Which Chicken Breeds Sell Best?

[MysteryChicken]

@MysteryChicken is a breeding master

I've sold more silkies then any other breed.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Thank you! I have 4 EEs right not and am thinking they would be the way to go as well. I also have Chocolate Orpingtons. I am thinking a breed that is one that harder to find at local feed stores to have more customers.

Bielefelders. Large, duel purpose, very friendly, quiet, lrg brown eggs, auto sexing at hatch. The perfect bird, IMO.

 

[Krugerrand]

Thank you! I have 4 EEs right not and am thinking they would be the way to go as well. I also have Chocolate Orpingtons. I am thinking a breed that is one that harder to find at local feed stores to have more customers.

At least give some consideration to the possibility that local feed stores may be selling what sells best.

 

[sdm111]

What it takes is reputation and sorry you can't buy that. That'll take time to build. And it works both ways good and bad. To me the breeds you breed is secondary to your reputation and what you can produce with a breed or two. And if you do well you won't need to advertise people will seek you out and everything will be sold before it hatches. One piece of advice I can give is have people pay at least 1/2 before hatch. Thatll weed out the talkers.

 

[Brooks_]

Bielefelders.

I do like the look. Function would be fresh genes for the flock.

 

[Weeg]

Have variety. Try to get a couple unique or "rare" unavailable breeds in there. Adam Ketawa (Laughing chickens, yes its a thing lol!) are a good one, not readily available.
Than pick some good egg laying breeds, friendly, easy for beginners, and hardy breeds as well. Jubilee English Orpingtons are a good example. Orpington make great broody's, (that is a selling point for some) are friendly, hot and cold hardy, and the Jubilee's have a beautiful pattern. Silkies sell good as well. Friendly, unique, Broody.
Look around your area and see what breeders are already selling what, and try to make your stock different from theirs. I'm starting a very small scale breeding project, and none of my breeders have bantams. Hence my choice to breed a couple different breeds of bantams.
Good luck!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I appreciate you doing market research before you begin, but on the assumption that you will be no more than a Facebook/Craigslist breeder in the immediate future (nothing wrong with that, officially, so am I), your market research is better tuned to your local area.

Still, on a very broad level, there are some signposts -

In general, there is no money in mutts (random mixed breeds/barnyard cross).

You can't compete on CX (Cornish Cross). You don't have the scale, you don't have the lines, you have no name recognition, you can't produce the quantity needed.

In general, dense urban areas with small flock limits (typically, 6 or fewer, no Roos) favor "vanity" flocks. Birds with unique feathering, birds with pretty and unusual egg coloring etc. Good money in those, but your males will be worthless - not only for sale, but likely on the table too - those really pretty, funny feathered birds don't tend to weigh much at an early cull date, while still tender.

In general, rural areas want eggs. The males might be worth something, but you could do a marginal business in sex linked hybrids - but you will likely be maintaining, effectively, three flocks - a great roo of one type, good hens of another type, and the hatchlings for sale. If there is value in males for meat, look towards some Black Sex Link variety, they tend to be a little larger. If there is no local value in males, look to red sex link - smaller birds, eat less, still prolific layers.

Finally, you need a way to set yourself apart from the Craigslist crowd. NPIP certification is the bare minimum. Look to your County Fairs, 4H, etc as a way to put your birds on display in the community you compete in, and also as a way to bring desired traits into your flock. Lose your best breeding Roo? Maybe you want to consider buying the winning 4H bird from the fall fair, if it has the right genetics for your sex link needs.

That's all I've got. No secrets really, just experience and practice. I'm doing, myself, exactly as I recommend above - though the lack of faires this past year has been "difficult".

and for what its worth, I have a culling project going. The end goal is a dual purpose land race well suited to free ranging in my area. I'm not there yet. I don't expect to be there for several years, and until I get there, they won't be called "clay rangers", but that's the goal. **IF** we have a county fair this year, I plan to show a bird or two I don't mind culling - because its not re-entering my flock after that sort of exposure. I won't take that risk, its taken too long to get the few successes I can point to - and if I have no show worthy birds I don't mind culling??? Then I won't damage my fledgeling reputation by showing, and willl instead look to maybe buying. a goat.

 

[WallyG74]

Some nice Rhode Island Reds would be good.
Great eggs layers and a hardy breed.

I can’t speak for Kentucky but country folks from MS love Rhode Island Reds!

 

[SilkieChicken123]

Really?
That's weird. They're probably more popular In my country then.

Maybe. Well, I'm in TN and they sell awful.

 

[CountingChickens]

Thank you all so much for feedback. I will keep this all in mind as I consider if this is something I want to pursue. My biggest fear is that turning something I love (chicks) into a job will be just that, a job. And I don't want to not like something I'm so passionate about. Thanks again for taking the time to respond. I couldn't have asked for better responses from the best community!