Cheap hatching eggs to fill out my flock?

[Kris5902]

Ok, kinda long but bear with me here. I have several specific breeds I want to hatch out, but my first hatch didn’t go well 17/42 hatched, 12 survived, 6 cockerels. I added 14 more chicks (on “sale” $15ea) from the breeder and got 10 more (tiny breed, they just don’t seem to be “growing” at all) cockerels! I want to keep 4-5 of the cockerels from these batches. My breeder charges $80-$140 per dozen for the breeds I want. I’ve also got a bit of a situation going as my boys are maturing quickly. And if I get more eggs I’m going to get more cockerels which take a while to reach decent stewing size in my “laying” breeds.

I’m thinking about trying to hatch some mutt eggs just to increase my hen numbers for the boys I want to keep, before I try to add in any more pricy layers. There are two people on island I can buy a dozen eggs (at $6) from that keep Roo’s. The ones I can get at the store are refrigerated, the ones I can get from a fellow named “weird” Wayne are not; but he’s not exactly the most personable guy around, and yes he is aware of, and likes to live up to his descriptor. (You don’t have to be crazy to live here, but it sure helps!) I’m not sure if they have been washed or how they have been handled. That’s like 13 dozen eggs for the same cost as 1 dozen from the breeder, and at least he has some bigger birds (for the boys becoming dinner aspect)

So thoughts? I’m getting to the “what can it hurt to try?” Thinking stage, and at least I might get enough boys at once to send a batch to the processing plant... I will attempting my own first chicken slaughter very shortly as well, (I currently only have 2 chunky enough boys I can part with the genetics of) but we can’t sell them if I do.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I would go ahead and buy eggs from Weird Wayne....... make sure to bring some pepper spray though.

 

[Ribh]

I think I agree with Shamo. Wayne may be weird but his birds probably are not & I would guess you could take a looksee [if you haven't already] before committing. If it can't hurt to try...

 

[Kris5902]

His birds are all healthy looking, he lost a gorgeous Roo to a raccoon attack last fall, but he has another that is almost as nice looking. It’s a roadside stand in an old unplugged fridge with a glass front and a cash jar, so no worries for safety! The local store picks up his feed and it is quite the scene with him on his little off road dirt bike and 50# bag feed driving back to his property! But do you think that they will hatch?

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

His birds are all healthy looking, he lost a gorgeous Roo to a raccoon attack last fall, but he has another that is almost as nice looking. It’s a roadside stand in an old unplugged fridge with a glass front and a cash jar, so no worries for safety! The local store picks up his feed and it is quite the scene with him on his little off road dirt bike and 50# bag feed driving back to his property! But do you think that they will hatch?

You could ask Weird Wayne if the eggs are fertile? But if you do ask, just make sure you ask in a way that doesn't come off as you wanting fertile eggs because Weird Wayne might charge you more knowing you want fertile's.

 

[Ribh]

My guess is that somebody else on the island has already gone this route. I would ask around but if you want to hatch is he so unapproachable that you can't ask? If he's not [& I have no way of knowing that] I would explain what you want. Our weirdos are mostly for show & approached the right way will generally give you the information you're after. At $6 a doz I don't think you can lose & I would probably try.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Talk to Weird Wayne and ask about hatching his eggs. At $6 a dozen even if it only half hatched you would still be at a good price.

If you have roosters yourself why not hatch your own mixes? I have several cross breed girls and they seem to be the healthiest and best layers.

 

[Nekopan]

Where do you live? I just ask since I see you have Isbars from West Coast Farm so I’m guessing you’re somewhere on Vancouver island. Have you considered branching out to Craigslist/kijiji for local eggs, or having them shipped from somewhere else? Maybe a 4H group has fertile eggs you could buy? There must be some source where you can get them for less than $100/dozen.

 

[DontPanic]

I know there are breed purists out there but for longevity and heartyness, I've stuck with mutts from local sources. My girls are completely acclimatized for the area and are great summer time layers.

The black hen in my profile pic was from a flock of feral chickens that lived in my parents back pasture. Back in the housing crash of 2008, a couple of their neighbors that walked away from their properties simply let their chickens go on their way out. Several generations later, these girls were making nests all over my parents property and were incredible producers! Stray dogs and coyotes had started to take a toll on the feral flock this girl and her brood were trapped and relocated to my backyard. She's about 5-6 years old now and still lays in the spring and summer.

Here in Riverside county there are disease and health concerns, the local mutts that have lived through the problems with heat, cold and now disease are going to outlive the fancy, over priced birds.

Sorry if that came off kinda "ranty"

 

[Kris5902]

Where do you live? I just ask since I see you have Isbars from West Coast Farm so I’m guessing you’re somewhere on Vancouver island. Have you considered branching out to Craigslist/kijiji for local eggs, or having them shipped from somewhere else? Maybe a 4H group has fertile eggs you could buy? There must be some source where you can get them for less than $100/dozen.

Yes, my isbars from west coast farms are excellent! Sweet tempered and thrifty! I plan on getting more of them. I had big issues with my first hatch or I would have more. I’m in the gulf islands... and BC ferries... we got our hyline red layers from a similar to craigslist site, and I’m disappointed in the de-beaking, and would rather get breeding stock from sources I trust. I’ve got a whole shopping list arranged from 5 different farms/hatcheries in BC... I’m just a little swamped right now and need to conserve funds for our house build.