Covid-panic-induced chicken keeping?

[SurferchickinSB]

I am not sure if I am right, but I’ve begun to see an increase in the number of people buying chicks who are woefully unprepared to care for chickens in the long run. They seem to be worried about not having access to eggs or meat for a few weeks so they make a huge monetary investment and buy animals when they don’t actually want to take on the massive lifestyle change of chicken keeping.
This is a years-long investment and they’re doing it for a few weeks of worry? I worry for the level of care the animals are receiving based on the reason for their purchase.

Hopefully most of them will have good homes, but unfortunately there are always bad or uncaring animal owners, look at all the animals that end up at the shelter or locked away uncared for, hungry, thirsty and filthy in someone’s backyard.

 

[Quarantine Homesteader]

As my backyard chickens name suggests, we are some of those who decided to get chicks during quarantine. We didn’t do it on a whim, though. We decided to do it because we are in it for the long haul. I love watching them grow and develop personalities! We might’ve gotten them as baby chicks, but seeing them get older and develop has been amazing. We are definitely experiencing a steep learning curve, but are excited about this adventure. I’ve learned more about chickens in the last month than I thought existed! About different combs, different color patterns, different breeds (we have 4!)... each day is an opportunity to learn more. We aren’t perfect, but we greatly appreciate the advice from the rest of you who have so much knowledge! We love these chickens and want to see them thrive.

 

[Frenchen1]

My chickens are getting older, so I decided back in January to hatch more chicks this year. St. Patrick's day saw my first batch hatch. I've had two more batches since then. I am only a small flock, chicken hobby breeder. I've had chickens for five years. They are my exercise plan. When the virus plague came, I was so happy I started hatching. Now we will have roosters to butcher this fall. My children are already placing orders for butchered chickens. I also have plenty of eggs to give to some of my neighbors who are out of work right now. If these new breeders find out they like chickens they will be happy and have a good source of food.

 

[NguyenjaStars]

I have been intending on it for a while now, and got a hand me down coop in the winter. A couple of deals to acquire chicks from friends fell through over the last few months and also we weren't ready yet. And the chicks sold out in 3 hours at the feed store before Easter. I too hope that this isn't going to be a glut of Easter regret. But the other two feed stores within 30 minutes drive were shut down so maybe it was just regular buyers heading several towns over to acquire. I don't know if I have to camp out in line next week but I am going to head into the feed store this week to get supplies in advance and see if I can prepay for the chicks.

 

[LizzzyJo]

I have been intending on it for a while now, and got a hand me down coop in the winter. A couple of deals to acquire chicks from friends fell through over the last few months and also we weren't ready yet. And the chicks sold out in 3 hours at the feed store before Easter. I too hope that this isn't going to be a glut of Easter regret. But the other two feed stores within 30 minutes drive were shut down so maybe it was just regular buyers heading several towns over to acquire. I don't know if I have to camp out in line next week but I am going to head into the feed store this week to get supplies in advance and see if I can prepay for the chicks.

If you add your geographic area on here we can help you find chicks either from those of us who breed or tell you when our local places have chicks

 

[doublecrossranch]

We already have tons of people trying to sell off their chickens. I am beginning to wonder if people bought a ton as cheap chicks and are now trying to make a profit off of raised pullets. And I dont necessarily think that's wrong of them, I think it's just going to end up with a lot of homeless chickens once everything starts getting back to normal.

Before all this started I was thinking about raising chicks to sell as pullets. I put that idea on hold because I don’t want to sell to people that don’t know what they are doing. I put my rooster on Craigslist. The only interest was from people without hens yet or a coop. And they didn’t want him for meat.

 

[theloneyoni]

Funny you should post this. After I ordered our chicks early last month, my husband showed me an article describing panic buying chickens. I was like, well at least I’m on task 2 of our chicks were Roos and have been rehomed with a lovely family. A friend of mine was unable to find pullets so she got 2 of our girls for mother's day. We are now down to 8 lovely RIR. Though my husband and I met on a farm more than 20 years ago, we’ve no experience since then. My feeling was, my 3 sons are still thriving - I’m a nurse practitioner - I think I can do this. Also, we found this site, and read up. So far, our girls are happy, healthy, and thriving. Gotta go - the trench for the run is calling to be dug.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Funny you should post this. After I ordered our chicks early last month, my husband showed me an article describing panic buying chickens. I was like, well at least I’m on task 2 of our chicks were Roos and have been rehomed with a lovely family. A friend of mine was unable to find pullets so she got 2 of our girls for mother's day. We are now down to 8 lovely RIR. Though my husband and I met on a farm more than 20 years ago, we’ve no experience since then. My feeling was, my 3 sons are still thriving - I’m a nurse practitioner - I think I can do this. Also, we found this site, and read up. So far, our girls are happy, healthy, and thriving. Gotta go - the trench for the run is calling to be dug.

That looks like a great build! And thank you for all of the medical work you all have been doing. Hats off.

 

[SegiDream]

Well I bought chicks starting late March right before the shutdown here and yes it was partly related to the situation. We had floated around the idea for the past year or two with hubby always shooting it down saying it costs too much and meat and eggs are cheap to buy. The circumstances jump started hubby into agreeing . Plus I and the kids have more time on our hands plus I raised birds my entire childhood and I was raised on a "farm" of sorts unlike hubby so we were pretty confident in the decision. One of our friends was like "you're probably going to lose some chicks we lost half of ours!" well no chicks have been lost yet!! So far our costs are at $125 for feed, feeders/waterers, storage and building supplies woohoo.

One of my acquaintances on FB is what I would call a city slicker moved to the country and now has tons of open acreage. Due to the shutdown and lack of work she decided to fill her extra time by getting a few baby ducks and baby goats at the same time a couple weeks ago and now they're housed in the same pen together outside and her work is starting back up so she is looking for a great pyreneese puppy dog to raise them and guard them while no one is home and she's away traveling for events. She's also one of those that you can't tell her what to do she's going to do what she wants when she wants and how. Like she does things then posts about it, if you try to give some pointers she gets mad because it's not what she wanted to hear. SMH. That kind of stuff makes me worry for the animals.

 

[Crystalboy]

when I purchased my new home, it came with a rooster and three hens. One hen died and the rooster thinks I killed her since I took her out of the pen, now he tries to flog me every time I go out to open the gate. needless to say, he has received a few kicks since his spurs are about 3"long. I purchased 10 chicks because I have always wanted to raise chickens and collect my own eggs. The established chickens are eating the eggs that they lay since the other hen died. I believe they are mad or stressed, at any rate, I am building a new coop because I don't want my newbies to take on their bad habit. I believe these inherited chickens are older and the rooster is a big RI Red. The new chicks were something I planned on before COVID and I plan to get more next spring. They first chick raising experience and they are work but if I weren't doing for them, I would be doing for someone else.