to breed instead of just producing and reducing quality. There are alot of producers but not many good breeders.

 

[Theeggboxtoo]

I didn't know that I put this in the wrong spot

Sorry!

 

[georgiagail]

Yes, you can make money selling chicks.

Not much though.

I noticed you list Mille Fleurs (a favorite of mine!) under your name. Someone not too far from where I live was selling 4 month old MF's for $8 each.

When I raised Lady Gouldian finches I sold them for $120-$150 a pair.

Gail

 

[IdealisticRoo]

I have actually made money selling chicks. The chicks I sold were hatchery chicks, ordered only when a special offer was available, usually surprise pullets or assorted bantams.

I picked out my favs and sold the rest for $5 each when they were about 2-3 weeks old.

I would think that both EEs and BOs would sell. I had the best luck with EEs and good American breeds that people have actually heard of!

When I tried to hatch some, my hovabator would NOT keep humidity correct, but we live in a dry climate (Colorado =20% on a muggy day). I added tubing so I could add water without opening the lid, so you can see how a turner would help keep temp and humidity stable.

If cost is an issue for the turner, I ended up using styrofoam egg cartons (with the bottom cut out) on dowels and tipping them 3x a day with a wire that went through the lid, which seemed to work well.

The best thermometer I found was from Ace hardware and had the wire probe. That with a glass thermometer as a backup comparison.

However I never got above a 20% hatch rate, so I sold my incubators. I may buy a Brinsea later this year, but I struggle with chick addiction, and thus far, my broodies have been supplying my craving for fuzzybutts!

 

[Theeggboxtoo]

Quote:
I have had great luck with hatching chicks in my hovabator

 

[DB_Tex]

Quote:
Now there's an idea, following hatchery sales and selling your extras...

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I made money selling hatchery chicks.

In the spring when the weather has begun to warm, but before it gets hot folks are in the mood to get some birds. I brooded them until they no longer needed the heat (brooding seems to intimidate some folks) then started selling. And they sold quick too. These were all commercial working birds such as White Leghorns and red sex-links. Here in Florida by the time the rainy season starts in June the interest begins to sag, but by that time I've got turkey poults to sell. Further north you could probably go further into the year.

It wasn't a big profit but it basically paid for all of the birds that I kept for myself and their brooding expenses so that this year's layer flocks were basically free at point-of-lay.

 

[WHISTLER]

you can make money if you sell a lot and sell them fast(feed adds up fast) like said most sell quantity not quality
some things ive noticed and some tips
people are cheap and are going to try and get your brids for almost nothing even if they are quality
easter in my parts is the busiest time of the season for selling chicks
try and set up your hatch dates for like a Wednesday or thursday so the chicks will be ready for the weekends as this is when most of your calls will come in for them
just some thoughts from my experiences

 

[willowbranchfarm]

I want to sell chicks too.

I have a bator thats never been used and cant wait to use it. I want to sell BO BA and SLW.