The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[KF0002]

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That thing will tow a good sized trailer!

 

[KF0002]

I really probably do need to get into selling some eggs. I think my days of hatching 1,000+ chicks a season is coming to an end. But oh was it fun.
Someone mentioned us "hatchaholics". Ya hatching is fun and ya chicks are pretty awesome. For me it was mostly about the projects. Kind of like every hatch was like Christmas morning. A bit like Mrs Gump would say "you never know what you're gonna get".
Sure I knew what to expect but with projects most of the time you're playing the odds. That new variety would have a 1 of 4, 1 of 8, or 1 of 16 chance of becoming reality.
I never thought I had ADHD. More like too smart for my own good and my brain just did well with chicken genetics. I could see possibilities and I could understand how to get there. Of course breeding generation after generation and putting chicks in the brooder went a lot slower IRL then in by 100 mph brain. That's probably why I've always worked on several projects at the same time.
When hatch day came it was pretty exciting to pull checks from the Hatcher and see if you accomplished anything. I never wanted to sell eggs or sell chicks or make money. I just wanted to create. The whole process. Having an idea making the plan and then seeing it being accomplished. Watching it grow and knowing... I did that.
Pure selfish reasons. So ya to switch gears into I'm going to sell eggs. Recouping some expenses would be a good thing. Note... Recouping, NOT making money.
So what's the point? Just a ramble, some insight. An idea of where I'm coming from and contemplating where I may be going. A topic for conversation because it would be a whole new world that I know nothing about but probably should learn.

I think selling eggs and/or chicks and recouping money to put back into your chickens is a smart move, especially in this economy. We don't have patience with all the peddlers in my area, or bargain shoppers, tire kickers, whatever you want to call them, to sell much of anything. We eat the extra roosters and toms and feed a lot to the dogs to recoup some costs. I am open to selling eggs in the future too if that helps recoup costs. I don't think I will ever ship chicks, my heart just can't take the stress of sending my babies off to such uncertain shipping conditions. I have shipped older grow outs and some adult birds before all of the changes that has happened to USPS to slow things down. That was entirely too stressful and agonizing waiting for them to make it to their destination.

You could make an ad on BYC and sell hatching eggs like hot cakes I bet, since you are very well known to the BYC community and have a good reputation for breeding good quality Leghorns and fancy varieties that no one else has. Ebay is another good place to sell eggs where you would get a lot of hits I'm sure. I may need some of those Silver Creles myself, amongst other varieties! Uh oh, I think I'm in trouble. lol

 

[The Moonshiner]

I think selling eggs and/or chicks and recouping money to put back into your chickens is a smart move, especially in this economy. We don't have patience with all the peddlers in my area, or bargain shoppers, tire kickers, whatever you want to call them, to sell much of anything. We eat the extra roosters and toms and feed a lot to the dogs to recoup some costs. I am open to selling eggs in the future too if that helps recoup costs. I don't think I will ever ship chicks, my heart just can't take the stress of sending my babies off to such uncertain shipping conditions. I have shipped older grow outs and some adult birds before all of the changes that has happened to USPS to slow things down. That was entirely too stressful and agonizing waiting for them to make it to their destination.

You could make an ad on BYC and sell hatching eggs like hot cakes I bet, since you are very well known to the BYC community and have a good reputation for breeding good quality Leghorns and fancy varieties that no one else has. Ebay is another good place to sell eggs where you would get a lot of hits I'm sure. I may need some of those Silver Creles myself, amongst other varieties! Uh oh, I think I'm in trouble. lol

I really do need a crash course on processing cockerels. I love fried chicken and could eat it constantly. Issue is I'd only eat breast meat. Issue solved if I could correctly, efficiently (fast with least effort) process them. I'd do like you and toss the rest to the dogs. Dogs gotta eat too. Free meat I wouldn't even be bummed that they are scrawny.

Advertising is something I wouldn't enjoy. Wouldn't do BYC probably. I've always had people asking about eggs. 2 years ago I offered on byc and only two people took me up on the deal. I think a lot of people like the idea and some would really like to but you know how it goes. Just cuz you would like to or want to doesn't mean you would. I'm sure there's birds we all want but would never end up getting.
Besides that yes I am known on byc. Lots of friends here and lots that I feel like I know. I would just have a weird feeling about selling to them. I know it's just an issue but I would probably have a dilemma with charging something reasonable and not feeling like I'm taking advantage. Also I know how risky shipped eggs are and if they had a bad hatch rate I feel bad. I know it's a risk and I know buyers are aware of that but I just still feel bad.
Weirdly enough I wouldn't be as bothered with strangers. I don't even mind low ballers. I've been one of those guys probably more often than not so I know how they operate. I'd have fun with it and I have no problem saying no.
I'm thinking eBay would be the place to start. I've looked over ads there and it's brought up a lot of stuff. I get just put an ad there but I've also wondered about doing the auction option. It would give a chance to see just what people would think was reasonable to spend. Maybe start there to get an idea of what to charge.

