How much to sell hens for?

[wordgirl]

I think I'm going to cycle out more than half of my current flock for new pullets this spring (keeping my favorites

). I'm not sure, though, how much I should sell them for. I don't think I'll want to sell them for a little while, as I'd cut egg production in half for a while, and our hens are producing for two families right now, and that wouldn't be so great.... I'm worried, though, that if I wait until the pullets are laying, that the hens will be going into a molt and then I won't be able to sell them. Do you think they'll start up laying again after their molts if they have enough light (afterward)? When do you think I should sell them? And for how much?

If it helps, the hens are a mix of Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Australorps, and Black Sex-Links. They were born the end of April, last year (2009).

Thanks

 

[chickpip]

I had Wyandottes and Speckled Sussex pullets who had just began laying and I sold them for between 10 & 12 dollars. Hope that helped..

 

[alicefelldown]

Depends on your area (check your local craigslist to get an idea) but GENERALLY it can be anywhere from $10 to $20 for a point of lay hen. If yours are about a year now, and you are planning on selling them sometime in the future, you might have to lower your price.

Also - please be upfront with your sellers about the bird's age, they will usually expect a purchased hen to lay eggs, and that tends to decline as the girls get older. **that being said, I recently sold a very mature brahama hen who had not laid an egg in over 6 months for $10 to a gentleman from craigslist who wanted her for a 'lawn decoration' more than for her eggs. It can be done! **

Best of luck!

 

[88Haywood88]

I usually sell my mutts @ a year old (first laying season) for $8 a pop. I sell my buff orpington first year pullets for $10. As they age, their price drops $.75 a year (because egg production drops off). This is what I do... of course, i usuall sell my pullets at about three or four months for $6.

 

[wordgirl]

Oh, what to do, what to do..... I don't know when to sell my hens! Right now would probably be the ideal time, but then I wouldn't have enough eggs.

What would you pay for one and a half year old hens in the winter, or two year olds in the spring?

Thanks for all your help! alicefelldown, I did look at our craigslist – it looks like the average is $3 to $13...there was someone selling hens for $15.