Which are the rare breeds in highest demand now? Which ones will still maintain a high price tag in

[Snoozeys]

For me at the moment as they are impossible find are salmon wyandottes... as discussed earlier i have no problem finding RIRs i actually gave all mine away not so long ago to focus on wyandottes

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[junebuggena]

As already mentioned hatchery "Rhode Island Reds" are a dime a dozen. But they aren't even close to the real deal.

 

[WVduckchick]

Since lavender orpingtons were asked about, I will chime in. I've only had them for a couple of years, but interest in them (**in my area**) is still pretty high. Everybody loves them! The problem is that many folks in my area just want cheap chickens. So I have settled on breeding a few different breeds (5), to try and satisfy both markets, plus have a variety that I personally enjoy raising too!

I also have chocolate orpingtons, but they haven't sold as well as I had hoped. I think maybe its just a lack of understanding by the average buyer. Look at a picture of a beautiful, well-bred chocolate orpington, and some just see an expensive, blah-looking, regular brown chicken.

I personally think Orpingtons are a breed, in general, that will always be desirable. I do not believe that many of the "designer" colors will stay popular (for example Jubilee). I think the fad wears off, but the basic breed will remain. But I hope lavenders will stick around!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

 
Chickens for sure fad chickens lose that high price amazingly quick . You have to be the first one to find promote and market them to make the big dollars off them . Only a hand full have managed to do that . Then comes the next tier of the pyramid and the next and the next and each is wider and before you know it everybody and their brother has some for sale . 

Starting any business is a loss from the beginning. Depending on what your business plan is and what start up cost are . I've  always practiced the see a need and fill it plan . It is not truly a profitable business until all startup cost are paid back and income exceeds expense. If and when one achieves that  then it is a profitable business . That does not mean it is a lucrative business only profitable . Supply and demand location lacition lacition .  Most breeders who either build a breed or improve a breed  rarely show huge profits . If the goal is breed improvement then Pyxis and Ravyn are as much a success as anyone in the chicken industry . If they are breaking even or showing a profit then they are a huge success .Can't wait to hear how you make out with your endeavor keep us posted .

Thank you for your insight.  It is impractical to start a business without there being some way that you can contribute or add to what is already there.  Or as you say, "See a need and fill it"  I like that.  It is catchy.  I appreciate your input.  You know, if I had any idea I was going to catch so much flack for starting this thread, I would have focused my efforts on reaching out in other ways, to get help from people.  I would imagine that people would be excited for someone to come along, make super rare breeds more accessible, and affordable.  But, whatever.  People here have no idea who I am, or what my values are, just because I make a post about interest in making money doing something I would enjoy. all the sudden I am the anti-Christ?  Just because I plan on keeping more than five chickens does not mean I am running a factory of 100,000 in my basement clipping beaks.  

I could see selling trying to buy all the equipment and be trying to sell leghorns or cornish cross buying 25$ feed bags at a time.  That, would be impressive.  Hear me out man.  Lets do some numbers.  Lets say that cream legbars sell for $20 a pop today.  They have been around for like five years now right?  IF I bought ten legbars, for $1.000 a piece five years ago, and they dropped down to be worth $20 THE VERY NEXT DAY, and stayed that price until today, Over five years, I would have made back my ROI.  That is generally the shortest time period economists plan for.  I could have made money on that deal, caeterus plurubus.  But you are right man, most industries plan for zero sum end result.  You are a wise man.  I understand there is risk.  I am about 700 hours of research into this project, I have risk staring me in the eye from every direction, and I have sworn up and down that I was going to quit about half a dozen times.  Honestly, I will be about $10,000 into this project, and have put in close to 1500 man hours, and will not make money for half a year.  It is a big risk I am going to take, and most people do not feel comfortable doing that, nor wish to afford to take that risk.  But I like risks.  I like to live dangerously.  But I am not stupid, I am putting in the work. But hey, I guess instead of a business loan I could buy a shinier, lower mileage car, (acceptable, normal type of debt) but how much does that really help me down the line?

