Help needed pricing my girls, I sadly must rehome my entire flock. 🙏😞

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I wish it were that easy... The "neighbor" is my old mentor/dearest friend. If you look at my old threads, the story should be in there. She's so deep in her grief (traumatic grief, in her case), doing something like that would be incredibly traumatic. She honestly believes she's "taking wonderful care of her late Mother's beloved chickens"...
The trash is also a big issue... After her Mother died, people who had no business being here started moving in, trashing the place, being general jerks, all that. When we moved here a year ago, I honestly thought my old friend wanted my help to clean it up! Big sigh. Nope. She's far too afraid of any change. (I went to school to become a substance abuse counselor, traumatic grief was something I'm all too familiar with.) Anyhoo!

Oh dear.

Please accept my apologies, I did not intend to go off like that!! Goodness. I suppose in a roundabout way it is relevant.. I've been feeding and caring for her birds as best I can, but at this point I just need to find a new home.
Once I'm settled again, bring on the glorious chickens! (Hopefully sooner rather than later...)
I'm torn on what to do about the "PLC's" ("parking lot chickens") when I leave.

Don't apologize! You answered my questions. I guess that all really does make it more difficult. But at the end of the day the animals are still suffering. I wonder if you could help her rehome them on Craigslist or something. It seems her intentions are good (she wants to take care of her mom's chickens), but she just doesn't seem able to keep up with these things if she is having personal issues. Maybe she would feel good if you guys found homes for them that seem good. Then it's one thing off both of your plates and the animals can have better lives. I know that is easier said than done, especially by me, a person on the outside of the situation, but maybe because you are close with her you can have a heart to heart conversation with her and explain that maybe it would be best. I'm just brainstorming here. I just feel bad for the chickens.

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Do you have any pictures of your cross beak? I also live in Oregon....

I do!! She's a Gold Laced Wyandotte pullet, not even a year old. She's incredibly friendly, we call her "Pettin' Chicken"! She can eat surprisingly well, but I do give all of them a warm mash each day.
Another BIG reason, is that right I'm splitting up with my partner of over five years, and I just don't have the "marbles" to care for much past myself, my dog, and my son.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I live in Portland Oregon area. So sorry to hear of your dilemma..

Good, young but general commercial lines laying hens go for $20. Nice breeds go for $30. You'll only get $50 for top quality rare breeds.

You can't give roosters away. I've only sold 1 top of the line BCM when the breeder went out of business and her line was in demand. Most people give them away understanding they go for eating.

LofMc

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Don't apologize! You answered my questions. I guess that all really does make it more difficult. But at the end of the day the animals are still suffering. I wonder if you could help her rehome them on Craigslist or something. It seems her intentions are good (she wants to take care of her mom's chickens), but she just doesn't seem able to keep up with these things if she is having personal issues. Maybe she would feel good if you guys found homes for them that seem good. Then it's one thing off both of your plates and the animals can have better lives. I know that is easier said than done, especially by me, a person on the outside of the situation, but maybe because you are close with her you can have a heart to heart conversation with her and explain that maybe it would be best. I'm just brainstorming here. I just feel bad for the chickens.

That's what I thought, at first. When she violently argued that even "chicken experts" thought her flock was gorgeous, and that "free range" chickens don't require any additional food ... Yep. Roosters and babies began mysteriously disappearing...ahem. A few hens here and there as well. Must have been coyotes. The problem is, I just can't keep up. After rehoming several batches of darling chicks (there's one old hen who attacks me on sight now, lol, poor girl. I wish I could explain her babies are getting a way better life!!), and my dad adopted one with a crushed leg... It became a full time job. It's really taken a toll. Plus, even if I did call the city? The "rights" of poultry are nearly non-existent. It's beyond sad. I've already been told there was nothing they could do, so.... Right before I leave though, I've identified the main hens who are baby factories. Them, and the roosters will get new homes, one way or another.

Thank you all, for accepting my pretty off topic venting/problem. It is an interesting ethical question however, and my history with "L" makes it really complicated.
Thank you, everyone for your help and support!
Pictures of my beautiful and previously friendly, previously beautiful, Silver Wyandotte rooster. Sigh. I'll get a current picture of the poor guy tomorrow. "Pettin' Chicken" will ait quietly to gave her beak trimmed, she's always had a fantastic personality! These are a few of the egg colors. They are a beautiful flock

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Don't apologize! You answered my questions. I guess that all really does make it more difficult. But at the end of the day the animals are still suffering. I wonder if you could help her rehome them on Craigslist or something. It seems her intentions are good (she wants to take care of her mom's chickens), but she just doesn't seem able to keep up with these things if she is having personal issues. Maybe she would feel good if you guys found homes for them that seem good. Then it's one thing off both of your plates and the animals can have better lives. I know that is easier said than done, especially by me, a person on the outside of the situation, but maybe because you are close with her you can have a heart to heart conversation with her and explain that maybe it would be best. I'm just brainstorming here. I just feel bad for the chickens.

I feel terrible too!! Thank you so much for all your help! In the beginning I really did try. My partner even offered to build her a nice coop + run, and I offered to feed them for free, if she'd just let me take care of them. That's the problem with denial. She thought putting them in a coop would be "mean", and why would I feed them?? They'll eat anything! (Cause they're hungry...)

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Please keep ideas coming! Maybe, I could notify a less official party, like ALF, or PETA. Arrange a giant chicken heist...hm!

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Here's a few more pictures, I've got lots!! Two of the Easter Eggers are way cool colors (a silver Splash, and a Blue Wheaton, the plain one has become a model broody hen! She's probably going to come with a peep or two. There's a couple of rescue babies in here too, including one box full,, and they're absolutely darling!! All my children, er chickens! Have been handled and loved a lot. You can see that in the picture or my friends daughter feeding them.

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Okay.... time for bed. Just to clarify things, my son is not "free to a good home", nor is he currently laying eggs. Everyone else is!

 

[SourRoses]

I live in Portland Oregon area. So sorry to hear of your dilemma..

Good, young but general commercial lines laying hens go for $20. Nice breeds go for $30. You'll only get $50 for top quality rare breeds.

You can't give roosters away. I've only sold 1 top of the line BCM when the breeder went out of business and her line was in demand. Most people give them away understanding they go for eating.

LofMc

I agree with you. I see a lot of stagnant listings in my local groups for roosters, asking $20.
I want to tell them they won't have much success moving boys out that way, but of course they probably won't appreciate hearing it.
Here, we have a "roosters are free" policy. It's either that or process them.

OP, for your crossbeak it would probably be a good idea to offer her to someone already buying others, free, that way she has friends. It would be very hard to actually sell her.

I think $50 is too much for a hen that's not a very rare breed. Beauty isn't the thing, it's about breeding value.
At the end of the day, your prices are determined by what the market is willing to pay. Holding on to birds for stretched out periods means paying to feed them more and means you effectively got less for them.


Some examples:
I was going to pay $50 for a Mottled Chocolate Orpington pullet, 4 months old. (the breeder lost her to a coon days before our meetup )

I'm paying $20 and 120-140 in gas for a 22 hr drive to go get a rooster who is a very unusual sport of a rare breed. I feel a little crazy doing it, but his genes should be worth it.

We've sold most hens here in our market for $25.
I asked $30 for a rare color (Isabel true Ameraucana) older broody and haven't yet had any interest. I'm waffling on selling her anyway.

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Oh dear, this is what I mean by "not enough marbles", I thought I was on the "Vegan's of BYC"!!! LOL!!! Oh dear, so I kept apologizing for hijacking my own thread. Bedtime! And self care