Selling 23 week old chickens for profit- is there a market?

[Percheron chick]

I live in the Denver area and can sell 16 week old pullets in the spring for $20-25 depending upon breed. I start in January so they are outside as soon as the snow is done. Have sold as many as 200 in one year and could of doubled that. I make about $6/bird. Figure 20# starter per bird.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I am wondering if the backyard chicken craze has ended, because TSC had at least one tub of black sex linked chickens that appeared to be 2-3 weeks old & had to have netting on top so they did not fly out. I have never seen that before at my TSC. Just an observation.

 

[dheltzel]

I am wondering if the backyard chicken craze has ended, because TSC had at least one tub of black sex linked chickens that appeared to be 2-3 weeks old & had to have netting on top so they did not fly out. I have never seen that before at my TSC. Just an observation.

More likely the need for TSC has ended. My chick sales this spring are much higher than last year. I bet the online sources of supplies like Jeffers and Amazon are having great sales years as people only need TSC for things that are heavy to ship, like feed and bedding, and that is available at a lot of local sources. As for the chicks, customers are getting more discerning and looking for specific breeds, not whatever TSC chooses to make available.

Backyard chicken keeping (and bee keeping) are still soaring in popularity. No worries about that abating anytime soon.

 

[Cindy in PA]

More likely the need for TSC has ended. My chick sales this spring are much higher than last year. I bet the online sources of supplies like Jeffers and Amazon are having great sales years as people only need TSC for things that are heavy to ship, like feed and bedding, and that is available at a lot of local sources. As for the chicks, customers are getting more discerning and looking for specific breeds, not whatever TSC chooses to make available.

Backyard chicken keeping (and bee keeping) are still soaring in popularity. No worries about that abating anytime soon.

Ok, so it is crazy pet stuff instead of a working layer flock. I would never pay the prices I have seen to have an egg layer & that is all I want. 2-3 years & I am in the market again. I prefer to pick my layers & ship dates from the hatcheries. The stuff they sell for chickens keeping is crazy, but then to each his own. I will carry on as I have for 25 seasons.

 

[rosemarythyme]

This probably will work for some markets and not others, but you could go the opposite route and try spending more to sell more expensive birds. In my area organic anything sells much better and it would probably be worth the effort to sell organically raised birds (and probably POL, as most of the cities have no-rooster ordinances). They don't have to be certified organic, they can be raised with organic practices and even that alone would be enough to boost the price, if that's something people in your area want.

 

[BYCforlife]

I see. I am looking into rare breeds, and I am interested in Chantcelers. (Not sure how to spell it

)

 

[donrae]

Decide what you consider point of lay. That is going g to be somewhat breed dependant. Keeping a red sex link to 23 weeks, you're going to lose money on her for a month. They're a fast maturing breed and can easily state laying at 18 weeks.

The high production birds are also going to eat less usually, as they are more light bodied. Heavier, slower maturing breeds are going to eat more to get to maturity, and it's going to take them longer to reach point of lay.

Just things to keep in mind.

 

[devdragon33]

Where I live you can buy chicks for as cheap as 1.00. Laying hens go for 10.00-15.00