why are fertalized eggs more that the chick

[Berynn]

I can by a baby chick for 2.00 but fertalizrd eggs are 3 times that amount does anyone know why?

 

[mdbucks]

Quote:
Because Speckled hen will not ship Babies.

Enough said??

You are spose to be getting quality eggs from quality breeders if you are paying higher than a chick from a hatchery. Not meaning to bash the hatcheries, but most dont have the HIGH quality birds. Example: My Marans lays nice darker eggs than the rest of my birds, but Marans breeders that breed for Egg color make my darkest eggs look light, and most of these breeders do not ship lives birds.

 

[silkiechicken]

Usually it is because the eggs are from breeders that have nicer quality birds and so you are paying for that quality. Chicks from those same expensive eggs can easily be 10 bucks each or more. Plus Shipping of a dozen eggs across the country of a special type of chicken can be done, while, if they were chicks, would be hard pressed to do.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

when u consider the price for the eggs and what goes into them and then price for chicks and ship from a hatchery, eggs are usually still cheaper and you get better stock that's healthier. private breeders like me breed for quality, health and strive for the best going by the standards not just for mass production something hatcheries don't do. that's why are stock is better.

we charge what we know our stock is worth at min. if i charged for pet quality or an assortment of a mix it will always be way less than my show stock or exhibition lines by themselves and i'll tell ya it's why. why should i take less for someone else when i've paid a fortune to get my stock, take care of it, breed it, feed it and show it and all the time i've put into them??? doesn't make sence to loose all that when they are worth that much or more. for example if i had them till adult based on quality the value of my exibition silkie hens would be $200 at least, where as a breeder one mabe at most $50 and a pet quality or hatchery production one $15 there is a big diffence of what you would hatch out from those birds so prices with eggs and peeps would reflect that quality.

hope that makes sence from a breeders point.
silkie

 

[speckledhen]

I can only speak for myself. If you don't count shipping costs, my eggs are only about $1 each. I sell a dozen eggs plus extras for $25/ shipping and packaging included and shipping somewhere like Washington or California can be $15 for 2 day Priority Mail. If I send 16 eggs or more, which I often do, that's way less than $1 per egg. The feedstore sells chicks for almost $4 each from the hatchery. As for my breed, you can't get a Blue Orpington chick from any hatchery for $2; they're more like $5 straight run plus shipping.

 

[ginasmarans]

Don't forget to dd postage on that $2 chick,probably about $25, and if you dont order the minimum amount, you'll get 10-20 little roos for warmth.

 

[dbjay417]

i noticed that even hatchery eggs are more expensive than hatchery chicks though. The eggs don't carry the guarentee that the chicks do either. To me thats a bonafied mostery.

 

[blue90292]

Quote:
cuz they can and people will buy them.

 

[pipermark]

cuz they can and people will buy them.

Good answer , Good answer

 

[patandchickens]

I notice that Meyer's fertile eggs are not *much* more expensive than their chicks - couldn't look for details by breed as they are currently not taking orders til next month, but it seems to be something like a buck (apiece)more than the chicks.

FWIW there is a guy up here in Quebec who essentially runs a small hatchery, specializing in good strains of rare breeds, and he sells fertile eggs for about 30-50% of the price of his chicks i.e. the eggs are *less* expensive. His website says "We establish the price of eggs by holding account that the hatching rate is approximately 20% to 40% when the eggs are to dispatch by the postal service".

I am just guessing here, but I wonder if it doesn't boil down to the aggravation factor, so to speak. If your hatchery is all or mainly your own birds, it's less work to sell eggs than chicks so you might want to sell eggs cheaper apiece. OTOH if you are a big outfit getting chicks from 'subcontractors' it would be *more* (not less) complicated to sell eggs, since they will be in small numbers (inefficient) and require different handling.

Plus, no matter who you are, you are likely to have to deal with more disgruntled and whiny people with egg sales than with chick sales since so much of hatching success is totally out of the seller's hands (depends on postal handling and customer's incubating skills/luck). I would not blame 'em a bit for adding to the price to compensate for that or to discourage egg buying while leaving it as a *possibility* for those who seriously need/want it.

Just guessing,

Pat