Orpington question

[BRAD1215]

What is special about orpingtons? Is there a demand for orpingtons? I would like to sell chicks to supliment some income. Any advice would be well appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Katy]

I like my orpingtons because they're big, fluffy and I like the temperments that mine have.....not to mention I think they're very pretty birds. Unless you have the facilities to hatch and sell hundreds of chicks you'll be lucky to break even. I sell my excess chicks and I doubt that I've ever made any money on them. But that isn't the reason I've got them.....I've got them because I enjoy them.

 

[PeeperKeeper]

I have 5 orps in my flock of 46. Their temperment is sweet and docile. They are very nosey and seem to like people company. They lay about 3-4 eggs per week, are big and fluffy with pink legs. Setbacks: They let the other hens bully them around.
Buff orp roos are easy going and people friendly, no trouble with attacks on children or adults.
Their breed is large enough to be egg layers and meat birds.
I like barred rocks too.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I'm not sure what you are asking. If you are asking if they are rare or not, they are not. They are just big, fluffy, loving birds that find their way into your heart quickly!

Like Katy said, unless you have the facilities to hatch large numbers at a time, there isn't really that much money in it.

You most definitely can make a few extra dollars, but my chick sales would never pay the bills here. It might help supplement things and pay for the chickens upkeep, but that's about it.

 

[BRAD1215]

I have a regular job but would like to make a little extra money to maybe redo the floor in the bathroom for the wife and stuff like that. I have 22 orpingtons and 4 other hens that I think are RIR but they are not laying on the eggs. I don't want to quit my day job but would like to make extra money that I can set aside and use at a later date maybe for my daughters college book money or small repairs around the house. Hoping to make a few houndred dollers per month to set aside. So do you think that is feesable or am I gonna break even.
Thnak you all for the responses

 

[Katy]

No, I don't think it's feasible to expect to have any money to put in a savings account.....you would be very lucky to break even.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Big birds eat A LOT, I'm amazed at how little food breeders of small chickens buy in a month compared to my same size flock..

Some colors are rare, selling Show Quality, if you have it, can also help you to break even but only in time & with a good reputation will help you sell what you have.

Does that make sense? I'm not even close to breaking even this year, but I've had some pitfalls, that I hope to avoid next year.

I still have to figure out what it costs exactly to run the incubator(s) and heat lamps to REALLY know what my costs truly are... for now I just guesstimate.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

It's those pitfalls that nail ya....

 

[gumpsgirl]

Making a few hundred dollars extra a month is probably far fetched, to be honest.

What type of Orpingtons do you have? Now the Lavenders could bring that type of money, well this year anyways, I'm not so sure about next but the more common colors just don't. If you have good stock, you could get $5 a chick, depending on the color. It also costs extra $ to have good breeding stock to breed. You need to make sure they are being fed an optimum diet and my Orp. cockerels will be started on a breeder supplement this coming January. I have also found that Orp. chicks eat a TON of food! The adults do too for that matter!

The chicks though are quite the little hogs when it comes to eating. Then you have the electricity costs for running the bator and the heat lamps. If you are talking about doing this on a large scale, then you will have a lot of food to buy along with several heat lamps running.

I'm not trying to discourage you by any means. I'm just pointing out the facts. If this is truly something you would like to try, then go for it! You won't ever know for sure until you try.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I don't break even with mine on the feed bill. Even the Lavenders. But Orps are the breed that I enjoy and will raise because of their eye candy appeal and temperament.