Honestly, if I could just make a comfortable living, afford health insurance, and get out of debt, I would be happy.  I am not an oil tycoon. I talk like this because this is what I I studied in school.  Now I am a broke college student and who is $30 grand in debt.  **** right I am concerned about money, I have bills to pay.  Maybe some of the rest of you have great jobs, are on disability, or are stay at home moms or whatever, but I have to make a living.  I would sure as hell rather raise living breathing creatures than review other people's Excel Spreadsheets all day, if you know what I mean.  

But anyways, thank you for your input.  I would be happy to let you know how it goes.   Wish me luck.  It may be the end of me. 

I'm certainly not someone that has any answers for you, as far as breeding chickens for profit--heck, my zoning doesn't even allow me to have a cock, much less several to choose between every year! Nor have I had great success incubating and hatching. However, I think I may have an insight into the reactions that have been puzzling you. You come across as extremely arrogant. You appear to think that a few hundred (or even tens of thousands, eventually) hours of research with, as yet, little practical application, means you know all but the little details. Yes, you have chickens (half the size of my flock, not that it matters), but scale makes a difference. True, with feed, an economy of scale eventually kicks in, but I think not so much at the level you're thinking of reaching (I could be wrong). You have asked more experienced folks for advice. Some of the people available to you have decades of experience. Why not pay them the respect of believing that they might know something? Even the ones that don't have decades of experience still have years more experience, and also might, just might, know a few things...

Edited because I noticed a sentence fragment

 

[DocumentedPure]

Thank you for your advice and your wisdom. That is a lot to think about. I really enjoy the knowledge you guys have. It has helped me out in so many ways. I may have misspoke when I stated that I was expecting to start making a lot of money after six months, I just meant that I would not be able to see a penny until a first egg or chick sold, and that I would still have to build everything, raise the animals to adults, and then afterwards to start getting my coming in. I will look into those things, and consider how they will impact my plans, and go from there.

Thanks again

 

[sdm111]

I didn't read through the whole thread so this has Prolly been said but imo its more the person's rep. People are gonna know they not gonna get screwed by peddlers and get what they expect whichever kind of chicken it is. To be honest the start of this thread sounds like how a peddler starts. It's obvious it's for the money and chicks will be sold from first generation breeding stock without having any clue what that breeding stock will throw. Without being "in the know" of reputable breeders you have a good chance of getting taken yourself unless u buy hatchery stock. But that will be pointless unless you want to peddle hatchery stock for show stock

 

[The Moonshiner]

With all due respect, you guys are both breeders of rare chickens.  If you could go back in time, what would you have done differently to be successful in this?

