which is better for a business

[mulelover1999]

I don't know which would be better to start a business rabbits chickens or another animal. Give your suggestions and vote and why to suggested or voted for that.

 

[Stacykins]

What sells in your area? No way someone could give a good answer without knowing your local market, which you know better since you live there.

I did not vote, btw. More information is needed.

There may not be a market for rabbits, for instance. Maybe people are more interested in meat rabbits rather than pet rabbits. Can you breed and raise enough to sustain a small meat market? Are you even willing to sell for meat? If there is a large Muslim population nearby, then raising meat goats could bring a nice return. Research on the average price that a meat goat sells for in your area. Black skinned chickens like silkies are popular in some Asian food, ducks too.

Cats, cats are hugely overpopulated, if you intend to breed them. Not recommending that, when people can pop over to a shelter and get an awesome kitty who had been abandoned. Needlessly breeding more cats is more irresponsible, since people can barely give them away, let alone sell them. And GOOD breeders of some of the specific breeds usually barely break even. Why? They spend money on disease testing, veterinary care, breed animals without a history of health problems, etc. They care about bettering the breeds rather than lining their pockets with cash. So it is less of a business, more of a passion.

 

[mulelover1999]

You can sell pretty much anything here. I love animals and it would be more of a passion but I also need something that is going to bring in some money.

 

[mulelover1999]

Any one?

 

[Gryphon]

Stacykins pretty much said it all. Ah, except for what is LEGAL in your area? Certain animals, or certain numbers of animals may not be legal, and you would probably need special permits to operate as a business. Animals are usually a BAD way to make money, especially if you know little about that particular animal.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Really, it's going to be hard to make money off animals. You have to feed them, take care of any health problems, replace breeding stock, etc. etc. etc. I make $20 a month (after feed, that DOES NOT include if I have to buy a new waterer, feeder, medication, fix the coop, buy a new outlet timer, run electricity, etc.) with my flock of 85+ chickens. That's not a lot at all. True, only half are currently laying, but the point still stands. I make around $240 a year off chickens. Not. A. Lot.

The market for animals is also very iffy. When the economy goes down, people don't want a pet rabbit. They can't afford it. You might make $200 one month and lose $200 the next. That's just how it goes. I sell eggs to a local restaurant, so I have a weekly order of around 8 dozen eggs, but before I got that deal I would be lucky to sell a couple dozen a week. I'd make money and lose money (most of the time lose it).

Also, you have to know, as Stacykins said, what your selling. Pet rabbits? Meat rabbits? Full grown Chickens? Baby Chicks? Hatching eggs? Eating Eggs?

You also need to know enough about whatever animal you're raising. Do you have experience with rabbits? Cats? Chickens? How much experience? When I buy an animal from somebody, I would like to know that they're knowledgeable about what they do.

Another question is: Are you ready for this commitment? You can't just make some money then forget about this project. You have to keep with it.


Even if this has been your dream your entire life, and you have a chance to live it, you can't jump right in. My dream is to inherit my family's ranch. That means a lot of work with cattle, so every time I can I go work with cattle. So now I'm good with cattle and I'm comfortable around them, and it will be easier to work with them on my own ranch.

Say you decided you want to start a "rabbit business". I would find someone in the area with experience that would teach me about breeding, selling and raising rabbits. Learn from them, then move on to do it yourself.

You just can't get in to deep. So many people will get discouraged in life because they jumped into something and ended up in over their heads and ended up failing. You have to work at it. Gradually build until you know you can do this, and then you can.

I've been raising chickens for over 5 years, and I'm just now getting into breeding, which is what I initially wanted to do. When I first got started I had no idea what I was doing. So I read books, I learned from people, and I'm still learning.

Things like this take time. But if it's really you're passion that doesn't matter.

~~Ms. B

 

[mulelover1999]

I was thinking about starting with selling chicks then working my way up to older birds and more of my own then maybe selling hatching and/or eating egg. I have experience with chickens. I have 8 right now and I am going to sell ones that I don't need and probably get a few more hens and go from there. I am so ready for the commitment. I want to do this for a long time.
I have a question why isn't the Easter egger a known or recognized breed? Is it possible to make it one?

 

[Stacykins]

I have a question why isn't the Easter egger a known or recognized breed? Is it possible to make it one?

The Easter Egger isn't a recognized breed because it is in reality an unstandardized mutt. The EE can have any trait. Any comb, color, leg color, doesn't have to lay blue eggs, be any size, be cleanfaced or muffed or bearded or tufted, etc. Hatcheries all have their own version of Easter Egger (no commercial hatcheries sell Ameraucanas or Araucanas, both established and recognized breeds with standards), and anything may result. I don't see them ever becoming an actual breed because to be a breed. If you want to work with an actual breed, Ameraucanas are the closest to EEs, since they often share some traits.

BTW, I am not calling EEs inferior at all. I know they're quite nice birds. But they're kinda mixed and you never know what will come out of two EEs bred together.

 

[mulelover1999]

Ok if you breed two EEs that look almost identical will their chicks look like them or can they still be different?

 

[punk-a-doodle]

What I'd suggest is trying to breed a line of EEs, or rather, EEs that all exhibit certain, desired traits. They will still not be a breed, but you would have something that would set your EEs apart. Some traits you could focus on would be temperament, color/body type (for example, breed towards a body type that allows for better egg production), breed for more vibrant egg shell colors, etc.