on chicks? not as a whole; but I mean if I went to my local farm supply store... I called one and they want $2 to 3 per chick; couldnt tell me what kind they'd get either..but said some are upwards of $6 a chick..umm...thats pricey IMO... I'm trying to do it to A: have healthier foods, less cholesterol for hubby through the eggs we raise (which I've read can help too!) B: teach children responsiblity and learn food sources (I homeschool my eldest).. C: have cheaper food costs..but honestly; this is the main reason I want to do this..but at $2 to 3 a chick isnt that pricey?? now my rural king about an hour away has them coming in the first wk of march..so thats not too far off..I just dont want to be spending more $$ than I have to obviously..who does!!? lol
Feedstores sell theirs anywhere from 3-5 a chick. Locals sell theirs anywhere from 1-6 a chick. $6 is not pricey to me. I spend that or higher on most of the chicks I've gotten. That sort of price is usually for non-hatchery birds, such as Marans, who not only are bigger, meatier, and have longer lives but also produce for a longer period of time. Plus, they give back by being able to give you eggs and chicks that sell for the same good price too And with breeds like Marans and real Ameraucanas, they give amazing egg colors. Way more interesting than the run of the mill brown and white.
$2-$3 per chick is a good fair price. The hatcheries sell them for anywhere from ~$3-$4 (rouding up) or more denpending on breed and sex, then you shipping fees and sometimes a boxing fee. Some of the more rare breeds can get upwards of $5. When I had my feedstore, we sold day olds for $4.50 a chick for the more common breeds like the Barred Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingthons. We got about $5 for the Amerucana's and the rare breeds we got anywhere from $5-$8 per chick. We also sold meat variety but we just ordered those as cockerals or straight run and got about $1.50 to $2.50 depending on what the "run" was we got. The nice thing with going and picking your chicks up is that you get to pick the ones you like and look the healthiest so you start off well. As an aside, I would recommend that you have your brooder situation all set up and working before you bring your babies home. This was if any malfuntions occur, you don't have tired and cold babies waiting on a fix.
The store has a reasonable price for the chicks but you want to know what breed of bird you're getting. If they couldn't tell you what breeds they're getting, you're talking to the wrong person or store. Depending on what you want, certain breeds will be better suited to you. Things to consider are whether the bird is suited to your climate, a good layer, egg color, docile temperament, attractiveness, etc. Check out the Henderson Chart for info on breeds. Also consult books on raising chickens as they may have info on different qualities of the breeds. Depending on where you live, there may be other sources for birds than the store or a mail-order hatchery. I was able to get 4-month old pullets that started laying a month or two after I'd brought them home. The price was higher but I didn't have to build a brooder or raise them from chicks. Check CraigsList or the paper. Good luck! -DB
