Going rate for barnyard mix chicks?

[kmpcfp]

My locale recently reduced the acreage required for chickens, so I have been getting inquiries from people looking for chicks. I gave some away to a friend who had been buying eggs from me for years. Someone else bought some extra 3-week-old barnyard mixes for $5 a chick a few weeks ago, and we were able to pick out females at that age (faverolles mixes). Now, another person asked for some chicks, but I would have to incubate some more eggs, just for her. I already told her they are straight-run only. Is $5 a chick fair for "get what you get" barnyard mixes? They are a good, colorful mix, feather and egg. I have a flock of faverolles that are currently integrated with the rest of the chickens, which are mostly easter/olive eggers. There is a possibility of a purebred faverolles that shows up.

 

[FunClucks]

My locale recently reduced the acreage required for chickens, so I have been getting inquiries from people looking for chicks. I gave some away to a friend who had been buying eggs from me for years. Someone else bought some extra 3-week-old barnyard mixes for $5 a chick a few weeks ago, and we were able to pick out females at that age (faverolles mixes). Now, another person asked for some chicks, but I would have to incubate some more eggs, just for her. I already told her they are straight-run only. Is $5 a chick fair for "get what you get" barnyard mixes? They are a good, colorful mix, feather and egg. I have a flock of faverolles that are currently integrated with the rest of the chickens, which are mostly easter/olive eggers. There is a possibility of a purebred faverolles that shows up.

Sounds fair to me, but it depends. I'd go on Craigslist Farm and Garden for your area and see what straightrun barnyard mix are selling for. See what purebred faverolles and easter / olive eggers are selling for from hatcheries. However, yours will be barnyard mix since you can't guarantee any particular type of chick. Also consider your time and effort. Will you be hatching some anyway? How much is your time and effort worth to you? Can the person just go to the feed store and buy chicks for the same price, or if you charge extra for your time and effort, are they willing to pay?

$5 per barnyard mix chick straight run is a fair price, but how much trouble is the hatching going to be? Will this person take all the chicks you hatch, or might you end up with extra roos? Do you have a good way to deal with those if this happens? Do you really want to hatch some just for this person?


There are more considerations, IMO than just the price of the chicks.