Chick Prices--How much do I charge?

[Bravo]

First off, I apologize if this is posted in the wrong place. Mods, feel free to move this if you think there is a more appropriate location.

I have a brood of EE's and since I cant keep them all I am planning on selling at least half of them but I am clueless when it comes to what I should charge.

Here are some factors to consider:
*I live in a pretty expensive suburban area so prices out here for everything from bread to gas are a bit exorbitant

*The chicks will be about 8 weeks old before I sell them so they will be sexed (any unknowns will be retained)

*Vaccinated for Mareks and will have had first vaccination for fowl pox

*Pullets will lay blue or green eggs (the father is an EE and homozygous for blue...I have their older sisters in my own suburban flock that all lay blue or green)

*I recently sold 2 7wk old roos on CL for $10 each and sold the same day

*Before I sold the 2 roos I sold 2 POL pullets for $10 each and they sold in 3 minutes (I had 30 emails in the span of 30 minutes of the ad being on CL and as a result now have a "waitlist" for these little ones)

*I sell eggs for $5/dozen and also have a waitlist

With all of that nonsense said, does anyone have any suggestions on price? I'm looking for something thats fair yet reflects some of my costs.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bravo]

Anyone? Please...

...dont make me beg LOL

 

[MelissaR]

Wow. You can get $10 for roosters? That's impressive.

I've read (here on BYC) that a good formula for chick prices is day old price plus one dollar for every week older. Sooo...

My Pet Chicken sells their day old easter eggers for $2.75 + $.50 for a pullet + $1.00 for Marek's vaccine = $4.25 without shipping. Is the fowl pox vaccination about the same cost as Marek's? If so, add another dollar for that. Add in the $8.00 for their age (8 weeks) and you come out to $13.25.

It sounds like you're in an area that can handle a little higher prices so you might want to round up a bit, maybe $15 or $16?

I just sold some laying hens for $12 per hen with a discount to $10 if they wanted 6 or more. It was my first time selling and it was a "friend" price. If I where to put them on craigslist, I would up it to $15 per hen with the understanding that most people will negotiate a dollar or two off per hen.

Hope that helps...?


P.S. I'm in the Minneapolis metro area and they are being sold to an urban chicken keeper.

 

[Jen4]

Well shoot............ I just sold some almost 4 week old chicks for 1.00 each! Gets thats dirt cheap, they sure got them a deal.................

 

[Cindiloohoo]

$2 per chick for day olds. That's my base price. Then I charge 75 cents a week for brooding/feeding costs if they are older. After 8 weeks, add 50 cents a week instead of 75 cents because they are no longer under a light. Point of lay hens usually sell for around $12 to $15. I live in Tennessee and region does make a difference. I came up with this formula by using my feed costs as a guide.

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
This formula is very helpful! It gives me a nice baseline for pricing them. Thank you so much!!

 

[Bravo]

Quote:
Makes sense! Thank you very much! Not having them under a light does make a difference and I like how you have it factored into the formula. I have a lot to process now.

 

[Julie08]

me too between one and two dollars for day olds.

 

[Bravo]

I was just perrusing around Craigslist and found this ad right in my own backyard. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/grd/1656977765.html

I am guessing the "Araucanas" are really EE's if they are laying green. I'd love to sell my 4 week old mutts for $20 a pop! Wow!!

 

[blacktailsmom]

Yay! Okay, so when is the best time to sell chicks? I was planning on selling them for cost (dividing the cost and divided shipping charge to get a per chick amount). We have Silver Laced Wyandottes and Buff Orpingtons, all pullets. I don't mind keeping them a bit, but we have 8 of each, but that is way too many for our backyard. I know some may expire in the next few days, but was hoping to make them the most desirable to their new homes.