Two broody Silkies won't hatch enough eggs to make enough money to offset the cost of buying/shipping the eggs. They'll only go broody once each if you let them raise the chicks, and when they actually go broody.... one never knows. Could be next week, could be July.
It's what, $10 to ship about a dozen eggs? Plus the cost of those eggs, let's say a production breed, for $12 on Ebay. Right off the bat that's $22. IF both Silkies are broody, give them 6 eggs each. Broody #1 is a great setter, but the other... leaves the nest too much and the eggs got cold. (for example). That's 6 possible chicks now. With the rate of hatching shipped eggs... let's say 4 of the last 6 hatch. These chicks that hatched have now cost you $5.50 each and you haven't fed them anything yet.
The Silkies go broody, you make your egg order, one or both of them lose their broodiness (not likely, but could happen)
The shipped eggs get scrambled in transit, none hatch, or just one or two. Anything could happen. Oh, all hatch out as boys! When ever you want to sell chicks, of course it's only boys that hatch. The people that bought from you scream "fowl", that you knew they were boys and that's why you sold them as straight run.... blah blah blah.
What breed is a hard decision... is 4-H big in your area? You'll want eggs from show quality birds. Are you suburban? Then a production breed like Orps, RIR, or EE's for fun. But then again, suburban people are not going to want roosters and you can't control gender in hatching. You may be better off ordering pullet chicks, starting them for several weeks, and then selling them as POL pullets.... depending on what "Point of Laying" pullets go for in your area, and if you have the space to grow them out.
When you deal with shipped eggs, or hatching eggs in general... you have to accept that you'll most likely lose money. If you want profit, you'll need to work with something more reliable... an incubator with a larger number of eggs, sexed pullet chicks, meat birds (big Asian community nearby??)
Hatching your own eggs is always best. Will you have a Silkie rooster for these girls? No shipping costs, and "free" eggs.
It's what, $10 to ship about a dozen eggs? Plus the cost of those eggs, let's say a production breed, for $12 on Ebay. Right off the bat that's $22. IF both Silkies are broody, give them 6 eggs each. Broody #1 is a great setter, but the other... leaves the nest too much and the eggs got cold. (for example). That's 6 possible chicks now. With the rate of hatching shipped eggs... let's say 4 of the last 6 hatch. These chicks that hatched have now cost you $5.50 each and you haven't fed them anything yet.
The Silkies go broody, you make your egg order, one or both of them lose their broodiness (not likely, but could happen)
The shipped eggs get scrambled in transit, none hatch, or just one or two. Anything could happen. Oh, all hatch out as boys! When ever you want to sell chicks, of course it's only boys that hatch. The people that bought from you scream "fowl", that you knew they were boys and that's why you sold them as straight run.... blah blah blah.
What breed is a hard decision... is 4-H big in your area? You'll want eggs from show quality birds. Are you suburban? Then a production breed like Orps, RIR, or EE's for fun. But then again, suburban people are not going to want roosters and you can't control gender in hatching. You may be better off ordering pullet chicks, starting them for several weeks, and then selling them as POL pullets.... depending on what "Point of Laying" pullets go for in your area, and if you have the space to grow them out.
When you deal with shipped eggs, or hatching eggs in general... you have to accept that you'll most likely lose money. If you want profit, you'll need to work with something more reliable... an incubator with a larger number of eggs, sexed pullet chicks, meat birds (big Asian community nearby??)
Hatching your own eggs is always best. Will you have a Silkie rooster for these girls? No shipping costs, and "free" eggs.
