Rising cost of chickens

[Tooleman]

Has anyone else noticed the rising cost of buying baby chicks over the past year???

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Not at all

 

[MichelleBelle]

I think much of it depends on where you are located, and whether there is a high demand for chicks/chickens. For me, when I lived in Austin, TX the price for common breed pullets averaged between $15-$20 and for chicks was $5 or so, and having backyard chickens is a really popular hobby there. The prices seemed to stay stable the last couple years to me. When I moved to Missouri last June, I was happy to find that the cost for chicks and birds was lower. Now that I'm raising my own birds, I often take chicks/chickens to sell at auction, and I notice there is a definite seasonal trend to the prices I get for my birds.

Are you purchasing your chicks from a different source, or has your vendor raised prices significantly? If you have a livestock auction near where you live, you might want to try buying there- I know you can often get chicks for $1 ea at my local auction. Good luck!

 

[snow5164]

Yes definitely, chicks at the hatchery are a few cents more, but privately people are asking $5-$8 a day old chick!!

That why we picked up a rooster, time to make our own chicks ....

 

[BlackHackle]

I think much of it depends on where you are located, and whether there is a high demand for chicks/chickens. For me, when I lived in Austin, TX the price for common breed pullets averaged between $15-$20 and for chicks was $5 or so, and having backyard chickens is a really popular hobby there. The prices seemed to stay stable the last couple years to me. When I moved to Missouri last June, I was happy to find that the cost for chicks and birds was lower. Now that I'm raising my own birds, I often take chicks/chickens to sell at auction, and I notice there is a definite seasonal trend to the prices I get for my birds.

Are you purchasing your chicks from a different source, or has your vendor raised prices significantly? If you have a livestock auction near where you live, you might want to try buying there- I know you can often get chicks for $1 ea at my local auction. Good luck!

Agree. Were I live I have to pay $50 per chick for good Light Sussex. It all depends how rare the breed is, right?

 

[Tooleman]

Last year I purchased Cornish crosses from Hoovers hatchery at the cost of $1.15 ea for 50 female chicks. I went to order them this year and the price is over double at $2.25 ea for 50.

 

[MichelleBelle]

Yes definitely, chicks at the hatchery are a few cents more, but privately people are asking $5-$8 a day old chick!!

That why we picked up a rooster, time to make our own chicks ....

Watching your hens hatch babies or incubating your eggs in an incubator is SO much fun! And if you end up with more chicks than you want, you can always sell the extras. It's been my experience that selling the extra chicks/hens totally covers the cost of my feed, supplies, etc.

 

[BlackHackle]

Watching your hens hatch babies or incubating your eggs in an incubator is SO much fun! And if you end up with more chicks than you want, you can always sell the extras. It's been my experience that selling the extra chicks/hens totally covers the cost of my feed, supplies, etc.

I agree. I hatch my own chicks cause I breed them for showing.

 

[av8torcrj]

I got my last batch of pullets, buff Orpington, RIR, Easter eggers and delaware for $1.85 from Ideal and a few bantams for .95€. Shipping was not much. They are all but giving them away as best I can tell.

 

[Spartan22]

Has anyone else noticed the rising cost of buying baby chicks over the past year???

Yep, they had to pay a lot for the sexing pros, and the overhead cost plus they can raise the price since there’s more demand lately (the chicken craze bandwagon)