raising layers to sell?

[Delmar]

Is there money to be made by raising layers to sell? I would seem to me, that to make any money you would have to raise them in the spring and summer, so that feed costs are lower, and have them ready to start laying in the fall. Is there a good market for girls that are ready to go, heading into the winter months? it is the time when a lot of older girls take a break, if I understand correctly.

 

[critterranch]

yes there is if you live in the right area. i sell off alot of extras. people around here dont like to brood and dont like roosters so as long as it a hen and can go stright outside to their coop they dont care. i sell my 8 weeks old for $10.00 each and they sell like crazy.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes. But let's review. If you incubate the chicks, you still have to assign a value to them because of the cost of keeping the parent stock. For the sake of demonstration, let's agree to agree on $2 a chick. That would be a good price at which to outright buy day old chicks as well.

To raise a pullet from hatch to 8 weeks there is electricity for brooding. Bedding and litter. Assigning a cost is difficult, but again, let's agree to agree on $2.
The feed cost from hatch to 8 weeks is not as difficult to calculate. $2 to $3 depending on breed and waste management.


Thus, we arrive at the cost of raising that chick to eight weeks as $6-$7. Consider your labor is positively donated, you arrive at a possible $3 profit for each bird. Perhaps through broody raising and other things you could reduce your costs and raise your profit to $4 a bird, you'd still make much more money working part time at Mickey D's.

Do it because you enjoy it. The "profits" are quite slim at $10 for an 8 week bird.

 

[Delmar]

Fred's Hens :

Yes. But let's review. If you incubate the chicks, you still have to assign a value to them because of the cost of keeping the parent stock. For the sake of demonstration, let's agree to agree on $2 a chick. That would be a good price at which to outright buy day old chicks as well.

To raise a pullet from hatch to 8 weeks there is electricity for brooding. Bedding and litter. Assigning a cost is difficult, but again, let's agree to agree on $2.
The feed cost from hatch to 8 weeks is not as difficult to calculate. $2 to $3 depending on breed and waste management.


Thus, we arrive at the cost of raising that chick to eight weeks as $6-$7. Consider your labor is positively donated, you arrive at a possible $3 profit for each bird. Perhaps through broody raising and other things you could reduce your costs and raise your profit to $4 a bird, you'd still make much more money working part time at Mickey D's.

Do it because you enjoy it. The "profits" are quite slim at $10 for an 8 week bird.

Thanks
My guess is you hit the nail on the head. I mostly asked because I have really been enjoying hatching chicks and think it might be fun to hatch more than I can keep. Also I am looking to save an EE roo who sires blue egg layers. I figure I can sort this out quicker if I keep more daughters until they are laying.​