“Rent The Chicken” Looking For Business Partners

“Rent The Chicken” Looking For Business Partners LIVESTOCK Poultry Phil and Jenn Tompkins owner of Rent The Chicken moved from the city to rural western Pennsylvania with the goal of working from home They discovered that renting chickens was on the Small Business Administration’s “crazy business idea” list and they were surprised to learn even their farm-raised friends had a hard time raising backyard chickens “After market research we hatched Rent The Chicken ” Tompkins says “It’s a great on-farm business opportunity for people who want to sign up as affiliates and provide chickens to people in their area ” By the spring of 2014 the couple was delivering coops chickens and food as far away as Ohio and the New Jersey coast Their first affiliate was a motivated teenager in high school who built the coops to the Tompkins’ specs and followed their protocol By the 2018 season there were more than 40 affiliates in several states and in Canada “Our business is different because we have one central phone number ” says Jenn who handles all the calls and coordinates with affiliates “The same services are offered anywhere For our affiliates we offer more than just our name We have online courses to attend check lists and preparation steps ” The basic rental package comes with 2 chickens a portable coop on wheels water dish and food for 5 or 6 months It costs $400 with free delivery within 50 miles The four-chicken package runs $600 Customers vary widely Tompkins says from single retired and empty nesters to young families and college graduates “It’s any demographic ” Tompkins says “They all have in common that they want to have a food source closer to their table or have their kids experience it About 50 percent adopt or commit to the same chickens the following season ” A high percentage of the 50 percent who don’t continue often develop a homesteading mindset and buy chickens on their own To educate more people the Tompkins recently added Hatch The Chicken a 5 week rental of incubator and brooder equipment It’s especially popular with day care and senior care centers Tompkins says The couple has also started a retail line of Amish-built coops chicken swings teeter totters and other toys at www thechickennetwork com Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Phil and Jenn Tompkins Rent The Chicken ph 724 305-0782 U S ; 844 310-8782 Canada; www rentthechicken com

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