Minnesota!

[scandiafowl]

And the first dear tick of the year found crawling on my arm made a tasty snack for a hen.

 

[scandiafowl]

@athalia17

There is someone north of me who sold BO pullets and 50% of my purchase turned out to be roosters :-(

 

[scandiafowl]

For mutt eggs, people sell for $10-20, that I have seen.  The only 'mutts' I sell are the Easter Eggers and since I am putting in the thought and space, etc to make them Easter Eggers, that counts for a little more than barnyard mix, so they go for $20 per dozen.  

As for the rest, I sell my best breeds right now (Buckeyes and New Hampshires) for $4 per egg or $45 per dozen.  There are plenty who go higher if they have proven show lines.

$25 is about average for people claiming to have showable lines but don't exactly have the backing.  I would hesitate to pay a premium price for "show quality" that their only claim to fame is winning a blue ribbon at the county fair.  4-H winners often are Hoover or Welp Hatchery, but there are some counties with good show breeders who are winning at state fair and their families show in Open shows as well.

Be a smart consumer and ask questions if you are buying, and as for credentials if someone is asking $50-60 per dozen.  

 
My approach as a seller, be HONEST.  Know what you have, know what you are talking about, and be fair.  If you make crap up and try flying by the seat of your pants, customers will figure it out and they won't come back and they will probably tell their friends. 

I also wouldn't sell any eggs unless you have tested your hatches for a good hatch rate and fertility.  If you sell someone hatching eggs and only have 25% fertility, I guarantee they won't be happy.  That being said, if you ship eggs, that is about average of what is a reasonable expectation for those.  Somehow, shipping can have an effect on eggs where they have a much lower hatch rate than if they were picked up in person and set without having to endure the USPS System.

Thanks, Minnie - I'm handing these over personally tomorrow.
I've done one hatch with my own eggs. This was the time with the malfunctioning incubator. The postmortem revealed that 80% were fertilized. I'm going to try again with my new incubator and see what luck I have.

 

[athalia17]

So, just went out to the hen who had the chick. Another hatched just fine... found out outside the nesting box dead. Thoughts? Fully developed, looked healthy. Just died, not stiff. Natural fader on hatch day or got chilled? The other one is just fine.

 

[lalaland]

I don't know your setup, but it can happen that a chick gets out and can't get back in to the nest. sometimes a lip or edge is too big....and getting chilled will do it. If you see a chick like that, you can see if you can warm it up and sometimes they can be revived.

or, could have been some internal issue.

or, a new broody sometimes will kill a chick.

or.....

I'm sorry, that is always a sad thing.

love the comb on that bird on your shoulder!

 

[scandiafowl]

How common is that - a new broody would kill a chick?

 

[athalia17]

Yes, her floppy comb! White castle has always reminded me a little of this chicken.

 

[scandiafowl]

Yes, her floppy comb! White castle has always reminded me a little of this chicken.

Love it! The Swedish Chef!

 

[athalia17]

He was my fave! Ok, the grumpy old guys were a close second.

 

[athalia17]

How common is it that hawks will eat chickens? I have never had this happen yet. I almost thought the chickens were too big for a hawk.