Chickens are basically the gift that keeps on giving—if you know how to work the system. And by “work the system,” I mean turning every single feathered freeloader into profit at every stage of its life. Waste not, want not.

Step 1: Eggs—The Gateway to Chicken Wealth

Some people just collect eggs and call it a day. Amateurs. I sell hatching eggs to the people who want to experience the miracle of life (and by miracle, I mean the stress of incubators, humidity levels, and the absolute chaos of hatch day). These are the ambitious types who think they’re about to become homesteading pros—until they realize incubators are fickle, power outages exist, and sometimes chicks just hatch out looking like they lost a bar fight.

But not all hatching eggs are created equal. I don’t just sell the basics—I offer specialty colors for those who want something beyond the standard backyard flock.

• Basic backyard chickens – For people who just want eggs, no frills.
• Bougie backyard chickens – Colored eggs with a fibro rooster that carries the blue egg gene. Because why settle for boring eggs when you can have a rainbow?
• Rainbow eggs with high-quality Black Copper Marans roosters – These eggs are real stunners in my opinion. The whole reason I got into backyard homesteading to tell the truth.
• Rainbow eggs with a Cream Legbar rooster –  this is to make sure I have a wide variety in my rainbow dozen and hopefully get some awesome blues.
• Then there’s the real prize Fibro Eggers – A mix of funky genetics for those who want dark skin, unique features, and colorful eggs all in one. I don’t have a guaranteed rainbow hatch yet but the colors and birds are stunning so far.

Then there’s the other side of the business: eating eggs. Not everyone has the patience for incubators (or the heartbreak of a bad hatch), so I sell pasture-raised chicken eggs—both to individual customers and wholesale to markets and restaurants.

The beauty of this? A single hen lays almost every day, which means I’ve got a steady stream of inventory with minimal effort. Farm-fresh eggs are a hot commodity, especially when you remind people that store-bought eggs have been sitting around for weeks (or months) before they even hit the shelves. And let's be real, once someone tastes a fresh egg with that deep orange yolk, there’s no going back to sad, pale grocery store eggs.

Whether you want to hatch your own or just eat the best eggs of your life—I’ve got you covered.

Step 2: Chicks—The Baby Boom Business

Then we have chicks. Tiny, fluffy, ridiculously adorable puffballs with legs. People love them. People need them. And lucky for them, I hatch extras.

Most of my buyers fall into one of three categories:

The self-reliance seekers – The ones who are done relying on grocery store eggs and want to take control of their food supply.

The backyard chicken dreamers – They just want a few hens pecking around their yard, living the wholesome, egg-filled life.

The parents who gave in – Their kids begged for chickens, and now they’re here, confused but committed, staring at a brooder setup they never planned for.

Regardless of why they’re buying, there’s always a market.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Since I’m still building my own flock, I mostly sell backyard chicks right now. But once my breeding program is dialed in, I’ll be offering specialty chicks with a much higher price tag. The kind people will gladly pay extra for because it takes years to fine-tune the colors and genetics they’re after. You don’t sell those for basic chick prices.

Hatching chicks also means I get first dibs on the best ones for my flock. The rest? Sold. And let’s talk about pricing—because people will pay extra for a guaranteed female (no surprise roosters crowing at 4 AM). So, I charge more for sexed chicks. If they want to gamble with a straight run (a 50/50 shot at ending up with an attitude-filled rooster)? That’s on them.

At the end of the day, chicks are an easy sell—whether people are in it for food security, farm life, or just because they saw a cute video and decided they had to have chickens.

Step 3: Pullets & Young Layers—The Convenience Market

Not everyone wants to deal with heat lamps, brooders, and the tiny dinosaur phase of raising chicks. Some people just want eggs—without the months of waiting and the stress of keeping fragile babies alive. That’s where pullets and young laying hens come in.

These birds are just about to start laying, which makes them worth way more than a chick. And the best part? I’ve already done the hard part. I’ve fed them, raised them, and guided them through their awkward teenage phase (yes, chickens go through that too). That means by the time they’re ready to go, they’re fully feathered, independent, and just weeks away from filling egg cartons.

People who buy pullets usually fall into one of two categories:

1. The Impatient Buyer – They want eggs now and don’t want to wait months for chicks to grow up. Yeah, that was me when I first started.
2. The Nervous Beginner – They love the idea of fresh eggs but aren’t ready to take on the responsibility of raising chicks from scratch.

Whichever camp they fall into, I’ve got them covered. Pullets are the perfect middle ground—less work than chicks, but still young enough to adapt easily to a new home.

Step 4: Old Hens—Stew Pot Specials

Now, let’s talk about old laying hens. Once they slow down, a lot of people think their only option is to let them live out their days freeloading in the backyard. Not me. I sell them for stew hens—because even an old chicken still makes excellent broth and slow-cooked meals.

