How much is a chicken worth?

[MeepBeep]

Just because that's what you were getting, that doesn't mean that was the actual value.

In some states (like mine) that very well might be all it's valued at under compensation laws, as a lot of states us the term 'market value' in their livestock compensation laws, and they adjust this 'market value' yearly and it's far from what many would expect... In Illinois it used to only be $1 per bird but now under law it's adjusted to 'market value' but according to them 'market value' is only about $3-5 per bird depending on age right now... Also some states like Virginia for example set an maximum recover value per animal, in Virginia it's $10 maximum per fowl killed by a dog...

This is why most breeders and farmers take out insurance on their animals... The blunt reality is you won't get much compensation under criminal law and suing in civil court can take years, cost a fortune and recovery if any isn't going to be what you think once it's all said and done...

Sure you can (and I suggest you do) roll the dice and invoice the person responsible for whatever amount you feel is fair and hope they just pay up, but don't get your hopes up you will actually be able to ever recover that amount if they don't willingly give it to you without a fight...

 

[Yonnavee]

I not only had the six month old RIReds-all just started laying, I also have one show quality Buff Orpington who is an excellent sitter and mother, and one nice Americana who lays her blue egg everyday. I'm down to one egg now as the one good RIRed left is still laying. I did have plans to take the one RIRed who was killed and Orpington to the county fair next year, but it will have to be Tim and Buffy now. (Couldn't think of a name--I said "what do we call you" and my daughter said, Tim. Tim for the sorcerer in Monty Python-Holy Grail)

According to the police, I am supposed to figure out how much the peeps cost, how much food I think It's taken to get them to this point, the missed eggs for however long I think it would take to get five new hens laying, the cost for those peeps, anything that I've bought to first aid the injured one (or vet fees-no avian vet here and I've read lots of forums on this site so Rusty is doing very well thanks to y'all and that wound spray- Veteracyin) AND!! The price I think they were worth as pets. I'm thinking that Beep was worth as least as much as a pet cat since she acted like one. I don't think I can go into the show chicken price range since I hadn't had the chance to get her to the fair yet. I'll have to read some forums on the APA site and see just in case.

Again, thanks for the help and the information. I totally agree with not giving good hens away for nothing. I would never sell Buffy for anything less than $25 as like I said, She's an excellent sitter, mother, and a beautiful example of her breed (She'd be really tough to eat though and I couldn't do it anyway-I've had her too long). And the others just lay too many eggs to give away.

Val

 

[the unicorn]

YOU ARE ALL WRONG!!! the value of a chicken or your whole flock is calculated by the original purchase price PLUS the price of all the feed and medications given it in its whole life, up until your loss of it. if you have a rare breed, that price triples or quadruples depending on the rarity of it. for instance , a common red star layer sells for around 10-25 each depending where you are. and a rare breed (obviously American heritage breeds are worth more)like the now-only-threatened Delaware chicken, a productive breeding specimen, sells (if anyone would even want to sell one)for around 250-350 bucks each, and a truly extremely rare chicken breed like the black chickens that lay those eerie black eggs(sorry forgot what theyre called) can sell for thousands each!! even their eggs are hundreds each due to rarity. also, any odd colored ones of any breed are even rarer than the breed itself, say you have a bronze morph, or albino,or something unusual like that, you triple the value of that specimen. in a courtroom, I believe, it doesn't matter what price your eggs sold for or what you lost since losing them/it . 'what you should have made' does not usually fly in court unless your a major producer or in a big time poultry farming area OUR FRIENDS AT MURRAYMC MURRY HATCHERIES the northeasts biggest chick sellers, experts for decades and known by name even to folks who have never even seen a live chicken, also subscribe to this calculation of the value of your flock or chicken, as it is an industry standard measurement of value. THATS actually what youre chickens worth!!!! so, bust out the calculator , fellow poultry breeders, and see how much your flock is worth! it helps to know when suing someone for losses.

 

[Yonnavee]

I got restitution for Beep in March. The dog owner got a misdemeanor and had to pay me $10. At least I had the satisfaction of knowing that he had to drive from Philly to Indiana, Pa for his day in court. I also now know that as livestock, chickens have rights that dogs and cats don't have. If a dog comes into my yard again after my chickens, it becomes a legal target here in PA. Of course since Beep was killed, there's more than a ball bat by the door....

 

[Yonnavee]

Wow...didn't know you could bring up the metadata on an iPad...anyway, I have an update too. Beep's murder was just the beginning of a terrible year. troubles with my daughter and then my mom was diagnosed with and has since passed from ovarian cancer. My neighbors thought that besides a beautiful set of wind chimes, to cheer me up, they would order and get me four new chicks. I now have five RIReds, one Easter Egger, Buffy, the Broody Orpington, and Mogli, the Blue Americana who lays with me on the hammock. I don't raise chickens...I spoil them.....

 

[enola]

I had a neighbor who would not keep her dog home. When it killed some young RIR pullets. I took a Murray McMurray catalog with me to court. The judge took their price for started pullets and multiplied it by 3, for the three chickens the dog killed. Fined the owner $100 for letting the dog roam at large. she had to pay all the fines and restitution before leaving court or turn the dog over to the Animal Control.

The second attack got my rare breed rooster. Went to court with a letter from the breeder that said he could sell me a replacement rooster for $70. I was awarded $70, she was fined $200 and told that was strike 2.

The third attack was two laying hens. I asked for $40, the judge doubled that, fined her $400 and ordered Animal Control to destroy the dog. She had to pay the fines or face jail. She didn't have enough cash so spent her afternoon in jail before her husband came to pay the fines.

The judge told me to go by Wal~Mart, buy trespassing signs, put them up, and if they came by dial 911. He made it clear to her if I was harassed, there would be more jail time.

So, civil court does work.

 

[Yonnavee]

Yes, court did work. I forgot to mention something you did that's key to getting restitution for any animals of yours being killed by someone else's. The No Trespassing signs. I had my property posted because of an issue with a person who would not leave my daughter alone and the police told me the same thing. Put up signs. That way, anyone or anything that comes into the yard is breaking the law. It was the first thing the policeman asked me when he came after Beep was killed and that was if my whole property was posted. I may have lost a chicken, but justice was served in the end. I am just really thankful I still had the sense to drop the ballbat when the guy walked up behind me to get his dog!!

 

[CrazyChickLady7]

My neighbors dog got about 16 chickens, ducks and turkey. Out of all of those many expensive birds, the worst was probably the barred rock. It was horrible for me because my little sister had to watch he baby lily be picked up just a few feet in front of her and be murdered. She was traumatize by this, and cried for weeks. I bought her another chick about 2 weeks ago (a GL Wyandotte) she named her Olaf but it just isn't the same for her. And she wakes up crying in the middle of the night saying that the big dog ate her baby. It makes me so sad. The neighbor offered to pay for it and my dad yelled at him saying no that he needs to keep his dog put up because this was on multiple occasions, and nothing can pay for the sadness that he caused my little sister. (she is 3)