Posted by Nigel Thomson on November 15, 2010 at 12:28am
Ok I have read the books, built the chook house, and run into a minor snag, the price of chooks, when i set out everyone said get the ex caged ones for $5 each, which seems kinda nice to give the chappettes a nice non caged end to their days, unfortunately our local one "lichfield" won't have any more available till february.
So looking on trademe etc, the chooks are up to $50 each, and the average seems to be around $25, is that normal, or am i just too much of a cheapskate?.
Alternatly anyone know of a caged place that is selling off chooks in the south waikato?
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Whoops i forgot to update, I got 3 chooks about almost 2 weeks ago, they are wynadottes 3 for 30 dollars, they are a couple of months away from point of lay, but well they're cute and I would probably have been ummimg and ahhrrining for months if i hadn't pulled finger.
Only problem is they havent figured out how to climb the ramp to the chook house, they can get down, But dad has to go and put them up at night.
When I paid $24 each for my chooks and balked at the price I was told they had to be dearer than buying a chook at the supermarket or they may end up on the dinner table. $18 for younger chooks but I chose the ones just come into lay and with an egg a day since they have paid for themselves.
@Lynda, I am afraid i have been building the chookhouse so long, i feel i want some eggs yesterday, also the costs involved with keeping them under a heatlamp etc, Chickens are something for the future.
@Todd - Cheers for trade and exchange, most of them seem to be wanting to sell a minimum of 10 birds, which is more than i can accommodate at this point
@Kali, i keep an eye on our local rag as well, but haven't seen anything yet
@Vicki - is that site alive still, as i looked but there doesn't seem to have been any activity in over a year
Anyway a pile of cheap birds have appeared on trademe, unfortunately they're all in the lower South island, i am wondering if there will be a similar surge up here soon
Vicki Hill > Nigel ThomsonNovember 16, 2010 at 9:42am
Hi Nigel, the site is still alive - you just sign up and emails come through when people post to them. To be honest, I've not searched for ads on the site before so not sure whether you can. I think it works a bit like an email server, rather than a listing type site like TradeMe, and I've been getting emails recently. You might not get them as soon as it sounds like you want them though, it all depends on who has what available at the time. Here's another site I found when I was researching breeds - no idea on pricing here but you can check out breeders in your area ... http://www.rarebreeds.co.nz/chooks.html. Hope that's some help to you.
Hi Nigel - that is pretty steep unless you're buying top of the line show birds? Try this website - chickenrescue.net.nz. It's a site run by a couple in Masterton aimed at rehoming birds, often for free. People all over NZ subscribe so I would strongly suggest taking a look, just in case there are some current ads around your area. You might just bag yourself a real bargain! Good luck :)
Trade me is often an expensive place to buy chooks. Getting them off trade me for a reasonable price usually means you'll have to be willing to wait for a good deal to arise or be willing to travel a bit to get them.
I got some older leghorns and shavers off trade me for $10 each which lay very well. I also have some bantams from there I paid $3-$5 each for, and a couple of shaver pullets who cost $15 each. You can often get them cheaper off trade and exchange or check to see if you can pick up some ex battery hens.
Hi there Nigel. I don't know of any south Waikato poultry farms, But to put another spin on things, I do know that if you ring Lynn at golden coast, She can supply you with day old (or similar) chicks of very good laying breeds that are already vacinated and delivered to your location for about $8 each. As many or few as you like, all hens. You have the choice of several breeds. Her number is: 0800 495 463. To find out more about the breeds they sell, you can go to the golden coast web site. Hope this helps.
Replies
Only problem is they havent figured out how to climb the ramp to the chook house, they can get down, But dad has to go and put them up at night.
@Todd - Cheers for trade and exchange, most of them seem to be wanting to sell a minimum of 10 birds, which is more than i can accommodate at this point
@Kali, i keep an eye on our local rag as well, but haven't seen anything yet
@Vicki - is that site alive still, as i looked but there doesn't seem to have been any activity in over a year
Anyway a pile of cheap birds have appeared on trademe, unfortunately they're all in the lower South island, i am wondering if there will be a similar surge up here soon
Trade me is often an expensive place to buy chooks. Getting them off trade me for a reasonable price usually means you'll have to be willing to wait for a good deal to arise or be willing to travel a bit to get them.
I got some older leghorns and shavers off trade me for $10 each which lay very well. I also have some bantams from there I paid $3-$5 each for, and a couple of shaver pullets who cost $15 each. You can often get them cheaper off trade and exchange or check to see if you can pick up some ex battery hens.
Thanks