Frustrated about the availability of chicks

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

So is anyone else having issues with every chick being bought up within a small amount of time after arrival at stores?

In my area they are being bought up so fast?

Hi from Frederick County!

The Southern States here (both Frederick & Woodsboro) let you pre order your chicks except for the "fancy" breeds. I've gotten chicks from the Frederick store in the past. I also have chicks reserved from Gowers in Ranson, WV. They let you reserve any breed.

But, yea, I also enjoy tempting fate by going to feed stores knowing they have chicks. Knowing the chicks are probably sold out takes some of the fun out of it, lol.

It'll settle down come summertime.

 

[SourRoses]

rooberty

 

[WhiskeyTheRedd]

With luck I will be able to have my new group within the next week or so. We got the New Fencing ordered and will have it up next weekend Im nervous though as everytime ive gone in there are NO chicks to be had. Thankfully its close by so ill keep calling and asking! As soon as they have them im off to the store!!!

 

[WhiskeyTheRedd]

With luck I will be able to have my new group within the next week or so. We got the New Fencing ordered and will have it up next weekend Im nervous though as everytime ive gone in there are NO chicks to be had. Thankfully its close by so ill keep calling and asking! As soon as they have them im off to the store!!!

I posted my babies up here last year, and sadly we slowly lost the entire flock of 8 girls minus one who we managed to give away. They all got taken out by a young pit pull pup

 

[EmmaDonovan]

The chick craze is insane. Every store around here has been selling out within fifteen minutes to an hour, besides rooster chicks, of course. We were able to get chicks a couple days ago after waiting in line for two hours.

Like concert tickets or something! Wow.

 

[Winston1]

It's the egg prices, people are panicking or they think it will be cheaper (lol) to raise chickens than to buy eggs.
I'm Glad I order December.
They sell out within an hour here.
Of course, in 4/5 months, we'll have a nice assortment of stated pullets available.

haha...cheaper...silly, silly people

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Like concert tickets or something! Wow.

Yes, for real. The best part was that I could talk chickens with random people for over an hour In all the feed stores we went that day, no one was ever rude, there was no pushing or shoving in line, and even though some people had been there for 4+ hours, they were quite polite.

I’d say it was about an even split between first time chicken owners and people just wanting to add to their flock.

 

[McChooky]

Tried that. Seems one of them had a terrible time with rooberty. Instead I mixed them with my adult flock and my hens have sorted them out in a minute. My rooster didn't even have to step in. More peaceful now. 4 of them will be shipping out pretty soon to their new home up north.

In January of 2022,2023 and 2024 every time I tried to order sexed pullets of a specific breed the hatchery I usually order from was sold out .This year I placed an order in January with a different hatchery so I will get a few in September.None of the hatcheries can't keep up

 

[2 Acres]

SWVA here, no chicks for weeks. Ducks and turkeys, but the chicks are gone same day they arrive.

You would probably do better (and faster) with non chain farm stores. Hoovers or Murray McMurray for example. I believe both hatcheries vaccinate for Marek's, whereas the local farm stores don't

 

[2 Acres]

Local breeders are always an option.
Most don't want to draw the attention of chicken-craze folks, they want normal buyers.

I have extra chicks from my hatches who don't meet my breeding goals (color, size, combs) but I'm too worried to list them like I usually would. I can just imagine them in someone's closet under an incandescent light bulb being fed cracked corn and mashed potatoes.

We should all be mentally preparing for a wave of queries on BYC when people have chicks sick, dying, injured, etc. Most searches lead here.
Our collective kindness could help convert some to real chicken keepers, while others are going to need a come-to-chicken wake up call.

I wonder if we could proactively push articles for new chicken keepers? Would some new-dated content help get it out there at the top of search fields?

I would be curious about what you have for chicks. (and pricing)

You would probably do better (and faster) with non chain farm stores. Hoovers or Murray McMurray for example. I believe both hatcheries vaccinate for Marek's, whereas the local farm stores don't

The two I mentioned above are"mail order only".