chicken decision help!

[chasep]

hi, im wondering what breed i can make some easy extra cash on selling chicks and full grown
what do you guys think will work the best for me?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Just about any breed will be a loss, unless you get very high quality show birds. A lot of egg layer breeds will more or less 'break even' in egg sales, but I really don't think they are money makers.
If you want to go with something that is not dual purpose or egg layer, I would see what others in your area have, and what might be wanted. Everyone in my area has either OEGB for bantams, or BR, Dominiques, RIR, things like that. I'm going for bantam cochins, mille fleurs, bantam polish, and silkies, because they are different, and I don't see them too often around here! Hope I picked good!

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

How about marans? eggs for $81 on ebay right now!!!???!!! Holy &^%!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
You know, I personally don't know what the huge appeal is with marans. I mean, they lay nice eggs - but I wouldn't pay that much for eggs or for chickens. I think people have simply lost their minds over the whole thing.

if ya want the dark eggs, welsummers lay dark eggs, too.

It's like having a designer chicken

not my style, I guess.

 

[chasep]

im trying to find a good breed selection

 

[shelleyd2008]

The marans eggs are going so crazy right now that this spring when all these people that have bought them start to sell the eggs, the price will drop like a brick!

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

I thought that was a bit looney!

I really want Wellies...I heard they are good birds, not just fancy eggs.

 

[FarmerChick]

you need a little more of a game plan.

did you check your local area for what is wanted? what do the buyers want?

my area they love buffs. so buffs sell great here. RIR and such are just common birds, as are buffs, but ????--the buffs are hot and bring good prices.

So know your market to start.

Do some research. We are in different areas and they makes a diff. on what birds are hot in my area and not in yours.


Alot of people with the small backyard do want some fancy little birds like Silkies and such....kinda wild looking.

Alot of people also want birds that produce well...for food and eggs.

Alot of people want to buy full sized ready to eat meat birds...meat breeds specific for the table.

So it is a catch what is best for your area.

And yea, profit is hard to come by unless you pick the birds that are going for top dollar in your area. Any live animal is usually hard to make good profits on unless you do show birds and such.

hope some of that helps you in your decisions.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
I'd just do some research, maybe go to local auctions, see what everyone is selling, and what folks are buying - and how much they are paying for one breed over another.

Each area is probably different - like Shelley says, oegb are very popular around here - but everyone and their cousin has them, so they don't always sell so well (for a good price).

bantam cochins are always a good bet, because if nothing else, everyone on BYC (practically) wants hatching eggs

especially some of the more rare colors - like mottled or self blues. They are cheaper to get into than the marans, too.

I'm getting into Delawares, because they are on the critical list, they are dual purpose, and a heritage breed, and they are pretty - mostly I am getting them for ME, if I happen to sell some further down the line, that's great, but I'm getting what I want.

That's also something to consider, because no matter how popular the bird is with others, if you despise it (like silkies or naked necks :::shudder::: ) then you won't enjoy raising them.

I know that silkies are very popular right now, too - but like the marans that Shelley mentioned - everyone is getting them, and soon they will be so common no one will want them. I am wondering how far behind silkies the bantam cochins are....

I spent the last year getting a LOT of dif breeds - I would find one I liked, then I would find another I liked better,

right now I am trying to clear a coop for the dual purpose birds - and I have a bunch of bantams that hardly anyone wants. They are nice birds - just everyone around here has them already. That's how it was so easy for ME to find them. That shoulda been my first clue.

so, my advice - find something that is not so common, find something YOU like, and then market it to folks - maybe they've never heard of the breed, or whatnot.

 

[chasep]

alright thanks!