how much should I expect to pay

[hoppy1]

not sure where I should post this. how much should I expect to pay for a young pullet from a person that shows his wyandottes. I am going to a poultry show in a few weeks and want to get a young bird of decent quality to cross with my blr for better type (not a blr but a solid colored bird probably). I'm in the US.

[Bushman]

Unless the bird is pretty special, in our area the going price would be no more than $15 to $20.

[slybird353]

I think a good average for a breeder is $25.00. It takes almost all of that to raise them to maturity. Now a good show bird on the other hand.... well I personally paid $100.00 for a champion white Wyandotte.
Jesse

[hoppy1]

thank you for the reply. I'm still what I consider starting out. I'd chock to spend $100 on one bird. I thought $20 was steep for an older bird but I guess that is ballpark. I decided not to purchase and no one at the show had any of what I wanted for sale- so still waiting.

[tierra_taz]

Chiming in late as I don't read the boards often...
Of the breeders you had been recommended in another topic, $50 is average for a finished bird. When I went to the Iowa City show, that was the going rate from any of the top breeders. You could pick up groups in the sale barn for less per bird. These were all finished birds, not started chicks. Groups can be advantageous in their genetic diversity as well as insurance for losses. And don't forget the best "show bird" may not be the best breeder.

I have no issue paying for quality. It costs a lot less in the long run to know what you are getting than to raise out 100 chicks in the hopes of 1-2 good ones. Juveniles can not show how they will finish. Those top breeders have many years if not decades into their lines and they deserve fair compensation for their hard work ;-)

That's my 2¢