Incubation Service?

[Shadowgrass]

Thanks for all the great replies. Thanks for the vote of confidence Davaroo. My hesitation was in buying that large of a bator and a hatcher that is a sizeable investment, since I "may-as welled" myself into the biggest and best and not be able utilize its capacity. I thought $2 for incubating an egg was maybe a little much lotsapaints, but apparently not. SO, my next question is, what is a fair price per egg incubated?

Maybe it depends on the area. I know a farm here (SE Michigan) sell their eggs for $2 a dozen. Maybe I will just hatch some chicks out and then offer them as a way to get started. i don't really have the capacity to keep a bunch more chickens although, I would put one in every nook and cranny if I could. I posted a small ad on Craig's List yesterday, so far I got one nibble. It being -7 (real temp, -15 wind chill) this morning, people aren't thinking about chicks and chickens yet, but they will be in a couple weeks when temps are above freezing. I will definitely give it more thought and let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

 

[Lotsapaints]

I didn't suggest the price they did..but I'm figuring it's live chicks as I toss @ 7 and 18 Days they haven't brought the equipment or eggs over yet so I'll see what happens.....I really don't care if I do or don't

 

[aprophet]

not to be the wet blanket but I know 2 guys who tried this last spring and summer and they found out that hatching with a cabinet and the smaller bators is two different worlds ,there is a slight learning curves on the larger bators they hatch too good . I am kina fond of ancient technology that can be fixed at the local hardware store or dollar store instead of having to order some digital doohickey that cost $436 dollars and is 3 days away from me

not to mention the loss of however many eggs are in there. them 2 guys tried to sell chicks as well there is just too many folks doing that here they both are not doing it this year . I am using 2 home builts and a hova bator hova holds 42 - 120 depending on what I am hatching I mainly hatch quail between the bobwhites and the coturnix I sell almost everyone I hatch some I keep for breeders and some I enjoy

I would start with small incy's and fine tune my techniuge and get good at incubating before I invested in a bator like you describe. good luck on your project

 

[8ROYALS]

I charge $10 per dozen to hatch for chickens. They have to get the eggs to me and pick up the hatchlings within 48 hours. I make no promises only to them turned, temp as close to perfect as possible and humidity right. I do save all eggs shells hatched or unhatched in a plastic bag. I charge $15 for quail and pheasant. I charge $20 for turkey geese and ducks. With that said I also expect them to candle the eggs before bringing them...not that they will see anything, but detached air cells. Some have offered chick exchange which I hve done once for a d'uccle pair. Luckily I think I got a roo and hen. I also barter...nesting boxes, pine shavings, bag of feed, tilling up my garden, etc. I hatch and sell baby chicks for $4 a piece with it at $3 for 10 or more. I have a waiting list for baby chicks. Selling baby chicks and the incubating service pays for my feed, shavings and BOSS. I posted with pics of my roos, hens and babie chicks on craiglist. You can do it in advance and when they call say 'I am currently sold out, but will put you on the waiting list for baby chicks. or I have a full bator right now, but will have an opening in 21 days. would you like to be on that waiting list as well. They have to mark their eggs clearly, because I have mine and others in my bator. I do seperate in the hatcher so their is no confusion there. Hope this helps...good luck...

 

[jvls1942]

I do custom hatching every year.. the thing you have to really watch for is the customer.. many of them have no idea that all eggs do not hatch.. some of them bring you eggs that they have been saving up for a month.. you ask them, did you turn them daily? and all you get is a blank stare..LOL

and be prepared to have chicks not picked up.. it happens..
I have tons of room for chickens so it doesn't bother me.. but you only get paid the $10 set-up charge,, the hatched chicks are not paid for, but you own them..

I cannot tell you how to charge.. but here is what I charge..
$10 incubator charge , paid up front.. this covers the electricity (barely)
then I charge 75 cents for each egg that hatches.. the ones that don't hatch are either given back to the customer if they want them or tossed onto the compost pile..

 

[dsqard]

Here is an ad I came across today:
If you have eggs that need to be hatched I can provide that service. I have been hatching eggs for close to 20 years. I enjoy it, it is a hobby, and I need an excuse to do it more.

As always with hatching eggs- there is no guarantee. For this reason I am going to be very lenient on my charge.

$7.00 fee for the time involved setting the eggs, maintaining temp and humidity.

$0.30 per chick that hatches.

The maximum I will charge is $10.00. In other words if I hatch out 120 quail- you will only be charged a max of $10.00. I understand that some eggs are not very fertile and can have horrible hatch rates-- I am in this for FUN-- not to simply make money. This is my way of having my poultry hobby pay for itself.

Here is a list of eggs which I am familiar with hatching:

Chicken
Duck
Pheasant
Chukar
Quail (many species)
Peacock
***I also have fertile cortunix quail eggs that I could hatch for you.

I cannot hatch goose or larger eggs.
I can take care of your chicks for up to one week, at which time they will need to be picked up. I will take care of your chicks as part of the hatching charge for the first three days. I will charge $3.00 per/day after the 3rd day.

This is in the Salt Lake City area just to give you an idea of how she advertizes and what she charges.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I like the way the fella in Salt Lake City that dsgard quotes has thought the whole thing out. If I ever do paid custom hatching I believe I'll use his model.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Here's a reversal - let people tell you what they will pay by asking them.

We always ask everyone but the people that have to pay. What use to know what a guy in Washington gets, if you live in Florida? Where's the comparison?

One of the greatest lessons in the salesmans book is to ask it this way: "What did you have budgeted for this?"

Then let them tell you. It may be too little; or, it may surprise you to learn how high they'll go.
But either way, it starts the ball rolling.

 

[Davaroo]

A.T. Hagan :

I like the way the fella in Salt Lake City that dsgard quotes has thought the whole thing out.

Huh?

 

[Lotsapaints]

Yep that's how I got an answer of 2.00 I didn't know what to charge so I asked..hummmm I was a sales rep for years