How much to charge?

[VickieB57]

I've had several people ask me if they could buy some birds. What would be a reasonable price for 3 week old chicks? 6 week old chicks? What age is best to sell them?

 

[countrygirl345]

The older, the more money. I wouldnt go more than 5 dollars for the 3 week chicks, even the six week ones. You can always ask the people to make an offer as well. Once, for a laying hen, we got 15 bucks when we asked for best offers. Needless to say, we sold her then and there. Its just at a youngage, your chicks are still quite vulnerable to disease.

 

[James the Bald]

If I sold chicks, I wouldn't sell any until they were 6 weeks old. At 3 weeks, they still aren't able to produce their own body heat. A new quail owner may not realize this and would definitley shock them by putting them into their own cage outdoors. Even at a month old, they should be kept in in a brooder at 75 degrees.
James

 

[countrygirl345]

Who said they were quail? What are they? The breed may also matter for pricing

 

[VickieB57]

I'm sorry! I just assumed people would know this was about quail.

James, I was under the impression that they could be put outside at 3 weeks. That's when I've put mine out, and I've not had any problems.

 

[UpSheRises]

When i bought day old chicks i paid $1.50 each.

I recently bought 7 adult hens and paid $3.00.

 

[victor miller]

I just sold some week old chick 1.50 each and 3 week old I can get 2.00 each

 

[dc3085]

I sell them for between $3-$5 a chick. It depends on your market and the quality of your birds. I live in the most expensive area in California so people are used to paying too much for things. They don't even blink at $5 a chick most times. Two hours from my house in Sacramento they are only getting $2 a head for them on good days. If you have high quality birds it makes selling easier because people are used to seeing overcrowded, beat up, undersized live quail, not fully feathered true jumbos in multiple colors. Professionalism is another big selling point. People will be coming to pick them up and they'll want to see your cages and such.

This all assumes you are selling coturnix.

If you're raising bobwhites you will want to check around to see because the market for them changes faster than the stock market does.

James makes an excellent point about age. I do sell day to week old chicks but I give the purchasers a printed care sheet and directions to BYC, as well as showing and explaining my entire setup. I also recommend a 3-5 chick minimum purchase requirement.

 

[mnormand]

I see a few craigslist offers today in my area at 75cents for day old chicks. That's getting me interested in buying some for meat later.

 

[victor miller]

well that is a good price jjust need to make sure you keep them warm if you get any.