[princesspiggy]

every year my kids hatch out eggs and sell them at the rarebreed market for pocket money. we have a choice of 25 breeds from our local supplier. i personally prefer very rare breeds but these dont necessarily get the best price in the auction.
amongst others, the choices are -araucana, silkies, marans, scots greys and dumpies, oepf, marsh daisies,orpingtons, sussex etc
what breeds do u think are best sellers?

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi Princess P,

         I also breed very rare breed birds (blue Croad Langshan bantams) and sell on the birds not suitable for breeding as they make good layers and attractive gentle pets.
        So my answer would be if you are only choosing the breed based on its proffitablity and you only sell them through the local auction then I would choose the breed based on your experience of what has been most popular at previous sales. In respect to which birds command the highest prices though the this really depends on the quality of the birds that you are able to produce.

       I often see adverts for orpingtons and silkies so although not particularly rare, these birds do seem very popular as first birds for the novice keeper and those who want child friendly pets. Silkies are also popular with those who breed along with Sussex bantams due to their broody qualites of course.

     I suppose the best tactic would be to choose a bird which you feel is good looking, good natured and a good layer. Then you stand a chance of appealing to just about every one. 

Buffy

[BlueDaisy]

At the auctions I've been to it tends to be the hybrid layer types which command the highest interest! Presumably because people want lots of eggs. So, I would go for Sussex and  Rhode Island Red for egg volume or Marans and Cream Legbars for egg colour? 

[princesspiggy]

iv considered crossing our araucana cockeral with our sussex hens, has anyone tried it? wud it b blue eggs and plenty of them? is there a market for 1st crosses?

[cluckingnuts]

iv considered crossing our araucana cockeral with our sussex hens, has anyone tried it? wud it b blue eggs and plenty of them? is there a market for 1st crosses?

The egg colour would be  khaki to olive, the depth of colour being dependant on the  amount of protoporphyrin and oocyanin.