I got a chuckle out of this post.
Insight to how your brain works.
First how do you know we aren't successful?
And what is successful?
I know you believe successful means making money and since we have both told you there isnt money in chickens then we must ourselves never been able to make money so we have failed at success.
I really liked Ravyns reply post. You could see how they struggled with the question. Not because they were trying to unravel the mistakes they may have made along the way but for the same reason I wondered how to answer your question. What is success? Theres so many answers besides money. How exactly would someone measure success?
I feel ive almost always been successful with chickens. Sometimes not, sometimes at least small success other times pretty d*mn successful. Thing is does it really matter? And to who? Me, you, everyone? I'll always pick happiness over success.
Just like the whole reputation thing. I dont believe in the whole buy from a reputable breeder idea. Who decides who's reputable? You can do everything right and be known as a reputable breeder or not be known at all.
I have bought from "reputable breeders" who really werent good people. I have bought good birds from people that had no reputation. No one had ever heard of them.
People piggy back off other peoples reputation. We've all seen ads for "bev davis" marans or countless "GFFs line". People ruin others reputation by breeding junk 5 or 6 generations from the source and still tagging them a breeders name and reputation.
I try to buy good birds from good people. I like to see for myself instead of relying on others to tell me.Back to you success curiosity.
Ive been successful. I used to raise and show bantams. I did really well and ended up being quite well known at least locally. I even sold a lot of birds and made some money. I bought a used car once from chicken money.
Your dream...fame and fortune huh.
Let me tell you the more successful I became the least successful I felt. The better you become at anything the more some people will dislike you for it. It got to the point I had people asking me if I could quit showing up to shows so that others could win. I had people buy my birds then turn around and tell everyone they were their line and not related to mine. Finally with all the success I was having I got out of chickens for about five years.
About two months ago I picked up a trio of coronation sussex. Decent birds that I got for a steal of a price. The hens I was told were 4 years old and hardly ever laying. They did start laying and only about 1 egg each per week. Ive hatched 5 chicks now and a few eggs still in tbe incubator.
I feel pretty successful with them so far. Funny I feel successful when I havent really did anything with them except be at the right place at the right time and put some eggs in the incubator.
Rare breeds. Yes I raise rare breeds. Mostly just leghorns in rare colors. I feel really successful with them. I have several varieties. More then most. Ive started with some poor examples and worked with some for 5 or 6 years and made some real progress.
Now im into creating or recreating other colors and patterns using the various ones I have. Im having a lot of fun and feel successful with that. Successful with them in your terms? Not so much. Leghorns have always been I breed ive loved but not so much the rest of the world. Not many like the white eggs and even more dont like that theyre known asbeing flighty. I know i'll never get rich raising them but it doesnt matter. I dont even try.
So as I see it the times that you see as me not being successful have probably been my most successful and what you would consider being successful have been my lowest.
I think your question should of been your same old question.
Help me make money and tell me what you would of done different so you could be rich now.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I think your question should of been your same old question.
Help me make money and tell me what you would of done different so you could be rich now.

Well If I made a Couple Million, raising Chickens----I am not going to share my secret because of competition!!! LOL

 

[devdragon33]

I live in central Michigan and had a waiting list for lavender Orpingtons. People Also love the cochins

 

[LadyVictorian]

I didn't read through the whole thread so this has Prolly been said but imo its more the person's rep. People are gonna know they not gonna get screwed by peddlers and get what they expect whichever kind of chicken it is. To be honest the start of this thread sounds like how a peddler starts. It's obvious it's for the money and chicks will be sold from first generation breeding stock without having any clue what that breeding stock will throw. Without being "in the know" of reputable breeders you have a good chance of getting taken yourself unless u buy hatchery stock. But that will be pointless unless you want to peddle hatchery stock for show stock

I agree, reading this and having breed Arabian show horses and show quality betta fish this doesn't sound like a serious breeder. They sound like a peddler trying to make easy money. Problem is you lose more money than you make when it comes to breeding any animal. You will always put more money into it for the feed, care, setups. I use to sell some show fish for about $200 a pop but I had to put in twice that to get it if not three times that and breed over 500 fish and cull about 499 of them to get that $200 fish. Your eyes get all big when you see the price tag on that single animal but in the end it's a tiny price tag compared to the some 10,000 I put into my setup that I will never make back by breeding fish. Breeding fish was something I did for the love of it and it was tiring work. Next to that you need to have a real job that can support your breeding if anything else. I want to eventually get into breeding and showing silkies and possibly breeding show girls and frizzles but I know like my fish, you do it for love never profit because there is no profit in breeding unless you started out rich or are a dishonest peddler who will eventually be sniffed out and ruined.The success in the breeding isn't how much money you make, it's how close to the standards you get or how well your animals perform in shows. That is what defines you as successful in this business. When you have high quality birds you bleed and sweat over you can raise the price on them but try to pass off poor quality livestock you just picked up and put together to make more babies and put a high price on them eventually someone will catch on to your game and screw you over twice as hard with a lawsuit. Seen that happen plenty in the horse industry and seen plenty of people lose their homes over it too. Good reputations are slow and hard to build, bad reputations are like wildfire and spread overnight. Remember that.