Hatchers Anonymous *Official Thread*

[Drk_Wlf]

I have a feeling by summer I am going to have so many chicks I won't know what to do with all of them! What does everyone do with their extra chicks? Sell them? Give them away? let them grow then eat them?

 

[Sumatra503]

Generally I post and ad on CL for my chicks. I use the words cute and fluffy a lot and always post a pic. The picture of the cute and fluffy chicks is what draws them in and finalizes the decision to buy one.

Some of my roos I do eat, but most of my chickens are bantams, so they aren't very big meals.

You can keep your pullets as replacements for one that are getting older.

It helps if you offer to keep the chicks until they are fully feathered or until you can sex them easily. Layer pullets sell very easily. Also if you invest in a popular breed in your area. If you live in the city, then bantams are generally more popular. In the country large breed pullets are more popular.

Also remember that Chrismas is coming up. If you have chicks around then that are feathered out for the Chrismas rush they will generally sell and at a higher price as pets.

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
I do quite a bit of hatching each year, to replace older hens with younger pullets and to improve my stock each year. I typically allow mine to grow out to at least 16 weeks...I have found that for my breeds, I can't get a really good read on them until then. At that point, the pullets are almost POL, and the cockerels are almost ready to breed, or, are large enough to eat. I list my extras on Craigslist, along with pics and referral info. as to bloodline, etc. I never seem to have a problem selling off extras, but I do agree w/Sumatra that pics ALWAYS help.

 

[LaurenM23]

Quote:
I looking forward to a chick-filled Spring, but I really need to get cracking on extending my run. Heck, I'd like to build a second coop...my goal is to grow my own little flock of Wynette's gorgeous SPPRs, separate from my mixed layer group.

Seeing as I've had such horrific troubles with my LG, extra chicks haven't been a hatching issue I've run into! haha I did end up with several more roos than anticipated when I bought my first babies, though. I trusted the guy who sold them to me...so much for that! Out of 8 chicks, I ended up re-homing four roos and keeping one, who I just

!

I posted to all of the local free classifieds and CL and offered them for free. I couldn't bear the idea of growing them for food...all we have are pets. I also advertised through the contacts of our local 4H programs. I got a few hits on CL, but I could tell that a few of those planned to take them an sell them or eat them. While it really isn't my business what happens to them out of my care, you still would hope to give them the best chance possible at a loving home.

The 4H route worked! A lovely woman came and got all four! She and her husband are developing a children's farm for their two young boys...both have developmental disabilities and have blossomed with the responsibility of the animals and the interaction.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to sell future babies because of Wynette's superior breeding practices...hence why I'd also like to keep them separate in case a little market for any extras develops. I'll probably hatch my sweet little mixes, too, as future laying stock.

I can't wait to get some eggies out of my girls! My cutie-roo, Kip, was crowing up a storm for me yesterday. I keep thinking I'm hearing him, but he'd fall silent. Something had him flexing the pipes yesterday, though! He's actually pretty quiet, so I was pleasantly surprised.

OH...and my precious little Modern Game roo is 7 weeks old and just figured out he can make sounds, too...in my study. Yay.

Edited to add: He also sounds like a cat being strangled and drown repeatedly. My dogs are afraid of the room now, which is good seeing as it is the site of the former chick massacre.

 

[Sumatra503]

Only 2 1/2 days left until my hatch date!!! I'm so excited!!!

I'm really not sure which hen these eggs are from, so this should be interesting.

 

[Wynette]

Man, all the talk of hatching is making me itch to do another one. NOOOooooo!!!!! Please tell me not to!!!!! I have nothing to hatch...the only thing I could possibly hatch would be Isa Brown X Jersey Giant - ACK! THAT would be some kinda UGLY!

 

[gryeyes]

Wynette, "our" Jersey Giants are at that ugly stage. They are HUGE and look like .... emus... I guess. And either they're all roos, or 2 of them are roos, or maybe 3 of the six are roos. AUUUGHH! I can't tell at all!

But I so love how they all snuggle together in the brooder (six weeks old, still have fuzz down their backs) with their necks across each others' bodies, in a tangle.

I'm going to have to put them outside really soon (probably with supplemental heat at night) because I'm out of brooder space and there are chicks hatching as I type this!!!

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
EMUS! BA HA HA!!!!!

Sigh....STOP telling me about all your hatching, guys!

 

[LaurenM23]

Haha That'll teach you to subscribe to a hatching addicts' thread! I know what you mean, though, I'm itching for that Brinsea to have a test run! My two are doing great in the brooder stock tank my SPPR girl is just gorgeous!!! The Modern Game is so protective, though, I struggle to handle her as much as I'd like.

 

[BlueBirdChick]

Quote:

You know you want to heheheee Ive got 17 now in my incubator from my friend Donnie lol hes trying to convert me into having alot of chickens hahahaaaa....

Give into the dark side young skywalker hahahaaaa