Suggestions needed on fair price to ask for 13 week old pullets?

[kmom08]

My girls will be 13 weeks tomorrow and I'm only allowed to keep a certain number in my town. I'm looking to list the extra girls next week (they'll be almost 14 weeks by then)

One of my silver laced wyandottes has been leaving me guessing on her sex, so I'm holding on to both of my rose comb wyandottes for a few extra weeks. So that leaves 6 total to sell 1 single comb silver laced wyandotte, 3 Sapphire Gems, 1 Calico Princess and 1 Welsummer needing to go to new homes (all pullets).

The single comb wyandotte is a little weird we nicknamed her speedy aka crazy she comes to you when she wants to, but the other 5 are all super sweet. I wish I could keep them all! I'm located in south west Kentucky.

I have no idea what a fair asking price would be. They are vaccinated against mareks. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Mosey2003]

It really depends on what people in your area are willing to pay. Look at your local sales groups and see what other point of lay pullets have sold for. $10 would probably be my first guess, but it just depends.

 

[kmom08]

Thank you. I was thinking $10-15 but wasn't sure, lower if someone is wanting all 6.
I see a wide price range on Craigslist, golden comets seem to be sold the most in my area. We paid $20 each for our isa browns and $15 each for our black sex links in our last flock (they were 11 months old at the time so already laying).

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I would go with $15 at that age... like you say with discount if someone takes them all at one time.

Remember they are already off heat and they weren't free to you. That's where I would set my value in ANY market.... price going up weekly stated in the ad.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It really depends on what people in your area are willing to pay. Look at your local sales groups and see what other point of lay pullets have sold for. $10 would probably be my first guess, but it just depends.

I sell my straight run, day to week old chicks for $10 each and sell out as fast as I can hatch.... of course it depends on breed.

POL pullets from people who aren't in desperate situation... $25 each. If they began laying and still in their first season... $30... EVEN hatchery birds.

Usually takes UP to 2 weeks or so for really good response on CL... but again, I sell out. Even without renewing my ad, people are calling me more than a month later looking for birds very often. Patience is a virtue.

I need to know what my actual value into them is... and I still work with people cuz they are more important to me than a $... but rarely has anyone complained and very few even try to negotiate. Most drive not less than 90 minutes each way to reach my house.

Good luck!

 

[Mosey2003]

I wish my market was half as good as that. I ended up not even selling half of my day old, purebred chicks when I priced them at $4 each. You won't get more than $10 for any age of laying hen here in general unless it's considered a "fancy" breed.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I wish my market was half as good as that. I ended up not even selling half of my day old, purebred chicks when I priced them at $4 each. You won't get more than $10 for any age of laying hen here in general unless it's considered a "fancy" breed.

Wow, that's terrible. Where are you located?

My LFS offered $3.75 store credit per day old chick which they would sell at $4.25. Not worth my time.

I even sold 15 mix chicks for $2 each that I just happened to be running a test hatch and someone advertised they were looking for such...

But I'll be honest, when I see most people selling mix breed SR chicks for $3-4 I think they must be smoking something when I can buy pure breed sexed at the feed store for that. And when I see pure breeds for $5... I still have a hard time buying if they aren't NPIP... which I am not either, BUT... I am passionate about my selection and it always comes across in my ad. Most people have sent me pics with expressions of happiness.

One family.. drove 5 hours each way and stayed the night in a motel and bought 15 one year old hatchery hens once I had decided to keep a certain breed instead of all the ones I got to try... they saw a "pinkish" egg in the carton, I was selling eggs back then... and their daughter wanted the pink eggs. Seems like I might have let those go for $10 a piece as I felt their investment was great enough and I'm not trying to make $ or earn a living I just wanna enjoy my birds and covering some feed helps perpetuate the obsession... but the joy of sharing when their little boy saw and fell in love with one of the special hens (Princess Peach a buff Cochin) was so precious... my friend cried when she found our I let that bird go. Eventually I shed a few tears as well, she was indeed special.

It's true that market matters... Only people I see letting birds go for $10 or less are the desperate or 3+ years old. Layers NOT less than $25...

Price according to your market... Marek's vaccinated birds aren't welcome here to hide their disease... but many people will probably appreciate that.

I think my actual cost to hatch... not including the incubator purchase is about $1.30 per chick including duds, power and all. People who want something for nothing don't understand the value of livestock... OR your time.

One of my silver laced wyandottes has been leaving me guessing on her sex,

There shouldn't be any guessing at that age... let's see?

Hey, for that matter... I won't let ANY cockerels go for less than $10. They aren't free to raise and I have the ability to send them to freezer camp. Again I'm not desperate... BUT again people matter more... so I have thrown in a cockerel when asked and they purchased a fair amount of pullets.

And of course their comes a point when you it may be worth your lower price if you are getting over crowded or simply spending too much on the feed bill.

Thank you for letting me share... and also for sharing your differences.

 

[True Patriot]

Pricing anything is based on several things. Eggsighted hit the nail on the head. What will your market support? What is your time worth? What costs do you have invested? What extras are included?(vaccinated etc.) How much profit are you looking to get? Check pricing in your area and online to ballpark a figure then answer the above questions. Better to start a little high, you can always put them"on sale". Good luck

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I would probably ask $20 or $100 for all 6. That would be a perfect starter flock for someone who wants chickens but doesn't want to raise chicks or have to deal with unwanted cockerels. I'm not sure where in S.W. Kentucky you are, but I would probably advertise in the Nashville/Clarksville areas too if it's not too far. You could always come down if you don't get any interest.

ETA: I think you told me on the SG thread you're only a few minutes from the TN border. If it's Hopkinsville/FT Campbell area you could advertise in the Madisonville Show-N-Tell too. I'm pretty sure it would be free for you and only a 25 minute trip or so if someone wanted to purchase.

 

[kmom08]

These were taken a week ago. First 2 photos is the one in question she has way more white and no lacing in her chest and developed waddles before the others. Comb is also wide and has good color to it. Still hoping she's a she as she's my favorite. I haven't named her yet.

The last photo shows all 3 SLW. One on left has nice lacing in the chest I have no doubt that one is a girl. One in middle (standing back behind) is the single comb and feathered in slowest. One on right is the one with much more white and had pink comb by 4 weeks.