The beauty of this step is that there’s always a market for inexpensive meat birds. People looking to make homemade bone broth, chicken soup, or traditional slow-cooked dishes love these hens. Plus, since they’re older, their meat is more flavorful (yes, they’re tougher, but that’s what slow cookers are for).

Step 5: Roosters—The Problem & The Profit

Every chicken keeper ends up with more roosters than they need. Keep too many, and suddenly your peaceful flock turns into a gang war. The solution? Sell the extras. Some people want a rooster to protect their flock or fertilize eggs. Others don’t realize how loud they are and will inevitably return them in shame. Either way, I sell them.

For the ones that don’t sell? Processing time. Roosters make great meat birds, and since they grow fast, they’re an easy source of homegrown protein. I process them myself and then move on to the next money-making step.

Step 6: Selling Every Edible Part – Because Waste is Just Missed Profit

Processing chickens isn’t just about selling meat—every part of the bird has value. Some buyers want premium pasture-raised meat, others want the parts that most people overlook. Either way, I make sure nothing goes to waste.

Here’s how every part of the bird turns into income:

• Chicken Meat – Sold by the pound, either whole or in cuts. Some people want whole birds for roasting, while others prefer the convenience of pre-cut breasts, thighs, and drumsticks.
• Chicken Feet – Packed with collagen, these are a goldmine for making rich, gelatinous bone broth. They’re also a delicacy in some cultures and a must-have for traditional recipes. Other people think they look creepy—but guess what? They still buy them. Especially those who love their pets.
• Chicken Organs (Liver, Heart, Gizzard) – Some buyers love them for their nutrient density, others buy them as raw pet food. Either way, they sell.
• Bones & Carcasses – The base of homemade bone broth, which brings in another income stream. Instead of tossing the leftover bones, I turn them into something people pay good money for.

Step 7: Bone Broth—Liquid Gold

If you’ve ever seen what people pay for bone broth in the grocery store, you know it’s basically liquid gold—and I mean that literally. Slow-simmered for 24+ hours, packed with collagen, amino acids, and minerals, and sold in fancy little jars for $10+ a pop, this stuff is a hot commodity.

And since I’m already processing chickens, making broth is just the next logical step. Instead of tossing the bones, I turn them into a nutrient-dense powerhouse that people actually seek out.

Who’s Buying This Stuff?

• Homesteaders & DIYers – The ones who want real food but don’t always have the time (or stomach) to simmer a pot of bones for a full day.
• Health Nuts & Biohackers – They’re all about gut health, joint support, and glowing skin—aka, all the benefits bone broth is known for.
• Busy Parents & Wellness Enthusiasts – They want quick, healthy meals without questionable store-bought ingredients.

Why Is Bone Broth So Popular?

• Gut Health & Digestion – The gelatin and amino acids help repair the gut lining and support digestion.
• Joint & Skin Support – Thanks to its high collagen content, it’s known to reduce joint pain and promote healthier skin, hair, and nails.
• Nutrient Density – It’s packed with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and electrolytes, making it a go-to for immune support and recovery.

What Makes My Bone Broth Different?

Because I control the process, I can market mine as pasture-raised and packed with collagen—a fancy way of saying it’s made from my chickens and boiled for a long time. No preservatives, no watered-down nonsense—just pure, nutrient-dense broth.

And people will pay top dollar for it.

Step 8: The Final Stage—Turning Waste into Soil & Profit

Even after all that, there’s still money to be made. The leftover bits—feathers, intestines, anything that’s not sellable—go straight into my compost system. Over time, they break down into nutrient-rich soil. And guess what? People will pay for dirt. Gardeners, small-scale farmers, and anyone looking to boost their soil health all want compost packed with organic matter.

The cycle is now complete. Every part of the chicken has been used, sold, or turned into something valuable. Nothing wasted, everything monetized. This isn’t just homesteading—it’s business.

And that’s how I built a closed-loop sales system with chickens—from egg to compost, with profit at every step. Chickens might not know how valuable they are, but I sure do.

So, if you’re still letting your birds freeload, it might be time to rethink your system. Because the only thing better than farm-fresh eggs is getting paid at every single stage of the chicken’s life.

Who knew chickens could be such a goldmine?

Since my chicken make up a large part of my income, I have to keep my records straight. I can’t afford to “guess” when eggs will hatch, forget which birds came from which bloodline, or wonder why production dipped last month.

That’s why I created the Health & Hatch Tracker—because running a quail operation without good records is like trying to hatch eggs without an incubator. (Chaotic and doomed to fail.)

👉 Hatching? Track dates, fertility rates, and hatch success so you can actually improve over time.
👉 Health? Log feed changes, bedding type, and any issues so you don’t play detective when something goes wrong.
👉 Behavior? Keep tabs on which hen is being a total menace, bullying others, and messing with egg production—because sometimes it’s not the feed, it’s just a feathered tyrant ruining everyone’s day.

If you’re serious about raising chicken for eggs, meat, or profit, you need this tracker. Grab yours today and stop playing the guessing game. 🎯