- Aug 12, 2013
- 182
- 25
- 88
Neither Ideal nor Cackle provide a list. The only hatchery I've heard of that does so is Sandhill, and that's only because they say so on their website. But half of the fun is trying to figure out what you got!
The reason they don't is because they just don't know. Ideal explained how they do it... For example, with Polish chicks, after all the orders for specific breeds have been filled, then all the polish would be combined and sold as a Crested Special. What is left from that gets combined with others for the Surprise Special. So at that point they really don't know - everything's been mixed together!
I had always pictured it as they'd have all the different breeds in big tubs, and they'd take your box and take a few from here and a few from there, etc. But that doesn't seem to be the way they do it!
I buy a lot of them to resale on Craigslist. I don't usually end up making much, but as long as I come out in the green I'm happy. Plus I keep quite a few! But be prepared for what you'll do if they don't sell well and you end up with a lot of chicks! And sales are very sporadic... usually it's just someone who wants 3-6, but occasionally someone will get a bunch. One lady came and got 15 bantams. Just today a lady got 14 polish.
Offer different pricing for the number of chicks they get. I usually charge $5 each for 1-2 chicks - both to encourage them to get more as well as to make it at least worth my time when they are only buying 2! Then $4 for 3-6, and then $3.50 for 6+. Figure out how much they cost you and go from there. But if you don't know the breed or sex, you'd probably want to charge less.
The reason they don't is because they just don't know. Ideal explained how they do it... For example, with Polish chicks, after all the orders for specific breeds have been filled, then all the polish would be combined and sold as a Crested Special. What is left from that gets combined with others for the Surprise Special. So at that point they really don't know - everything's been mixed together!
I had always pictured it as they'd have all the different breeds in big tubs, and they'd take your box and take a few from here and a few from there, etc. But that doesn't seem to be the way they do it!
I buy a lot of them to resale on Craigslist. I don't usually end up making much, but as long as I come out in the green I'm happy. Plus I keep quite a few! But be prepared for what you'll do if they don't sell well and you end up with a lot of chicks! And sales are very sporadic... usually it's just someone who wants 3-6, but occasionally someone will get a bunch. One lady came and got 15 bantams. Just today a lady got 14 polish.
Offer different pricing for the number of chicks they get. I usually charge $5 each for 1-2 chicks - both to encourage them to get more as well as to make it at least worth my time when they are only buying 2! Then $4 for 3-6, and then $3.50 for 6+. Figure out how much they cost you and go from there. But if you don't know the breed or sex, you'd probably want to charge less.
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