breeding program - when do you hatch/not hatch yearly basis?

[Mojo Chick'n]

This is my first full year with incubators, and well, Hubby went a little nuts hatching every egg he could find

Needless to say I got burned out, and finally talked some sense into him about scheduling hatches.

I was curious as to how all of you who hatch on a regular basis time your hatches.

My plan is to hatch some this winter - like December (late) or January (early) and then I'll have started chicks for spring. Then hatch eggs through maybe June and stop until the next December/January.
Of course, I could always do a small hatch here or there if I ran out of chickens for folks, or if I wanted some extras to have running around.

I've been keeping track of my chick sales, and they peaked in May/June then in mid- July they sort of went into the dumper. I am still selling chickens, just that no one (or very few) wants the littler chicks this time of year.

But, I was wanting to know what someone with more experience did with their hatching programs.

meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Also, part of why I wish to do it this way is that I can keep the chickens cooped in their respective breeds during the nasty months, when there is little outside for free range anyway, and then let them go free and to mingle come summer when it is nicer out (and to save on feed costs then.)

meri