rare chickens.. what ?

[momof247371]

thats a very good point too, i mean how do you know that your gettin your moneys worth from these birds .

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Ask to see photos of the parent birds and even photos of the parent birds being held by the person selling them...and/or request something odd...a photo of the parent birds with an onion or an apple...something that would make it harder to steal & use another photo. I have found quite a few breeders who have stolen pictures from the UK (through google images) and tried to pass the birds off as their own....

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
If you're wanting to "make money" you won't usually, if you're actually following a breeding program. If you do like any other tom, dick, and harry and just buy up stuff breed them and sell eggs to whoever will buy them, then you might make money for a short time before people start getting wise.

If you're talking about buying stock, I posted some pretty good advise just above Equibling's responses. You should check it out.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Good advice!

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

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The best thing is, to do your research on the standard. I think people that sell the eggs for way cheap from non-quality breeders is a huge problem in not only my breed, but others.

Just to make a point.
Here is the Serama standard-
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=23256

Here are eggs you can buy for kinda cheap. (6 for $25.00)Here are one of the roosters, that are loose with a whole bunch of hens and other roos-

Here are my Seramas, all in separate breeding pens (or tractors), marked so I know who is who, and bred to produce the best babies. I keep records! I raise the chicks for months to see who displays the best type and I cull birds that can not improve the gene pool somehow. If I do ever sell my precious eggs, they are not "cheap"-- maybe 6 for 50 bucks or more depending on the line...

((AND you can see my roo Sammy if you click on breed of the month in my Sig. line)))


What would you buy?
Some people never ask to see pics and dont know what they are looking for in a quality bird.
The part that really gets me is that they will breed this junk and sell more eggs and there will be more junk out there...no wonder the good ones are rare!

I def. agree that you are not going to make money, and probably not going to break even..

But its FUN, and I really love it!

 

[Chris09]

BluegrassSeramas very good post and I wand to second the fact that people need to do there home work on the breed of chicken they want...

Chris

 

[Windchyme]

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I spend a good $200 a month to feed my birds (most of which are my silkies), then there is bedding and supplements and medicines when needed. There is routine nail and beak trimming, worming at least twice a year, expensive bug treatment at least twice a year. Then there is the cost to get new quality blood to add in to my lines. There is show costs when I show. Costs to run incubators, heat lights, heating pads. Then there is the pens which had to have misters run in them to combat the triple digit heat we get into here, not to mention the costs of the pens themselves and the housing/nest boxes in the pens.

Here is a comparison sheet I keep for those people that want to buy from me then complain about my price and ask why it is so much more then feed store birds.... THIS is why...

 

[Windchyme]

Quote:
Ask to see photos of the parent birds and even photos of the parent birds being held by the person selling them...and/or request something odd...a photo of the parent birds with an onion or an apple...something that would make it harder to steal & use another photo. I have found quite a few breeders who have stolen pictures from the UK (through google images) and tried to pass the birds off as their own....

I have had people in the UK steal my pictures to use over there GRRRRR!

 

[momof247371]

how many different bloodlines do you guys have to insure there is no inbreeding while trying to stay true to the standard? Also i know what you mean about the feed, bedding, fencing, etc. i do have lots of birds myself(chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, guineas,peacocks) so i know what all that stuff can run..it can get costly very quickly..

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Excellent comparison photos, WindChyme!