How Much should I sell straight run chicks for?

[My2butterflies]

Unfortunately, I’m not sure you really have room for profit. At $3 an egg you’ll have to ask people to pay more for the same breeds that are common in most places.
Plus being in the cities most people are going to want sexed chicks. So that can make selling straight run hard. Not trying to be discouraging, but something to be prepared for.
I sold straight run purebred and mix for $2 each. And chicks didn’t sell till they were 2-3wks old.
Maybe try for $6, but be ready to ask for less if you end up with more birds then you can keep.

 

[MixedFlock23]

I’m in Illinois & the breeders are my area sell straight run chicks for $5 each. They are not hatchery chicks, but their own lines that have come from other breeders’ birds originally. (Better quality—breed standards.) (TSC chicks are ~$3.50 for pullets here.)

I’ve only bought eggs from a hatchery once. 18 eggs, 9 chicks. I read online that a 50% hatch rate is considered good from shipped eggs. So if that holds true for you, at $3/egg & $6/chick, plus bedding & food, etc., you might break even... but I think you’ll lose money. My local breeder has several “grow out” pens with chicks of various ages since not all sell in the first few weeks.

 

[Marans-copper-and-cuckoo]

do you already have chickens? if so, you can just take eggs from underneath them and hatch those. it saves you the expense of shipping and the eggs may be more viable

 

[Coops Dad]

I sold 14 straight run 6 week old chicks for $100.

 

[Anycockildo]

So how did it end up for you?

 

[pvchicken1]

So how did it end up for you?

Pretty good. I raised them to about 6 weeks old. Sold the boys for $5 and the girls for $6-$10.

 

[Silexian]

Considering that a 60 to 70 percent hatch rate is usually on the high side. For shipped eggs. At $36 per dozen for eggs. Which hopefully includes shipping. If there is a profit margin. It would be cut so thin. You could hold out in front of you and be able to see through it. Apparently you already have a fairly reliable incubator and a brooding system in place. With people having less money to spend on chicks and incubators right now. You may be able to create a niche market incubating peoples own eggs for them. At a $1.50 per chick hatched, you are offering chicks cheaper than the feed stores. With the potential of an $18 gross profit per dozen eggs set. Even after operating cost and figuring only nine hatch. There is still a solid profit to be made.