Selling chickens?

[newchickmom]

I have had somone ask if they could buy 5 of my chickens for egg laying. I have no idea what price to ask!

They are about 12 wks old black australorps. I have 25 hens and 1 roo. I plan to get more chicks this spring (maybe a different breed though)

What should I charge for them?

 

[seedcorn]

What you would sell you babies into slavery?????

Prices in IN are all over. I'm going to look at some they are only asking $2 for. I'd never part with a hen for less than $10, unless I was selling to friend, in which case it's never a sale but a gift. If you are trying to thin down, then anything is better than nothing.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Laying? I say $10-$15 each

 

[justusnak]

Here in SE Indiana, a young hen would go between 3 and 5$ Depends on the breeds I guess.

 

[newchickmom]

LOL They arn't laying yet, they are only 12 wks old! My doughter's room mate's mother raises cattle and only has a rooster. She has been wanting chickens again, for a while now. My daughter's room mate bought them for her mother for a christmas present ( I only charged her $5 a piece for them) Her mom was thrilled!! She did say they were probably just as nice of a present for the cock as they were for her though! LOL

I wouldn't have sold them to anyone else for that cheap.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Chick's can cost as much as $3 ea plus you have all those weeks of food tied up in them.

I sell 7 week old pullets for $8 ea. (and I have no problem getting that) If you really don't want to sell them badly, price them at what you feel you could be happy with and if they don't take them what's the loss.

I'd say charge between $12 and $15 and if they don't like it no sweat right? Just lock them up so they don't get stolen.

 

[newchickmom]

I did figure up the cost of the chicks + postage and feed came out to about $3.75 per chick total. (I bought 25 at a time and they were cheaper that way) That is all I could part with though!! I won't sell any more unless I have more. That puts me down to 20 hens for 1 roo. I plan to let a couple brood come spring when they are old enough.

 

[ksacres]

It will depend on your area. I'd say if you have $3.75 per chicken invested, at least double that for your time. In my area you can hardly give them away, which is strange since I'm actually pretty close to Lonecowboy. Maybe I'm not advertising to the right markets.

If you feel comfortable taking $5 each for them, that's what I would charge, but that's me. Chickens are my hobby, not my income source. I like taking care of my biddies, so I never charge for time involved. How can I charge for the half hour I spend nearly everyday just watching them??

 

[speckledhen]

I hate to let any go for less than $5 as chicks because the feedstore sells the chicks they get from Ideal for $3.75 each as 2 day olds. Get 'em to 12 weeks and you have some time, energy, and money invested. As pullets that age, I'd say $7-10. Definitely no less than $10 at point of lay.

 

[silkiechicken]

Normall I let 3 month old birds go for 8-10 a piece, and 5 month old birds go for 15 a piece. If it is someone I know though, it's often less. $5 is a bit low but not bad as it's not a total stranger. Or maybe it is.