Is there a market for laying hens?

[Their Other Mother]

My 10 year old daughter with CP has really enjoyed hatching eggs. It is something she can participate in with out much effort and feel a huge accomplishment for.

Since we don't need all the hens to lay all the eggs I'm wondering if there is a market out there for laying hens. Considdering the ever increasing fast pace of Americans my thoughts are that someone out there must want automatic egg makers and not have to wait 5 months or so for their reward. What do you think?

 

[Beekissed]

Yep! Around here a pullet can go for anywhere from $5 ~$8, depending on the breed.

 

[joerogrz]

I recently saw a man here selling chickens of a few varieties. He was selling roosters for 10 and pullets for 11. A bit overpriced if you ask me though. They certainly didn't look happy or healthy.

 

[Their Other Mother]

Maybe I'm thinking a bit too high. I was thinking about $20 - $25 per hen. Heck we pay $5 bucks for a cup of Starbucks coffee in my neighborhood! There are alot of City Slickers moving into our part of town. They spend hundreds on mature fruit and citrus trees so they don't have to wait four years to harvest. I thought I might capitolize on their impatience.

 

[Beekissed]

You could be correct in assuming they would bring more money in your area. Around here we are quite rural, so it is a buyer's market!

Try it and see how quickly they sell. Since you are dealing with city folk, you might want to focus on the more ornamental breeds. Here folks respond more to RIR, Orps, Doms or Aussies...plain and proven layers.

 

[iajewel]

Where I live you pay 2-3.00 for a chick.. and only 5-8.00 for a poult ready to lay. You do the math... if you want to raise them to sell.. might go broke.. but thats back yard laying hens.. get into the pure breds and good quality stock.. and the money gets better. It costs as much to feed a mutt bird or a Hatchery quality bird as it does to feed a good one, so in the long run you may want to think about breed quality?

 

[silkiechicken]

Depends on where you are and the local trends in your area for what you can get for them, and the time of year. Some places now you can barely give away laying hens, while in spring, started pullets can go for 25+ easy in the city.

Unlike napkins or cereal, chickens are a very dynamic product and prices roller coaster and vary depending on where you are and what the local demand is. There are times a butchered hen pulls in more than a live one.

Show quality birds can bring in more money, but the upstart can be hundreds of dollars, and the maintenance of quality requires strict culling of things off standard, which again costs more money and time.

It's a real balance but on the small scale, it's usually not something to make money on. Possibly break even if your time is free.

 

[Trollkiller]

If you already have the hens then start "high" and see if you get any bites.

I would pay $10 to $15 for a started pullet and I am a cheap person. The extra money would be worth it so I would not have to wait and I know the bird will lay.

 

[CrimsonRose]

Quote:
I agree just start out high and if no one buys have a Sale... LOL

It would be worth it for me as well since you don't have to put in all the time into a bird and 5 months later find out you have a roo...

 

[KeyPenCoop]

......... If you are talking "laying hens" that are laying already, $20-$25 is not too much. Around here(Western WA) I regularly see laying hens for $20+ on CL. I just checked and there are 2 ads from today for laying hens: One has them for $20, the other $25......... 12 wks old girls are going for $10-$12(RIR's $10)..........then the chicks are like anywhere, $2-$3.......
Surely not a good way to make money, but maybe to pay expenses?, plus a bit for her?

Good luck!!