Overpriced, two-year old Araucana Hen?

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SethRiddle

SethRiddle

In the Brooder
6 Years
Aug 5, 2013
19
1
31
Raytown, Missorui
Hi all,

My family has built a coop and are now successfully keeping 4 backyard chickens. We have two Plymouth Barred Rocks, and two Rhode Island Reds happily free-ranging on 1/3 acre in Raytown, Missouri (suburb of Kansas City)

Question: My son would like to get an Araucana or Americana (Easter Eggers). I found someone selling locally, but I thought her prices were too high, and I'd love some feedback or advice on whether or not the price was right, or excessive. I didn't purchase because I thought her prices were excessive for the age of the chicken.

She had three Araucanas, all of whom are two years old. She was asking $45 for the trio. I wanted one or two (yes I know I should get chickens in pairs), but she wants $20 for a SINGLE hen. Now, I'm new to all this, but $20 for one, two-year old hen seems crazy high. I was thinking $10-12 at most. The question is: is it worth it? Is that the normal price for ANY two year old hen, $20? I realize some breeds are rarer than others, but Araucana and Americana are pretty common from what I read.


Thank you for any help or replies, they are much appreciated!

-Seth Riddle

Here are some pics of my Coop and Hens! :)



















 
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What a beautiful flock!
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They are most likely Easter Eggers a mutt breed with the blue egg gene. There are three different kinds of breeds that people get confused with: Easter Eggers, Ameraucanas, and Araucanas. Araucanas are actually the rarest of the three similar breeds, they have ear tufts, are rumpless, and lay blue eggs. Ameraucanas on the other hand are more common they have muffs and beards together, tails, and they lay only eggs in different shades of blue. Easter Eggers are the most common, often called Ameraucanas ( which is wrong) in hatcheries they are usually a cross between a Ameraucana and any other kind of breed ( it mostly depends on the hatchery which decides what breeds they will cross with).They lay blue to olive colored eggs ( and yes some will lay white or brown eggs due to their cross). Here's a link that will help too: http://www.ameraucana.org/faq.html
 
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Thank you for the help! As long as the hen lays blue or green eggs, my son will LOVE it. Thank you for the kind response that my flock is beautiful! I agree!
 
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Maybe the birds she is offering are show or breeding quality. Personally if I wanted laying hens, I would take point -of -lay pullets but, not want to buy older birds who wont be productive as long.
 
I agree that the price seems about right. For a 2 year old, sometimes they take it down to $15, but for an Easter Egger $20 is about right. If you take into account all the labor, feed, housing, bedding, heat lamp, and other costs of raising a chick to point of lay, you'll realize you're getting a deal!
 
Welcome to BYC. The price if for a true Araucana even in spite of the age is not too high. If it is indeed an EE, the price for a 2 year old in my mind is too high.
 

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