What's a fair price for Runner Ducks?

[NoseyChickens]

I have 11 runner ducks that I bought from Holderreads that are 6 weeks old. They are white and fawn and white. I ordered the top show quality ducklings. I am just wondering what a fair price would be for either a pair or singles. I am only planning on keeping 5 or 6 of them. I want to wait a while longer until they are fully feathered an full grown to decide which of them to keep. I want to be able to have my DD show them in 4H and sell eggs (for eating or hatching). Also, how long should I wait until I decide which ones I want to keep.

Here they are all wet from playing in the sprinklers~

 

[EileenNW]

I really don't have a good answer, but I had to write and say that you have very beautiful ducks! I suppose you know that Holderreads sells their grown show quality runners for $50 to $100, and their elite show quality for more ("call for price"). Of course, they are Holderreads, and currently sold out of all their ducklings! You might call them for help; they are lovely people. I have never met them, but have talked to them on the phone. Hopefully I will get to meet them in person at the Benton County Fair this summer.

I keep wanting to get some ducks from them (they are about an hour away), but I am new to ducks, and I want to settle in with my Muscovies before getting a second breed.

Good luck, whatever you decide, and have fun showing!

Eileen

 

[NoseyChickens]

Thank you! We are really enjoying these ducks, our first. We have a lot more reading and learning to do before we show them, but I figured Holderreads was the best place to start. DH got these for me for my birthday. They make me laugh everyday!

 

[FenDruadin]

I would love to be more help, but I'm afraid the answer I have is going to be deeply unsatisfying:

A fair price is whatever someone else is willing to pay.

Sorry.

In my case, I can't unload a *pair* of Holderread magpies for $15. Pathetic. But it's because there is simply not a demand for that breed in my area, no matter how high the quality is.

Sadly, I also can't find homes for GORGEOUS Holderread blue Runner drakes at $15, even though there's an enormous demand for Runners here. But this time of year, everyone already has their breeding stock and unless they've lost a drake, they don't want to add another, even if it is really nice quality.

I *can,* slowly, find homes for them at $5 a piece, which is pathetic because that's less than the duckling price and these babies are three months old.

But the point is, that if you have a market that *wants* what you have then you can get a much fairer price for it. Holderread can charge those high prices because everyone in the world knows his birds are the best, and furthermore anyone in the world can access them if they have the moolah to fork over, so his market's much broader than most home farms. I'm not willing to ship, and even if I did, I couldn't get the same price Holderread does because who would buy my flock rejects (even though they came from Holderread) if they could buy directly from Holderread for the same price?

So, anyway, I'm sorry I can't just give you a price. One thing you might do is check the places where you plan to advertise (craigslist, local feed stores, etc.) and see what others are charging for ducks. You can probably ask a little more because yours are Runners which are in demand in most areas nowadays (they're the "in" thing right now in a lot of places) and the supply hasn't caught up yet; plus yours are a very nice quality. Start a little higher than you think is necessary, and gradually lower your price until you find a sweet spot where they sell at the rate you want to sell them.

Good luck--and they ARE beautiful!

 

[EileenNW]

I agree; it's what someone will pay. I checked the Holderread website again, and for adult white runners they charge $100 for show quality and $150 for top show quality; that is per bird.

It seems to be geographic; I know the magpies here would go for a good price. I would buy them myself if they were closer, and maybe even show them (where I would get to compete with Holderreads)

When I lived in North Carolina I wasn't smart enough to have ducks

You might call or write to the Holderreads; since they are sold out of ducklings they may know of a buyer. Or, since you will be showing them, you may be able to sell them then (I'm sure this has already occurred to you).