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What the Heck?

Discussion in 'Incubating & Hatching Eggs' started by TaraBellaBirds, Oct 30, 2013.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Oct 30, 2013 #1
    TaraBellaBirds

    TaraBellaBirds Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Can anyone enlighten me on why fertile hatching eggs are usually more expensive than live chicks? I can understand on some rare breeds or with a personal breeder.

    I just ask because I have been researching on eggs. I myself am not quite ready to hatch yet, but I have a customer that wants to buy some hatching eggs from me. She is not specific on breed and she wants 8 dozen!!! I can do it, but she is not happy that I want to charge more than I would for eating eggs LOL!

    So let me get some professional opinions here.....I normally charge $2.50 a dozen for mixed size table eggs. They are collected daily and put right in the fridge. I told the customer I would only charge her $10 for a dozen fertile hatching eggs due to the fact that they are mostly first generation mutts. (I also planed to throw in a few extra JIC). Is this too much to ask? I thought is was rather reasonable considering, I will be hand picking the largest and best shaped for over a week to get the amount she wants. She thought I was going to charge $2.50! I am just hoping she does some research on her own. FYI I plan to charge $8 dollars a chick in the spring for full Brahma and EE, I will keep my mutts!

    What do you think?
     
  3. Oct 30, 2013 #2
    gimmie birdies

    gimmie birdies Overrun With Chickens

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    If the hatcheries hatch out a chick lets say they get $12. a chick for a black copper maran- but you want to buy an egg. If they sell you an egg for $6. they are taking a $6 loss, plus they know their bators work and don't know if they are sending "their" egg to it's doom. this would be my guess.
     
  5. Oct 30, 2013 #3
    donrae

    donrae Hopelessly Addicted Premium Member

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    Personally, I wouldn't pay near that much for mutt hatching eggs, but then I'm a cheapskate. I've given my mutt hatching eggs to folks with a broody---sometimes I ask for half the hatch back, usually not if I'm abundant with eggs. I wouldn't give 8 dozen for free, but I couldn't justify ten dollars a dozen. What are you doing different than selling eating eggs? Nothing to justify that price, IMO.

    I guess if I wanted to buy hatching eggs and didn't care if they were mixed, I'd answer a local add for eating eggs, ask if they were fertile and tell them I'd like them not to be refrigerated.

    Then again, I'd never, ever get $8 a chick for those breeds around here, especially straight run. probably half that.
     
  7. Oct 30, 2013 #4
    chicketydooda

    chicketydooda Chillin' With My Peeps

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  9. Oct 30, 2013 #5
    BorneHomestead

    BorneHomestead Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Since they are mutts I would only charge double what you ask for table eggs, the reason being is because you would be taking more time to ensure you are collection the best eggs for her to incubate. $10 a doz is way too much for mutts, if it was purebreds then I could see the justification.
     
    1 person likes this.
  11. Oct 30, 2013 #6
    TaraBellaBirds

    TaraBellaBirds Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Live and learn. Thanks for the advice.
     

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