Chick Prices

[Madie'sOddFlock]

I want to start breeding eventually with my little flock. I've got 14 right now(2 cockerels, 12 pullets) and 4 chicks(who may or may not be staying, I haven't decided yet). The chicks are, simply put, mutts. And I'm not big on pure-breeding anyways, but they aren't the best random genetics to be putting into my flock. Anyways, I'm thinking of selling chicks once I have them(and once the girls start laying obviously).
I would have:
Buff Orpington x BLRW, BLRW x Buff, BLRW x Rhode Island White, and BLRWs for sale as:
1 week : $3
2-6 weeks : $8
7-17 weeks : $18
18-20 weeks : $22
past that I would probably either be keeping them, posting them on here, or bringing them to auction.
Buff x RIW, Buff, and Mutts(completely unsure of the breed) would be:
1 week : $2.50
2-6 weeks : $7
7-17 weeks : $16
18-20 weeks : $20

What do you think? What suggestions do you have? Do you think I should change them(or would you)? I want your input(obviously).
Thank you,
Madie.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there.

Maybe if your market is super good you can get away with that.

Here you would have a hard time selling unsexed barnyard mixes for the same price I can get sexed pure breed at the feed store ALL day long with guarantee of NO disease or parasites. Honestly barn yard mixes have not much value... would consider you good to sell them at $2 each.... MAYBE going up $1/week for care and such. To ME there is NO difference in value between your first and second stated mixes. They are all mixes, maybe easiest to keep it simple, price the same, and avoid any confusion over a single dollar.

All female birds once they reach a certain age are worth $20. And once they start laying $30... in MY location. I sometimes let cockerels go for $10-15 in order to take them off my dinner table. They don;t hatch or raise themselves for free, even though people always HOPE you are desperate to let them go. Good roosters... don't let them go, but $25-30 if one is available with proven attitude and demeanor.

I don't think your prices are unreasonable as I know how much work goes into this sort of thing.

To bad you don't like pure breeds... I sell mine as fast as I can hatch for $10 each straight run, $15 for the rarer colors. Even then it is certainly not a get rich quick scheme... I am lucky to cover my cost. Of course keeping pure breeds requires extra housing and such... but when you get breeds you love it isn't work.

Doesn't sound like you have a solid plan for ALL the extra cockerels yet. They don't sell that easy in MY location. And they are often trying to mate WAY before selling or processing time, so I also keep a stag pen since half that hatch will be boys. Maybe the auction will work out for you.

That being said... hatching eggs and chicks DO go for more money than eating eggs.

Hope you enjoy your adventure!