Most expensive/rare breeds?

[cariboujaguar]

Thanks everyone, I am having such a blast learning!
I really want to get a breed that is being developed, one that has room for improvment (I know all breeds do in most instances...but... LOL) I like all the flashy chickens with laced, splashed, speckled, barred etc color patterns and love the marans because you can improve on the egg color as well... I love improving genetics and creating your own lines

any other breeds like this that I should consider?

 

[amazondoc]

Well.....if you really like the "work in progress" attitude, then Marans OR Barnies OR Wellies could ALL give you a lot of pleasure. Marans need work on EVERYTHING, and they come in lots of varieties. Barnies only come in one color in this country, but their eggs need a LOT of work and they all need better standardization. And with Wellies, you can breed for darker eggs OR for speckled/splotched eggs -- I plan to work on both.

Have fun with whatever you pick!

 

[cariboujaguar]

Oh wow, those all sound so fun! I've found myself drawn to those 3 in particular as I've been studying breeds- I think you just convinced me my instincts are right

 

[billygoatgruff]

check out silkies on eggbid...sometimes going for over $1500....I know not real rare but can be expensive.....

 

[cariboujaguar]

are you serious? how insane are people??? chickens for $1500???!!! I had a goat that was $1200... I guess that's weird too lol

 

[tiki244]

Yeah what everybody said they all seem pretty pricey, those breeds. I just wanted to add that someone I know sells Shamos for $100 a piece. And I think the Malays and Cubalayas and such can be pricey too. I am not too familiar with these game birds though.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
"Expensive" cubalaya and malay depends on the breeder you get them from. You always want to research and ask lots of questions about the lines a breeder has and how long they've been working with them. Lines that originated from imports tend to be more pricey than others. The generations closest to the imported stock are usually the most expensive.

I've seen folks try to pass hatchery quality off as show quality, and it's not pretty.

Find out everything you can about the fowl you are going to buy and determine if it's worth it to you to spend the asking price. Some people will spend stupid money for stock they know nothing about, based on a typed up description and a photo. Those same folks will go to poultry shows and buy up the winning exhibition fowl for loads of cash on the spot. That's their issue, not anyone else's. They're in it to turn a quick buck, and it's a very sad thing.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Some of the silkies that have sold for really high prices are VERY nice. And others are not. In a couple of recent auctions the seller and buyer were one and the same; he kept bidding with higher and higher prices to drive up the price--presumably to make his name better known. Also, some auctions have used photos of others' birds. Buyer beware.

In most cases you can purchase directly from breeders at better prices.

 

[rockabilly7]

HOLY CRAP!!!! Why are a dozen eggs so expensive??? I have alot of the same birds she does but I dont think anyone would buy their eggs for that much!!!! Whats so great about her eggs???

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Why are a dozen eggs so expensive???

Generally, the quality of the birds. There are silkies worth $5 and ones worth $500. Theoretically, they are the same: they're both silkies.

But if you were to consider each one, they would vary drastically. The $5 bird would probably have poor type, poor colouring, small crest, poor foot feathering, wrong number or configuration of toes, bad comb. And probably be male--the same bird in a female would be worth more as a broody.

On the other hand, the $500 bird would have excellent type, crest, colour/pattern, foot feathering, correct number and placement of toes, good comb. It might well have won at shows where it competed against other quality silkies.

More trendy or popular varieties tend to go for more than other varieties. And then there is the law of supply and demand--the more people who want and the fewer available, the higher the price.​