Baby Chicken Rental...?!

[Comets]

Does such a thing exist? Genuinely wondering. I'd love to rent some chicks (as temporarily) and would pay for them as well. I would eventually have to return them within the span of a week or two though.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Just to enjoy them?

I know many classrooms will hatch chicks and ducklings and one of the various arrangements for the future of the babies is to return to the person who provides the eggs. I guess this isn’t very different than that.

I know Rent the Chicken also does hatching projects like I described, providing all the materials, and takes them all back with the chicks if you choose not to keep them.

I would find someone local to you with chicks. That way there would be no shipping time and stress; drop off and pick up will be easier. This is kind of an unusual “sale”, so don’t be offended if you’re turned down. Most of the time, chicks are being sold because they are surplus. The seller doesn’t want them coming back. Others will have issues with bio security, not wanting the chicks back after they have been out of their care and control and in contact with who knows what. You will likely encounter many people who won’t approve of taking on an animal for just a short period of time.

But ... you’ll find someone. I’d do it. Keeping a handful of chicks quarantined and probably reselling them to make money off them twice, I could handle that. Other than the company I named above, though, I’m not aware of any existing program like that. You’d have to contact individuals to ask.

 

[Comets]

Yeah, I was considering searching local. I hadn't considered the bio security aspect, good to know. Thanks for the pointers!

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

Earlier this spring someone on Craigslist in my area was advertising that they would raise day old chicks/ducks for people.

The ad is no longer up... wonder if business was really good or really bad?

Seems like tons of logistics - biosecurity, liability, etc. I think there is someone on this site who just raises baby chicks for other people ( @ChickNanny13 maybe?).

 

[drumstick diva]

I recall reading on BYC of some place that rented chickens - I think maybe for the summer, you also rented a coop etc. At the end of the time period, you could return them & stuff or pay for and keep it all. I wouldn't care for that. Wonders what happens to the birds if you return them.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I recall reading on BYC of some place that rented chickens - I think maybe for the summer, you also rented a coop etc. At the end of the time period, you could return them & stuff or pay for and keep it all. I wouldn't care for that. Wonders what happens to the birds if you return them.

That sounds like Rent the Chicken’s arrangement. I considered them both as a customer and a contractor to provide the chickens. They are rather expensive, though, and the issue of biosecurity would be huge, not just one or two going and coming back but potentially dozens to different people and places. I’d almost guarantee that no one using them already has chickens, but still, wow, I could never keep so many birds quarantined. I don’t know anything about the prices for their hatching program.