Response from Website

[Jean]

It\'s Jean again.....

Of those who have websites or actively promote hatching eggs and chicks, what kind of response do you get?

I\'m just asking because I have been overwhelmed with e-mails from people wanting eggs or chicks from me.  It all started at the end of December and has gotten to the point of about 3-4 e-mails a day.

I am selling hatching eggs on eggbid right now and have gotten local orders from private individuals and I am going to provide birds to a local feed store chain and I cannot fill the demand for hatching eggs that I am getting.

Is anyone out there ready to sell hatching eggs at this time so I can refer people to you?  Most of the breeders are not ready yet, so let me know please so I don\'t call everyone on the list.  If you let me know what color birds you have available and your e-mail address I can refer people to you.


Thanks,

Jean

[Mike Gilbert]

Jean,
Are you aware of the breeders directory on this website?
I am not personally interested in selling eggs or chicks at this time, especially if shipping is involved.   But there may be others on the list who are.   Glad your business is thriving!
Don\'t forget the law of supply and demand.   If demand goes too high, it may be time to reconsider your pricing.

[John]

what kind of response do you get?

Inquiries generally do pick up after the holidays.  I don\'t get as many emails and calls, as you, these days but think that is because most questions are answered when people check out my website.  Some people will still email questions before reading what is on the website and I generally refer them back to it, the Ameraucana.org site\'s FAQ page and this ABC Forum.  I don\'t want to be rude, but the answers to their questions are there and since they are sending an email I know they can use the Internet.  A couple decades ago it was different, with some writing and calling requesting a catalog.  Of course I didn\'t and still don\'t have a catalog, so I would just send an Order Form.

ready to sell hatching eggs at this time

As you know I don\'t sell hatching eggs, but for most of as in the north it is still to early in the season to have hatching eggs without a heated poultry building.  I just put my birds into breeding pens a week ago and that is rushing the season.  Winter came late, but it is here now for sure!

[bantamhill]

I have been turning a lot of people away or adding them to my waiting list. Do to multiple reasons I have only accepted a set number of orders this year for Ameraucana. I still have room for 1 bantam order.

Supply and demand is a lot of fun! I wore myself out last year on hatching eggs . . . there is a lot of time spent on hatching egg care if one is trying to give the receiver the best chance of hatching shipped eggs.

Michael

[Jean]

My e-mails dissappated as soon as I asked for help.  Imagine that......

I had to tell people to e-mail me back in about a month so I could just catch up.  

The hatching egg business really is hard Michael.  Since it is so cold, I have to go out every couple of hours to collect the eggs so they don\'t get too cold or freeze.  Then when I collect enough eggs, I have to candle them and inspect them and then decide which have the nicest color to send.  Then there is the packing and the labeling and blah blah blah.....

I am ready to set 192 eggs this evening.  I think I may have to get a hatcher since there is only one tray in the GQF 1502.  I may not set any more eggs until these hatch and shut off the turner when the time comes and put the cover on one of the incubating trays.

I am also thinking of shipping chicks too.  Does anyone out there know how much 25-30 chicks weigh?  I\'m trying to get any idea of what the shipping might be to send them Express Mail.  

Anyway I am just happy that I am finally able to support the chickens at the moment with the income they are bringing in.

Jean

PS Have you guys seen how much table eggs are now in the store.  Mediums -- $1.58 a dozen at Walmart.   I\'m going to have to jack up my price to $2.25.

[Guest]

This is interesting from the perspective of a newbie like myself.

Out of curiosity, what is the typical cost of either eggs to hatch, or chicks? Or cost of grown birds if they are available?

Those of you who have these beautiful birds - do you also sell the eggs as just plain \"eggs\" rather than for hatching? If yes - how much is a dozen?

I\'m just learning about all different chickens right now. Found the Ameraucana and followed some links here.

By the way - the links on the bantam hill web site list more breeders, but the links to their sites don\'t work. Does anyone know web addresses for the breeders named on that site? The names shown were Paul and Angela Smith and Larry Clionsky. I\'m trying to read all I can find.

Thanks!

[bantamhill]

I am not aware that Paul Smith or Larry Clionsky have websites. Their contact information may be found at the following link:

http://www.ameraucana.org/BreedersDirectory.pdf

Michael

[bantamhill]

Sorry about my site . . . the links are only to info about the folks on this site and their email.

Shipping always is an issue. I include shipping in my prices, others don\'t . . . I am currently running around $5.00 a dozen, shipping runs in the neighborhood of $9.00 from my zip to most places.

Cost of show quality chicks seems to be around $5.00 each at the day-old stage. Started birds go up naturally. It is reasonable to pay between $10 to $25 for a bird depending on the age and quality of the bird.

Eating eggs go for about $1.50 for LF and $0.75 for bantam eggs here where I am at.

Michael

[Guest]

Thanks very much for following up for me, Michael. I really appreciate it. I\'m learning - so I\'m absorbing info like a sponge right now.

[Guest]

Hi Jean

I don\'t know if this would be of help to you, but we have a number of \"drafts\" we keep on file. One we call our \"Ameraucana info page\" addresses specifics not included on our website. These are specifics that are somewhat changable and include availability, breeding stock, chick, box and shipping costs. Also info on genetics, etc. When we get inquiries we forward this info along with an invitation to contact us with any questions we may not have covered.

We don\'t sell on Egg Bid and almost never sell hatching eggs. We found shipped hatching eggs too often to be a disappointment. Shipping breeding stock and chicks has worked out much more satisfactorily for us.

Warmest regards,
Lisa

[Jean]

Lisa,

It would be nice to have some info from your drafts as I have had numerous inquiries on wheaten and blue wheaten eggs and stock.

I am having pretty good luck so far in my hatching egg business.  I think it is all in the packing.  Granted I haven\'t sold very many, but it is looking positive.

The first batch I sold to CA ended up with 12 of 18 hatched and they stayed in the post office over the weekend and MLK day.

My second batch to Iowa 15 out of 18 fertile should hatch next week.

It has only been a week since my 3 & 4 batches were sent so I haven\'t heard back on those.  I sent out three more this week and no cracked eggs in the bunch.

Can you ship live birdies to me yet at 99025?

Jean

[Guest]

Hi Jean

We had a lot of success stories with shipping eggs and rarely had any broken, but we also ran into situations where none hatched. Many times it was hard to tell if it was a shake up during transit, or as we often heard suspected problems with the Styrofoam incubators, thermostates, power outages, etc.
My impression was that a lot of people ordering eggs are just learning how to incubate.We found with eggs we were frequently sending out replacemnts.

I e-mailed you directly about shipping. I haven\'t checked Eatern WA specifically, but shipping has opened up considerably. We\'re rarely find zips now we can\'t ship to.

Warmest regards,
Lisa