The Best Chickens to Make a Profit With

[Ruthster55]

I'm aware its not enough. My eggs are various shades of brown. See my flock, below. Its also all the market will bear out here, in a county with roughly half the population below the poverty line, commercial hatcheries all over (many folding from inability to cover costs), and most neighbors having birds of their own, together with a couple dozen cattle, etc. The rest have tree farms, excepting the local commercial grape operation.

I'm on 30 acres. Its a small tract out here. The whole county only has 20k people, and more than half of those are on the other side of a swamp from me. Yes, I could get licensed, drive 30 minutes, and get a little better at a farmer's market in the next county - but not enough to cover costs there, either. The cost of my birds comes out of my entertainment budget.

I give extras to the neighbors, some of whom have a lot less than I.

I am literally in an upper-income still-developing country. It's one of the tier of countries just a bit behind places in Europe..

People pay at least the equivalent of $3 per dozen or $8 per 30 eggs for free range or pastured eggs. That's with lower salaries and cost of living than in the US. Less licensing.

Your area sounds really depressed financially.

 

[Ruthster55]

I'm not worried about breaking even with mine, much less making a profit. I enjoy them, they are entertaining, they provide a bit of insurance against shortage, and they allow me to avoid "civilization" for a somewhat lengthier period than I otherwise could. We had one of the ducks for Thanksgiving. Have had two of the birds, each makes a couple meals for the wife and I.

When I get the incubator dialed in and have some successful hatchings, we'll take store bought poultry off the grocery list entirely.

For money, I'd get a job. This is a hobby while I build my house.

A great approach!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^^ It is. Which is why I answered the OP that they need to know their market. In affluent places with a hard limit on birds (and likely hens only) with small yards, silkies, rare heritage, and other pure bred birds as pets - culling the cockerels - will likely do better for them then in a distressed area like mine, where a high volume egg layer which starts early and doesn't mass much (like a golden comet/sex link) is good for one part of the market, while barnyard crosses that free range well may cover another corner, and seasonal sales to the 4H kids may provide a few dollars more.

 

[SebrightMix]

Sebrights sound like a terrific option for people who aren't way out in the country and who have access to an urban and suburban market.

They are really cute, and as non-setters are great for urban or suburban small flocks!

The only disadvantage is that as a source of Sebrights...you need a good incubator....

Or silkies

 

[Ruthster55]

Or silkies

Silkies? Only slightly less broody than hens that are all about playing hide-the-egg games with you.... .

Silkies are OK for ppl who can tolerate brooding and are allowed to hatch chicks.

Don't get me wrong...Silkies are lovely and are very sweet. The roosters can be vocal.

I wouldn't do Silkies in a super-urban area.

I.might go with Sebright hens for a small urban no-rooster egg laying flock if I had to choose between Silkies and Sebrights.