*Chick Buisness?? Good Idea?*

[Tripp16]

Hi everyone!!

I have a few questions for you chicken experts!

Some of you may know that it is extremely difficult to make a profit while selling on a small scale.

So I got a idea! My friend is selling me her incubator and turner at a great price! I love hatching chicks the only problem is I cannot have anymore chickens! (At the moment )

I dont have roosters but my friend does. I asked her if she would be willing to sell me fertile eggs to hatch. I have a plan....

I get a list of all the breeds she has. List them and pretty much take orders of what breed chickens a family wants. This is how I would do it

Give the person a list of the breeds, they choose the breed they want how many they want and I would get that breeds eggs maybe a few extra to make up for the eggs that dont hatch.

Im not thinking of anything large scale just enough to bring in a little bit of extra cash and I would be getting the eggs cheap since she is my friend so If I sold the chicks 2 dollars a chick (Which is how much a dozen cost) I think I could elminate a bit of feed cost. Plus I think it would be a VERY fun hobby! (More into the hobby than making money because I love hatching but cant keep them, Simple resulotion!)

I want the truth so if you dont think its a good idea PLEASE explain! Any adivce on revamping my plan would be great! I came here to get advice and help before I jump into this "Mini Buisness"

OH almost forgot the other reason I would like to pursue this is because I would like to see more families rely on there farms for food and not these big cruel chicken factories....

Any advice/help is GREATLY appreciated!

 

[donrae]

The first thing that comes to mind is what are you going to do with the roosters you hatch? Most folks only want pullets, so they order sexed pullets. Straight run chicks are harder to sell, unless you're talking higher end breeder stock. I've got someone on my local CL who is selling straight run chicks for $2 each and it doesn't sound like he's doing well.

 

[AmyLM]

thats the thought I had too...

I'm planning on raising these chicks that I have up and seeing how well the extras sell then take it form there. You know... test the water before a plunge?

 

[Tripp16]

My plan is that if you order the chicks you have to take them. I will only hatch chicks if people order them that way I wont have any extras and if my extras hatch out Ill see if they want free extra chicks or find someone to take 1 or 2 chicks. I thought about that and I came to conclusion that people will just have to understand. Same as when you buy from a feed store, you dont know their sex then. What do you think?

 

[tyjaco]

From what I understand, when you incubate, you will always have a higher number of roosters than if they are hatched naturally.

Be prepared to cull more than you can sell.

Also, are you ok with giving mareck vaccine?

 

[Tripp16]

Exactly! I dont want to be caught with 40 some odd chicks without homes. I will ONLY hatch if someone orders them and they will sign a paper saying they will take the chicks within the week of them hatching. That way I dont get attached to them. Lol

 

[Tripp16]

From what I understand, when you incubate, you will always have a higher number of roosters than if they are hatched naturally.

Be prepared to cull more than you can sell.

Also, are you ok with giving mareck vaccine?

Im sorry I forgot to include main thing in the whole plan! Lol My plan is that I will only hatch chicks the people order and they have to sign saying when hatching is over they have to take them. That way Im not running around trying to find homes for everyone.

Also about the Marecks, is that required when selling chicks to the public? If so I will be researching that, I figured they may be some restrictions.

 

[debid]

You'll very first want to check with your local extension so you're aware of local regulations/permit/license/inspection requirements. I know that where I live, you have to have a baby chick license to sell. You would need to figure those costs in as well as things like electricity to know if you'll be able to at least break even at $2/ea. I'd also recommend that you do a bit of market research to see who your competition will be and what they are charging to get some idea of whether straight-run chicks of the breeds you can offer will sell for $2/ea. in your area.

I'd also think really hard about the arrangement you're proposing from a relationship standpoint. You're hatching eggs from a backyard hobbyist who happens to also be your friend. Who eats the cost if a rooster goes wandering and you hatch out a bunch of mutts that your customer doesn't want? Who eats the cost if fertility is not up to par? Etc., etc.

ETA: And the feed stores around here sell sexed layer pullets for $3/ea. It would be hard to get people to pay $2 for straight-run around here unless you were producing something significantly more desirable than the feed store chicks in some other way.

 

[Tripp16]

You have good point.My local feed stores have a minimum of buying six chicks. Which they are selling straight run for $3 a piece. I do need to call my extension office and see what the regulations for hatching is. I wouldnt think it would be anything major being that my friend hatches all the time and has no permit/license to do so. But thanks for the reminder and I will call on Monday.

The thing with the Rooster is I think it is highly unlikely for another breed of rooster to get in with my friends other hens. She has them all seperated into different pens and houses. So unless one tried really hard to get to a certain hen it could be close to impossible. Not to mention her roosters have plenty of hens of their own to take care of.

Thanks for the input and Ill check it out!