Most sale-able rooster breed?

[Amer]

So I guess my advice is to go to swaps and see what is selling.

 

[Dinoroar]

Definitely see what’s selling on your local market. Where I am I have no trouble selling roosters of any kind, even barnyard mix, but I think that is highly regional. Ayam cemani, & American bresse are some breed options you might check out. Both are pretty trendy and there are people anxious to have them even if they’re not show quality.

 

[fat brown hen]

Thanks for the suggestions! The nearest livestock auction is 2 hours away so I can only read craigslist to check the market. Pullets are selling like hotcakes, "gallos finos" seem popular, then there are lots of "free to good home" roosters that have been listed for weeks

 

[Dinoroar]

Thanks for the suggestions! The nearest livestock auction is 2 hours away so I can only read craigslist to check the market. Pullets are selling like hotcakes, "gallos finos" seem popular, then there are lots of "free to good home" roosters that have been listed for weeks

Sounds like your rooster market is a bit picker than mine. I sell on Craigslist but I know there are Facebook groups you could check as well if you’re on there. One other point in favor of ayam cemani rooster is that people often have an interest in their mixed offspring which is really going to be relevant if your crossing them with your hens. Cemani mixed roosters can be very showy with some eye candy sheen and leakage. The ones I have experienced are all well mannered. There is a good bit of interest in Ayam Cemani mixed with colored egg layers. Here are 2 of my boys for example.

 

[Chicken raiser393993]

I'm building a homemade incubator, which means I will need to test it by hatching some eggs. Probably multiple times

Not picky on breed, but I'd like something where I might be able to rehome the males and not just cull them for food.

Any suggestions for breeds where males are especially valued? Maybe flyties, Onagadori, etc ?

(I know that I can sell unsexed chicks, but for the sake of discussion lets focus on valuable rooster breeds)

If you don't know anything about gamefowl, definitely don't breed gamefowl because you won't be able to sell to the people who know about the breeds and ask you questions. I would go with something people would buy as pets, right now serama bantams are being bought at pretty high prices if you know how to sell. Specifically the small seramas that are the size of a human hand as adults. Those can go 100 each or more if you know how to sell. And you won't have to buy too much food since they are so small. Bad part is that the smaller they are, the harder they are to breed, hatch, and have survive. If you want a big breed that also sells you can get Light Brahmas, the big white fluffy chickens. I've sold some before at $50 each. People like how big and fluffy they are, they make great pets, and if you really really have to eat one you can. Also, anything that lays a lot of eggs. Have you seen egg prices lately? Yikes

 

[fat brown hen]

If you don't know anything about gamefowl, definitely don't breed gamefowl because you won't be able to sell to the people who know about the breeds and ask you questions. I would go with something people would buy as pets, right now serama bantams are being bought at pretty high prices if you know how to sell. Specifically the small seramas that are the size of a human hand as adults. Those can go 100 each or more if you know how to sell. And you won't have to buy too much food since they are so small. Bad part is that the smaller they are, the harder they are to breed, hatch, and have survive. If you want a big breed that also sells you can get Light Brahmas, the big white fluffy chickens. I've sold some before at $50 each. People like how big and fluffy they are, they make great pets, and if you really really have to eat one you can. Also, anything that lays a lot of eggs. Have you seen egg prices lately? Yikes

Egg prices are downright cheap in the current year. I never got around to completing this project (sigh) but that's a great idea about the seramas. I'm surprised to hear that seramas are hard to breed and hatch. Aren't they basically like quail? Come to think of it, quail might be a good option too.

 

[Chicken raiser393993]

Egg prices are downright cheap in the current year. I never got around to completing this project (sigh) but that's a great idea about the seramas. I'm surprised to hear that seramas are hard to breed and hatch. Aren't they basically like quail? Come to think of it, quail might be a good option too.

Depends on which seramas. If it's the common $15 serama you find on Craigslist then no that's not hard to breed at all. But the hard ones to breed are the small ones classed as Micro seramas. Those don't lay eggs very often and when they do the mortality rate is higher than other breeds. There's several classes of sizes for seramas, but class A/Micro and class B would be the smallest and more expensive ones. And I say "hard to breed" relative to other common chickens, like chickens that lay lots of eggs and don't need as much delicate care when young. Also there are different breeds within the serama umbrella, Malaysian Seramas being one of the more well-known sub-breed, those are those cool looking ones that you'd see when you google Serama, the ones that stand up straight, neck touching tail.

 

[Chicken raiser393993]

Depends on which seramas. If it's the common $15 serama you find on Craigslist then no that's not hard to breed at all. But the hard ones to breed are the small ones classed as Micro seramas. Those don't lay eggs very often and when they do the mortality rate is higher than other breeds. There's several classes of sizes for seramas, but class A/Micro and class B would be the smallest and more expensive ones. And I say "hard to breed" relative to other common chickens, like chickens that lay lots of eggs and don't need as much delicate care when young. Also there are different breeds within the serama umbrella, Malaysian Seramas being one of the more well-known sub-breed, those are those cool looking ones that you'd see when you google Serama, the ones that stand up straight, neck touching tail.

And quails are very different from seramas. I haven't had too many quails in my time, but I've seen hundreds of those being sold at auctions for like $1 full grown. I don't think it's even worth breeding in my opinion. Unless there are quail breeds that are a little more expensive, I do not really know.