***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Poco Pollo]

I wonder where your barnevelders came from. I have those, they are beautiful and easy going. I hatched mine.

Most of my Barnevelder stock is from Jan and Paul Anderegg in Iowa. They own Rainbow Gate Farm. I don't see Barnevelder listed for sale on their website, though. Maybe they are not breeding them any more. I have a few from DGibson here on the Okie thread. He's got some really beautiful birds.

 

[daniel-delarosa]

I asked in a different section about if it would be profitable to order day old chicks and raise them to almost the point of laying then selling them. I soon realized that I should have posted here in the okies thread instead for more local answers. People on craigslist are selling laying hens for up to 15 bucks each. I actually just bought three hens last week to replace some that a skunk killed. I was happy to pay the 15 a piece for them to keep my egg flow going. My wife and I were thinking of ordering 50 or so chicks and trying to sell them at 4 months old or so. What didn't sell, we would take to the auction. Never have been to an auction, dont have any idea what chickens sell for on average, but surely there has to be a little money to be made or nobody would be selling them. We are not trying to get rich or quit our day jobs, but we love chickens and enjoy taking care of them. It would just be nice to get a little money out of them to cover feed costs and such. What do y'all think, worth messing with?

 

[Sooner]

I don't remember who did the math on it but you really can't feed them out & actually make a profit if I remember correctly. Now feed prices are higher than they were then. Having never done it I will let others with more experience help you out.

 

[Cjarvis]

I asked in a different section about if it would be profitable to order day old chicks and raise them to almost the point of laying then selling them. I soon realized that I should have posted here in the okies thread instead for more local answers. People on craigslist are selling laying hens for up to 15 bucks each. I actually just bought three hens last week to replace some that a skunk killed. I was happy to pay the 15 a piece for them to keep my egg flow going. My wife and I were thinking of ordering 50 or so chicks and trying to sell them at 4 months old or so. What didn't sell, we would take to the auction. Never have been to an auction, dont have any idea what chickens sell for on average, but surely there has to be a little money to be made or nobody would be selling them. We are not trying to get rich or quit our day jobs, but we love chickens and enjoy taking care of them. It would just be nice to get a little money out of them to cover feed costs and such. What do y'all think, worth messing with?

This has been tried, the problem you will have is very simple. If you order now and receive them you will have birds at point of lay at the same time many others will and will be thinning thier flocks.
The market will have already been hit months ahead by those that either hatched or ordered for fall chicks. the market will fall off rapidly by the end of may for layers.
teh large hatcheries will sell off thousands in July / august timeframe and those birds will be available on the local market for around $5 or less as there are a few large buyers who will by 10,000 at a shot to sell at that price and flood the market.
So the answer to teh question is yes and no, it would not be a good investment right now, but an order in September eraly october would work out.

 

[Cjarvis]

I don't remember who did the math on it but you really can't feed them out & actually make a profit if I remember correctly. Now feed prices are higher than they were then. Having never done it I will let others with more experience help you out.

And there is the next problem.. leghorns for eggs you can raise, RIR, and Barred Rocks eat too much, but very few will buy the leghorn.

 

[Cjarvis]

Guy's tip of the Day​

If you are lucky enough to be getting lots of eggs now (or anytime) and you do not have egg customers you can take the over abundance of eggs and use them in your feeding program. Boil the eggs, crumble them up and feed to your young chickens if you are raising some. Very good source of protein and my young birds go crazy over them when I carry some into their pen.

I do this with infertiles when I candle at 7 days. I will also say though do not suplement your dog's feed with them or you will not want to be around your dog for a few days, they get a bit windy themselves.

 

[Buckguy20]

Carl summed it up very well. It is a crap shoot when it comes to reselling layers and hoping for a profit. High feed prices make it very hard to come out ahead.

I asked in a different section about if it would be profitable to order day old chicks and raise them to almost the point of laying then selling them. I soon realized that I should have posted here in the okies thread instead for more local answers. People on craigslist are selling laying hens for up to 15 bucks each. I actually just bought three hens last week to replace some that a skunk killed. I was happy to pay the 15 a piece for them to keep my egg flow going. My wife and I were thinking of ordering 50 or so chicks and trying to sell them at 4 months old or so. What didn't sell, we would take to the auction. Never have been to an auction, dont have any idea what chickens sell for on average, but surely there has to be a little money to be made or nobody would be selling them. We are not trying to get rich or quit our day jobs, but we love chickens and enjoy taking care of them. It would just be nice to get a little money out of them to cover feed costs and such. What do y'all think, worth messing with?

 

[old*cowboy]

I asked in a different section about if it would be profitable to order day old chicks and raise them to almost the point of laying then selling them. I soon realized that I should have posted here in the okies thread instead for more local answers. People on craigslist are selling laying hens for up to 15 bucks each. I actually just bought three hens last week to replace some that a skunk killed. I was happy to pay the 15 a piece for them to keep my egg flow going. My wife and I were thinking of ordering 50 or so chicks and trying to sell them at 4 months old or so. What didn't sell, we would take to the auction. Never have been to an auction, dont have any idea what chickens sell for on average, but surely there has to be a little money to be made or nobody would be selling them. We are not trying to get rich or quit our day jobs, but we love chickens and enjoy taking care of them. It would just be nice to get a little money out of them to cover feed costs and such. What do y'all think, worth messing with?

Carl was right on. I would also like to add that as far as money in them taking them to the auction. Many take them to the auction because it costs so much to feed them. Not for the profet they made raising them. I have seen lots of hens on craigslist for 15 to 20 dollars. Lots of the same birds end up going to auctions and bringing half that or so. Like I told someone the other day when he told me he was going to get a few hens because he was tired of buying eggs. I told him if the only reason for getting chickens was for CHEAP eggs. He would be better off buying eggs and save his money. Back when we had legal sporting chickens, lots of folks made big money in poultry. A few of the top end show folks make money (but if you figured what they have in time and previous money I doubt over the years you could say they made much). Hatcheries, feed companys, big poultry farms make some on good years but if you asked everyone you have ever known that had chickens if they could show a profit I would bet they arent very many that did. Nope if a person doesnt have chickens for the pure enjoyment of chickens and how they make him or her feel, they aint got much business with them, cause the money aint there. (Of course there will be exceptions to this)

 

[old*cowboy]

I do this with infertiles when I candle at 7 days. I will also say though do not suplement your dog's feed with them or you will not want to be around your dog for a few days, they get a bit windy themselves.

Thats a great idea, I never thought of that. About the dog, totally agree. We have a boxer in the house and it seems like she is just looking for a reason to smell up the place.

 

[Cjarvis]

Well, you may have all figured out I'm back from the tournament, Brandon took 1st.
What a nice day, the windows and doors are open to get some fresh air in the house and enjoying getting even more done outside today which I assume many others are doing as well since the thread is dead.