How Much My Old Laying Hens Sold For, Why They Left, and Why I Chose Rehoming

How Much Did My Old Laying Hens Sell For? Why and How Did I Sell Them?

     As laying hens age, they lay fewer eggs. The annual laying window itself shortens, and they will lay less frequently. This is especially true for production hens who lay heavily in their first few years. Raising pullets every year or every other year keeps egg production high- but what do you do with those older hens who aren't as efficient anymore? For me, I like to sell them to another family!

Annual Flock Reduction

    This last fall, I decided on the annual cuts to our laying flock. I decided to phase out my production hens as they were closing out their second year of laying. I'm instead focusing on my leghorn chickens heavily, as they're a feed efficient bird that lays VERY well, with a solid demand in the market. With high production being important, hens that aren't laying as well are on the list for rehoming. This goes for excess drakes and roosters, as well. On a small farm, keeping each animal would result in sky high feed costs, bedding costs, and infrastructure costs for necessary expansion. 

    It can be difficult to decide on these cuts to the flock, but numbers must come down for three reasons: space for the following year's chicks, avoiding cramped conditions for the existing young pullets as they come into laying, and feed efficiency. 4 birds eat 1 lb of food per day, sometimes more, which is an extra $12 per month. If those four birds aren't contributing to the farm, that's $144 in feed alone that is being consumed. This doesn't include occupied coop space, soiled bedding, medications/wormers, and any other expenses. It doesn't seem like much at first, but these expenses stack up fast. It can become one of many unsustainable and costly mistakes for farmers. As much as we love having the birds, if I kept them all from recent years alone, I'd probably have 300-400 birds running around right now. That's a little too far up there, even for me!

Why Sell Old Hens?  Didn't They Lose All Value as They've Gotten Older?

    These hens will still lay for years to come- they're not premium, point of lay pullets, but they still hold some value as laying hens and pest control. They sell a little more slowly, and they go for a little less money. I'm not too worried about that, though, as I know it's the best outcome for the hens. Not to mention, every dollar counts when it comes to countering those hefty feed bills. 

What Are Older Laying Hens Worth, and When Do You Sell Them?

    Older laying hens vary wildly, from $5 to $40 or more depending on breed, quality, and the time of year. I could have sold the hens very quickly in the fall for $5 each to remove them from the feed bill, but I knew December and January would bring a lot of interest and a higher amount. Therefore, I listed them in the fall and expected a winter sale- as per usual. The older hens always move between Christmas and Valentine's for me, without fail. 

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    This time was no exception! At $20 each, the hens sold and moved to a new coop. Most people are not interested in feeding older hens through winter, especially when they are taking an egg laying break due to molt and shortened daylight hours. The demand surges right after the holidays, as people look forward to eggs in the warmer months. Since chicks take a while to lay, there's an intense demand early in the year- especially when hatching is not yet in full swing. I had a few emails over the months, then had as many within a week's time once New Year's passed. 

The Method I Prefer to Use to Sell My Hens

    My favorite way to sell my hens is through classified websites- there are so many out there, with Craigslist being one of the most popular ones. Millions of people browse these websites every day for various reasons, especially small farmers who are looking to add to their farm (or lower numbers on their farms.) This allows the buyer to speak with you directly, allowing you to exchange questions and information days ahead of the sale. There's also no middleman, such as an auction house. 

Hens Sold; What Did I Do with the Money?

    With the sale of these hens, I was able to purchase a month’s worth of hay and two bags of layer feed. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to scoff at, either; especially since those hens provided us with so many eggs while they were in our care. I'm absolutely happy to have made a dent in the feed bill- and also lower it by about $16-18 per month. That's short-lived though, as the incubator I enjoy using is loaded down with eggs and hatching season is on the horizon. I'm also about to stock up on some sweet feed for the herd, as they are entering the last month of pregnancy and need additional carbohydrates. 

It's Absolutely Worth It: They Get New Families & I Rebalanced Feed Costs

    I love seeing our hens go on to live their best life when it's time to replace them with younger pullets and hens; sure, I could have put them in the freezer, as many family farms tend to do. However, I really prefer to see the hens go to a new coop; they still have a lot to offer, even in their third year! Not to mention, the families that pick them up are so excited to meet them and take them home. I love seeing how excited people get for these hens, and it feels as if I've made the right choice for those hens.