I am planning to order heavy-layer straight-run baby chicks soon from Hoover (anybody tried them?) I was thinking of ordering extras, raising them, then trying to sell some as ready-to-lay pullets or tender young meat roosters. Has anyone tried this and what happened? Did you find many takers? Also, what is a fair price? Thanks!

-- Georg in TN (dgkotarski@bledsoe.net), January 09, 2002

Answers

Georg, Do not get a bunch of chickens and think that you will have no problem selling them even if people tell you they will buy them because you can almost count on those people not following through. If someone wants to buy from you have them pay a non-refundable deposit up front.

I went through this a while back with eggs, everyone said please get chickens so I can get fresh eggs from you. They told me how many cartons they would buy per week. I figured out how much chickens I would need to get the number of cartons of eggs I would need to meet the demand plus got extras for insurance. Chickens came layed eggs fridge over flowed with eggs most people cut back and only needed X amount per month instead of week because they were egged out. I was now paying a huge amount to feed these chickens and was having problems with wild life getting chickens and hanging around hoping food would get out of pen for them. I sold my chickens at a great loss. Everyone wanted eggs ask me to get chickens so they could buy some of those great farm fresh eggs. I bought ten laying hens and that will have to do. If I don't sell eggs I get the enjoyment out of having the chickens for me and no other reason. Good luck with what ever you do. George

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), January 09, 2002.

I too ended up with way more eggs and chickens than I needed. I did finally end up selling them at not too big of a loss. If you enjoy the animals go for it and make the best of whatever happens. If you can't afford to feed a bunch of chickens and sell eggs at a loss only get what YOU want.

-- Joel Combs (jwcinpk@yahoo.com), January 10, 2002.

I would go with what you can use and maybe a couple more chickens but I wouldn't buy on what people may want later. In the spring even with my 10 hens I have too many eggs. You can always take them to the animal auction and get something for them but it's not really worth the work. Use to sell them to a local natural food store but that really wasn't profitable either. They didn't sell too many of them and the store in NY state has too many regulations . So...get a few chickens for yourself and enjoy your own fresh eggs in the morning !! Good Luck !!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), January 11, 2002.