How much value do you put on killed Laying Hen

[Fred's Hens]

This does indeed vary by local.

Our area also only supports $8-$10. I regularly sell laying pullets and it is very difficult to get more than $10.
I have a dozen for sale right now.

Agree with checking on Craigs to see what 10 month old hens are going for. You want to give and get fairness.
I am sorry you lost your hens in this manner.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Show me a hundred dollar bill and it won't buy my favorite hen Blanche. The companionship as she rides on my shoulder while I'm taking care of chores, the eggs, the feed, the money I make from her 3-4 eggs per week, the fact that she is a rare breed.
I asked my breeder for a full grown hen before I got the chicks and he told me 80.00 including shipping...I got the chicks instead.
Take the high number.
Call a professional breeder of your breed, ask how much for a hen, delivered, of the same age. Don't forget you would have to segregate this hen for a while before adding to your flock. That number should be less than 100.00 but may not be by much. That's what I would charge.
HECHICKEN is right on target in my not so humble opinion!!!

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

In my area, your average laying hen runs between 8-12 dollars each. Point of lay pullets are between 5-10 dollars. Chicks are 1.00 each or less if you go to auction. I would ask 12.00 each if mine were killed because when you bring new hens in, it will take them time to adjust and lay again and so you will be spending more in feed the first few weeks than you can recoup in eggs.

 

[KIDDSBANTAMS]

One of our laying hens was killed by the neighbors dog and this was the second time the same dog killed our chickens. The first time it killed 4 of them but they were young and I did nothing. The second time was a differnet story I raised her since a few days old, fed her and she laid everyday and to get another like her I would have had to order online and pay a high shipping rate, so I charged him $50 and he paid, but it in no way paid for what she was worth to us.

 

[deerman]

POL Pullet sell for about 8 to 10 from any hatcheries, and a pullet just starting to lay worth more than a 18 month old laying hen.

So yes you could replacement pullet for 10 each , plus shipping or pick up cost anywhere here in the States.

 

[Wisher1000]

It is easy to want the most you can get but try to stay reasonable and present reasonable justification for your decision. I think I would list your lost hens by breed and age. Contact local sources for the exact same birds. If no local sources are available, check here or CL for the closest source. Charge what it would cost to get another like yours and to get it to you (shipping.) Give the man a copy of the list of birds you lost, the replacement costs from several sources and ask for the lowest price. If you choose to replace the hens with those sourced hens you have the money. If you choose to buy the hens you have the money, if you choose to buy chicks and raise them, you will have some extra. I don't think I could charge forthe cost of raising a chick to the point of lay at someone elses expense unless there was no other way to get them. IMHO

 

[breezes_banties_n_bratts]

If you ask for to much they might not be willing to pay, then you have to take them to small claims court. My neighbor/landlords dog killed 18 of my chickens. All fancy rare breeding birds. It was a horrible, pulled them threw one inch fencing. My seven year old daughter found them mutilated. I asked them to please tie the dog up and 8 months later they still won't. I called dog warden an they wanted evidence it was their dog. im not going to grab a camera, im going to try and stop the dog from gettin my chicken. i even chased it down the road, up their driveway and under their house trying to get my buff silkie,honey, out of her mouth. When I confronted them, they said they would pay for them and I said I wanted $10 each. They said they wasn't goin to pay that. And never did. Right now they are locked up tight. By spring the dog will be gone, the first time its on my property.

 

[Dray67]

I do think the amount is some what punitive, like a speeding ticket would be. The last time i was doing 50 in a 40 i got a $90 ticket. I REMEMBERED the next time i passed through that part of town.

 

[silkiechicken]

If he is willing to pay, I would ask for what the cost of hens go for in your area. Some areas this is $10, others this is $25.

Sure you can ask for something huge, but what is worse? Your dead birds with just a bit of cash, or dead birds and now a neighbor who doesn't like you? You can't make the birds come back, but you can make bad relations with a neighbor. Good neighbors are good things to have, especially if they already helped fix the fence. Gesture and offers can go a long way and can be priceless.

 

[Davaroo]

Think of all the feed, housing, water and so on you've put in to them. Then consider the loss of the eggs as a retail expenditure, now that you must buy them.
And, if you are selling eggs, you can figure the average laying hen is good for 180-200 eggs per year. Figure that out in dozens, at current farmers market prices in your locale
What - you are not selling even a few of your eggs? You should start right away!

Personally, I'd tell the guy to make it $20 each and to throw in some of that deer sausage he makes in the bargain (or whatever he's got).
The thing to NOT do is get all hostile over this. All this talk of going to court and slamming the dude with legal shackles... sheesh! You'd think he sold your children, or something.

This stuff happens, especially with dogs around. Let him make fair and good - he came forward with that, after all. Then make a friend with the guy. Be a neighbor, not an adversary.