Pricing of birds

As a rule of thumb, I charge £4 or £6 at day old and then add on £1 a week as the birds grow.

At eight weeks I can sex all the breeds pretty accurately and charge £12 per bird.

Traditionally, 18 week old birds are sold as Point Of Lay (POL), but the more traditional breeds can be 24 to 26 weeks before they come in to lay, depending on the time of year. I feel it's misleading to sell at 18 weeks and let people think they are going to get instant eggs, so I don't do it like that.

Chicks

Day old, unsexed - £4. Auto-sexing £6.

Pullets

8 wks, sexed - £12. 5 birds for £50
16 wks - £20. 5 birds for £85
20-22 wk POL - £25. 5 birds for £100
24-26 wk heavy breeds, pullets that are laying. £30

Cockerels (For breeding or fattening)

under 8 weeks, £3. 6 for £15
8 to 12 weeks, £5. 6 for £25
12 to 16 weeks;£6. 6 for £30
16 weeks plus, £8. 6 for £40 (pretty nearly ready to kill)

If I do get the sex of young birds wrong, I will swap them for pullets or refund your money and I guarantee them for a fortnight under reasonable circumstances.

BUY HATCHING EGGS
Payment by Paypal, cheque with a bankers card or cash on collection. Please email me in the first instance to get in touch.

For Sale - Sun 27 Jan 2013

Stock - Gift Vouchers - Diatom - Delivery

Stock

I try to update this page monthly. A deposit of £3 per bird will reserve them, with the final price to be calculated on the day of collection (see panel on the right). Please contact me to check availability before you send any money. Hen/duck hatching eggs will be £7 per half dozen, plus postage.

Available Stock:

Coturnix quail. I can hatch quail to order over the winter and will also be hatching for myself. Around 8 weeks (POL) £5 each. 8 hens and a cock for £35. 8 week old cock-birds £2.50 each, £8 for 4.

My breeding pens next season will consist of:

Cream legbars, Barnevelders, Barnebars and Salmon Faverolles in large fowl
Millefleur pekin in bantam fowl
Later in the year I hope to have Ancona and Araucana bantams and large fowl Leghorns
Khaki Campbell ducks

At eight weeks, birds are fully feathered and can live outside. I will only sell at less than six weeks if I am satisfied that buyers are able to keep the chicks properly in a warm brooder; I am happy to provide advice.

I usually have hatches coming out weekly; please get in touch to book at day/week old and/or if you would like large numbers.

Gift Vouchers

Count your chickens before they're hatched! I have now started doing gift vouchers - for Courses and for Chicken Futures - hatching eggs or live chicks and birds.

Birds and eggs will be available from April (Birds must be collected):
- 6 hatching eggs (including postage) - £13
- 12 hatching eggs (including postage) - £25
- 8 to 10 week old pullet - large fowl - £15
- 8 to 10 week old pullet - bantam - £10
- Quail, eight weeks, POL - £5
- Choose from Barnevelders, Cream Legbars, Salmon Faverolles and Pekin bantams, as available.
Courses
- An introduction to chicken keeping - £40
- From hatch to despatch - £40
- Despatch, pluck and dress - £40 (if both of these are taken in one day, £70)
- Keeping quail for eggs and meat - £40
- (A 'Family' course voucher for two adults and two children - £75 (or £140 for two courses in one day). More details of course content on the Courses page.

BUY GIFT VOUCHERS
Please email me with the details of what you want your voucher to include and where you want it sent (and who to!). I will send you a Paypal invoice by return.

Diatom

Diatomaceous Earth / Diatom Powder is very good for red mite and lice treatment - sprinkle it around the house and on the birds. It is 'spikey' and degrades the carapace of the insects. It keeps on working as long as you leave it in the house. You can also put it in the feed (5g to 100g) as a worming treatment.

Collection, 1.5kg, £4.50
Postage, 1.5kg, £11.00

BUY DIATOM
Please email me with your address for diatom. I will send you a Paypal invoice by return.

Delivery / Courier

After some time trying to find a courier, I have made contact with a couple.

Malcolm Evans at Bird Couriers of Somerset, who has been couriering for the last twelve months. He is DEFRA licenced and has insurance which covers public liability and birds in transit. At the time of writing, prices start at approximately £65 (per load of one or two boxes) to the Midlands up to approximately £120 to the middle of Scotland. 01823 442691 or 07547 761564.

Tony Joliffe, based in Kent. At the time of writing, £70 per trip. 01795 425940.

Although I have spoken to these companies I have not yet used them and if you do, I would be grateful for any feedback you might have, to pass on to my customers.

9th August 2011