Very nice! What is reducing the flock?
The little backup I brought back home is getting along great with the hens and his dad/uncle. I'm actually hoping he is one of Caspian's sons, but I could be wrong about that. He's a gentle little (huge actually) soul that is afraid of his own shadow.
Yes, those silver laced are just about the sweetest roosters you'll ever have. Never got a mean one. Mine is hanging around either as a back up for my "Awesome" or he'll be for
@homeschoolin momma. He's like a puppy and follows people around, eats from my hand, is quiet, and doesn't mind being scooped up for cuddles.
I'm trying to sell some of these Orpington babies and people don't even want to pay $5.00 for them straight run. I have to keep biting my tongue to tell them have fun paying $40 or more for them come Spring when they are laying...
I know what you mean. A lot of work goes into maintaining the flock, keeping everyone healthy and on a good diet, safe from predators, and selecting the best breeders for multiple generations. (Then the electricity for incubation and brooder supplies and time caring for all the chicks.)
Yes, a feed store chick only costs $5. If someone only wants eggs, then they can buy a feed store chick. If they want the jaw-dropping beauty and temperament of an Orpington from imported English bloodlines, then it costs more. Hang in there. Buyers eventually come along. The good news is that once those chicks turn into beautiful hens, the customers usually return to buy more, send their friends as referrals, and you'll have a wait list for future hatches.
I sell straight run chicks for half the cost of a started pullet / hen. My reasoning is that 50% will be male, so the cost is equivalent. When asked I do my best to pick out females - or at least avoid obvious males - but I always tell them to buy extra chicks because that's what you do when getting straight run. They can always sell extra females or give away the males. An advantage of buying straight run chicks is better selection. The disadvantage could be a little heartache when you have to give away an unwanted male.
I almost always sell out of straight run laced orps. This year, I only sold 2 as pullets,....
1. As a favor, I kept one chick which I grew out for a past customer who lost her precious laced hen.
2. My impulse "last hatch" in September didn't get on Craigslist, because I was too busy. I only sold straight run chicks to a few people who happened to call me. By 4 weeks I knew I had 3 pullets, so I just put them up for sale as sexed females. (one was a laced)
(I had verbally sold the turkeys, but they're living somewhere else now. ) It feels good to actually get numbers down for winter (instead of saying, "Yeah, I'm going to reduce my flock." )
