Post by Kickingbird on Apr 18, 2004 8:14:07 GMT -5
I do not keep chickens to make money! I have spent (and will continue to spend) more money than I will ever recover on my birds just because I like them. Some breeders however have the plan/dream to make a living with their birds. If this is your goal there are a few things you should look at and plan for in breeding and advertising.
Breeding.
Fads come and go in poultry, almost every year there is a breed or two that ppl are paying outragous prices for. This year it seems to be Pendesenca & Serama. Eggs for these breeds sometimes running $25.00+ each and birds over $100 each (sometimes well over).
It is very unlikely that these birds will hold their prices in the long run. The reason is simple, they are fairly new breeds to the US (or recently re-discovered by breeders) ppl are buying them for rediculous prices because they want to turn around and make a profit on them. In this case they will sell eggs and chicks the following year, then thoes ppl will have eggs and chicks the following year and prices will fall.
If a breeder can get in on the "ground floor" of one of these fads there is short term money to be made. Once the supply meets the demand the breeder that has not made their money back will not likely do so.
On the other hand the best way to do business is breed what you like, strive to be the best and sell good stock. You will not make a million dollars but you will always have customers and be able to off-set your cost.
When marketing your birds, find something that sets them apart from other breeders that have the same breed. Have you won shows with them? Do they lay super dark eggs and A LOT of them? Have you been breeding for vitality and disease resistance? If birds are worth money you would be surprised how many ppl are helping chicks out of shells at hatching, this is a very bad thing to do in the long run. It will weaken a flock.
Use these unique things about your flock in your advertisements. It can be as simple as showing your awsome brood pens in your ad and saying "my birds live in the lap of luxury"
I hope this helps as you plan your ads for your farm
KB
Breeding.
Fads come and go in poultry, almost every year there is a breed or two that ppl are paying outragous prices for. This year it seems to be Pendesenca & Serama. Eggs for these breeds sometimes running $25.00+ each and birds over $100 each (sometimes well over).
It is very unlikely that these birds will hold their prices in the long run. The reason is simple, they are fairly new breeds to the US (or recently re-discovered by breeders) ppl are buying them for rediculous prices because they want to turn around and make a profit on them. In this case they will sell eggs and chicks the following year, then thoes ppl will have eggs and chicks the following year and prices will fall.
If a breeder can get in on the "ground floor" of one of these fads there is short term money to be made. Once the supply meets the demand the breeder that has not made their money back will not likely do so.
On the other hand the best way to do business is breed what you like, strive to be the best and sell good stock. You will not make a million dollars but you will always have customers and be able to off-set your cost.
When marketing your birds, find something that sets them apart from other breeders that have the same breed. Have you won shows with them? Do they lay super dark eggs and A LOT of them? Have you been breeding for vitality and disease resistance? If birds are worth money you would be surprised how many ppl are helping chicks out of shells at hatching, this is a very bad thing to do in the long run. It will weaken a flock.
Use these unique things about your flock in your advertisements. It can be as simple as showing your awsome brood pens in your ad and saying "my birds live in the lap of luxury"
I hope this helps as you plan your ads for your farm
KB