The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: suziequeue on March 18, 2013, 09:04:32 pm

Title: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: suziequeue on March 18, 2013, 09:04:32 pm
I have just been quoted a price of £20 from Pen-Rhiw-Garn Poultry Suuplies for a Buff Orpington hen.

The breeder is reputable and I bought three POL RIRs from them three years ago and they are still going strong and laying well - so I expect the BOs to be good quality birds and I am happy to pay a bit of a premium for that.

My question is - is this a reasonable price for a good quality Buff Orpington? I don't really know the market price for these hens.
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: Big Light on March 18, 2013, 09:45:48 pm
£20 is okay
good orp hens can be up to £50 -60 for top end birds
you might get a hen cheaper else where but if you are happy with the breeder you are only gonna save yourself 5 or 10 pounds at most and then you take the chance
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: graham-j on March 18, 2013, 09:47:58 pm
Hi,I should say that was a very good price,assuming the bird was good quality and point of lay.

Graham.
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: suziequeue on March 18, 2013, 10:20:44 pm
Yes - I looked on pre-loved (should've done that in the first place really - sorry!) and am very happy with the price, especially since I will be able to pick them up on my way home so no extra travel costs incurred :-D
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: HesterF on March 18, 2013, 11:18:55 pm
Yep, I paid  £30-£35 for my good quality Buff Orp hens - in the South East though.

H
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: chrismahon on March 19, 2013, 07:39:09 am
Paid £30 each for ours (5 years ago) and they were good but not the best. Show strains tend not to lay well and ours laid 200 medium sized eggs. When crossed with a utility orpington the offspring laid 200 large eggs -lucky us, as some show strains will only lay 50 eggs a year. We didn't ask when we bought them. So be careful what you buy Suziequeue.
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: suziequeue on March 19, 2013, 01:59:10 pm
Luckily I'm not wanting the Orps for their egg laying skills but for their broodiness so I'll not be crying into my beer if they aren't great layers but I do like their big feathery bottoms.

Other alternatives will be along the silkie lines but I prefer the look of the Orpingtons.
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: firemansam on March 19, 2013, 02:59:33 pm
I took a 2yr old hen to leek market last week, nothing special she sold for £22. I was over the moon!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: gillsta on March 19, 2013, 04:26:10 pm
Thats a good price if its a good hen. I have paid up to £60 for a well put together lady. Even at auction they can go for quite a bit more. Just depends on the quality.  ;D
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: Mrs Snoodles on March 20, 2013, 09:44:28 pm
A big chicken breeder my way always said that his Orps were the cornerstone of his business. He didn't like them but there was always demand and in Spring they made him the best money.  He had a little London niche Market and made a small fortune doing weekly trips to the smoke.  Not the best quality, £50 a bird!
Title: Re: What price for a good Buff Orpington hen?
Post by: AndrewMBaines on March 25, 2013, 09:05:35 am
We incubated some for a friend a couple of years ago - 8 hatched, we kept 2. Looks like we got a good deal - had no idea they were so expensive.