 

[NagemTX]

I really do need a crash course on processing cockerels. I love fried chicken and could eat it constantly. Issue is I'd only eat breast meat. Issue solved if I could correctly, efficiently (fast with least effort) process them. I'd do like you and toss the rest to the dogs. Dogs gotta eat too. Free meat I wouldn't even be bummed that they are scrawny.

Advertising is something I wouldn't enjoy. Wouldn't do BYC probably. I've always had people asking about eggs. 2 years ago I offered on byc and only two people took me up on the deal. I think a lot of people like the idea and some would really like to but you know how it goes. Just cuz you would like to or want to doesn't mean you would. I'm sure there's birds we all want but would never end up getting.
Besides that yes I am known on byc. Lots of friends here and lots that I feel like I know. I would just have a weird feeling about selling to them. I know it's just an issue but I would probably have a dilemma with charging something reasonable and not feeling like I'm taking advantage. Also I know how risky shipped eggs are and if they had a bad hatch rate I feel bad. I know it's a risk and I know buyers are aware of that but I just still feel bad.
Weirdly enough I wouldn't be as bothered with strangers. I don't even mind low ballers. I've been one of those guys probably more often than not so I know how they operate. I'd have fun with it and I have no problem saying no.
I'm thinking eBay would be the place to start. I've looked over ads there and it's brought up a lot of stuff. I get just put an ad there but I've also wondered about doing the auction option. It would give a chance to see just what people would think was reasonable to spend. Maybe start there to get an idea of what to charge.

@MysteryChicken has videos on YouTube for processing.

Skinning them seams to be the quickest way tho. There's a video on thst method as well.

 

[The Moonshiner]

@MysteryChicken has videos on YouTube for processing.

Skinning them seams to be the quickest way tho. There's a video on thst method as well.

I'll skip her videos. She doesn't like me.
I'm sure there's many on YouTube it's just a matter of having the time to wade through them and knowing a good one when I see it.
Also need to figure out that whole "resting" in the fridge etc stuff.

 

[NagemTX]

I'll skip her videos. She doesn't like me.
I'm sure there's many on YouTube it's just a matter of having the time to wade through them and knowing a good one when I see it.
Also need to figure out that whole "resting" in the fridge etc stuff.

My favorite was the one on skinning them. It was so much faster than the normal way.

 

[Chookwagn]

I really do need a crash course on processing cockerels. I love fried chicken and could eat it constantly. Issue is I'd only eat breast meat. Issue solved if I could correctly, efficiently (fast with least effort) process them. I'd do like you and toss the rest to the dogs. Dogs gotta eat too. Free meat I wouldn't even be bummed that they are scrawny.

Advertising is something I wouldn't enjoy. Wouldn't do BYC probably. I've always had people asking about eggs. 2 years ago I offered on byc and only two people took me up on the deal. I think a lot of people like the idea and some would really like to but you know how it goes. Just cuz you would like to or want to doesn't mean you would. I'm sure there's birds we all want but would never end up getting.
Besides that yes I am known on byc. Lots of friends here and lots that I feel like I know. I would just have a weird feeling about selling to them. I know it's just an issue but I would probably have a dilemma with charging something reasonable and not feeling like I'm taking advantage. Also I know how risky shipped eggs are and if they had a bad hatch rate I feel bad. I know it's a risk and I know buyers are aware of that but I just still feel bad.
Weirdly enough I wouldn't be as bothered with strangers. I don't even mind low ballers. I've been one of those guys probably more often than not so I know how they operate. I'd have fun with it and I have no problem saying no.
I'm thinking eBay would be the place to start. I've looked over ads there and it's brought up a lot of stuff. I get just put an ad there but I've also wondered about doing the auction option. It would give a chance to see just what people would think was reasonable to spend. Maybe start there to get an idea of what to charge.

my 2 cents

selling hatching eggs means.....

 

[Chookwagn]

Some better pics of the fluffy legs.

I messaged the person I get them from and she said she has never seen that before and she has been hatching from the group for 2 years..... so who knows
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Ok so I sent these same pics to the person I got the eggs from...

... she now has hatched chicks that had some leg feathering but she thought she got rid if the hen that was producing those chicks.....

The last 24 hours must have jogged her memory....

 

[The Moonshiner]

Ok so I sent these same pics to the person I got the eggs from...

... she now has hatched chicks that had some leg feathering but she thought she got rid if the hen that was producing those chicks.....

The last 24 hours must have jogged her memory....

That sounds like a whole different story.

 

[Chookwagn]

That sounds like a whole different story.

I think when she realized I wasn't going to get pissy about it and was just informing her... she decided to tell the truth