Are people buying chicks in your area?

[fat brown hen]

I don't think people are buying many chicks here (Coastal California). The feed stores seem to have lots of chicks, including ones that are a week or 2 old. I'm seeing some pretty good deals on Craigslist (someone offered me 12 easter egger chicks for $20 if I take them all). To be fair, we've been hit with repeated floods and power outages, so maybe people aren't ready for chicks yet. But egg prices have fallen nationwide, so maybe the "Inflation Chicken" fad is over.

Open Question: How's the chick market in your area?

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Here in New Zealand it's still going strong. Wait lists for chicks and pullets, I could have sold all my birds 7 times over this year, and have a list for future sales, just on word of mouth. I also could have sold every pullet for waaaaay more money, but I am against price gouging so only increased my price by what was reasonable to cover increased feed costs. For me that means selling pullets at $40 each. Last year I sold them for $30 each. Seems like a steep price rise to me, but I've seen them selling for $80 each or more.
I sell birds between 10 and 16 weeks old usually.

 

[HomeofTheChicks]

Here in North Georgia, the Tractor Supplys where people usually go to get chicks have been selling out completely. At least where I live. You practically have to race in there before anyone else or they are all gone. This year, I got lucky and got my first broad-breasted white turkey chicks. They were nearly all gone. Farming is big where I live so in towns around me getting chickens is like a tradition every spring.

 

[NagemTX]

My TSC is usually out of almost all chicks by the weekend. Might be bantams left but not much else.

 

[BurbCoop]

There is a run on chicks and supplies here in Colorado. Egg prices went through the roof for a bit and the backyard chicken hobby boomed overnight.

The local feed stores are selling out each shipment from Hoover’s Hatchery in 15-20 minutes.

I fear as egg prices come back down and folks realize what it takes to have and manage a flock, we may see a lot of abandoned chickens.

 

[fat brown hen]

Oh man, so maybe things are just slow here because of the storms. I wish you guys hadn't told me that, because now I feel like I should grab those easter egger chicks. I need a dozen more chicks like I need a hole in the head.

 

[Percheron chick]

Oh man, so maybe things are just slow here because of the storms. I wish you guys hadn't told me that, because now I feel like I should grab those easter egger chicks. I need a dozen more chicks like I need a hole in the head.

But what is normal? Things will settle down and the weather will dry up. People will get back to buying chicks. You might be experiencing a severe shortage this summer. They won't be laying until August...

 

[MadisonAdam]

The stores around here get 300 chicks at a time 2,3 times a week and theyre always completely sold out within 1-3 hours

 

[fat brown hen]

But what is normal? Things will settle down and the weather will dry up. People will get back to buying chicks. You might be experiencing a severe shortage this summer. They won't be laying until August...

Good question. Based on my past purchase receipts, I always paid the highest prices for chicks in late March, and paid much lower prices by about June/July.

I wouldn't be getting the Easter eggers for eggs. I don't even like the breed. It's just that they're a good deal. It's like stocking up on toilet paper when it goes on sale at CVS.

 

[kurby22]

I don't think people are buying many chicks here (Coastal California). The feed stores seem to have lots of chicks, including ones that are a week or 2 old. I'm seeing some pretty good deals on Craigslist (someone offered me 12 easter egger chicks for $20 if I take them all). To be fair, we've been hit with repeated floods and power outages, so maybe people aren't ready for chicks yet. But egg prices have fallen nationwide, so maybe the "Inflation Chicken" fad is over.

Open Question: How's the chick market in your area?

Here in Sacramento our feed stores are selling out within the first day they arrive! It’s rather crazy!