I'm just a backyard farmer who wants the joy of many chickens but cannot keep them, so my question is, If I purchase eggs and put them under a broody hen is there a market for them? We have lots of chicken swaps/sales in NH and would have lots of fun hatching and selling them. Also, do I leave them with mom or take them at a day old. Also any info on immunizing them would be helpful.
There is a market for them, at market price... I get most my birds from hatcheries or private sellers who have a glut... I usually pay 2 bucks a chick... Lots of work and time to make 2 bucks, but yes there is a market! HOWEVER.... I do raise a few ladies to about 12 weeks or so and they fetch 15 to 20 dollars each as they are young, ready to lay and healthy... I never figured the cost, so don't think I actually made money!!! good luck in your quest!
I sell mine at the auction at a week old and get like 3 dollars each for RIR. I have been buying my hatching eggs locally for 4 dollars a dozen for RIR and 10 dollars a dozen + for cochin eggs. I just can't bring myself to have eggs shipped(too many horror stories). The one thing I have noticed is the chicks I hatch out seem to trive better then those that I ordered from the hatchery and I do not lose chicks. That shipping stress (which I thought was like a small factor) really took a toll on my shipped chicks I lost 6 of the 26 that I ordered. I just candled at 7 days and only 1 of the 74 eggs I currently have in the bators was clear. So 73 are developing. I have $30 invested in them and if I only hatch out half of them I should triple my money. Besides Hatching is so dang addictive!!!!!!!!!!!!
