Hatchery's out of stock

[nuthatched]

Most people order, including me, as soon as preordering becomes available, in November- December.
Breeds sell out quickly, so it's really risky to wait.

can't get straight run or pullets for at least a month.

That's not a wait at all, that's actually pretty good for midway in the ordering season. It takes 21 days for them to hatch.

 

[WallyG74]

It also might have an effect because a 2 story chicken egg layer bard just burned up over in New Jersey. They will maybe need to replace their hen's too by buying big order's of laying hen chick's from the hatcheries?

I have a shipment of Bielefelder hatching egg's that just shipped out today from Omega Hills Hatchery over in Mississippi. They sell chick's there too, but I prefer to hatch them myself.

Wow! That’s a long way! They are about an hour and a half from me. They deal in the less common breeds so I’ve never bought any. I guess I’m a more common breed kinda guy. Let us know how it goes.

 

[BlueBaby]

Wow! That’s a long way! They are about an hour and a half from me. They deal in the less common breeds so I’ve never bought any. I guess I’m a more common breed kinda guy. Let us know how it goes.

I already have some of these that I hatched out last year from different states, but they were shipped from up north. This year since it is winter and up north is cold right now, I figured to order from someone in the south. It will also add to my gene pool of the one's that I already have going over here.

 

[Percheron chick]

I looked on a couple popular hatchery's and u can't get straight run or pullets for at least a month. Still can get roosters lol. I hope this plays out because I hope to sell baby chicks and ducklings in 3 to 4 months. Shouldn't be hard to sell chicks if people can't get em through hatchery. Does anyone know if it's a high demand issue or a disease issue at the hatcheries

Get an order in even if it's not 100% what you want. Buy them now. You might have the best luck by going with hatchery choice straight run. Not able to select breeds but typically it's high production breeds, red breeds and the lower priced common breeds.
What breeds are you most interested in? Why straight run? Most buyers are only interested in pullets. Are started pullets better in your market?
Feed stores are also on the chick buying craze. Unless you are buying chickens in quantities, you might be money ahead by buying from the feed store. By the time you factor in shipping and loses, you should be looking at $6 per chick. I can buy chicks at the feed store for $4.25. $1-2 more for the less common breeds.
I would test your market with 25 chicks and see how it goes. Get your ducks in a row and develop next year's plan. Get your chicks ordered Dec-Jan when the lists first come out.

 

[Iluveggers]

Try some other hatcheries. Ideal, Mt Healthy, Meyer, McMurray…even if they don’t have all of the breeds you want, if they have some order double, or try some breeds you weren’t thinking of originally.

 

[nuthatched]

Try some other hatcheries. Ideal, Mt Healthy, Meyer, McMurray…even if they don’t have all of the breeds you want, if they have some order double, or try some breeds you weren’t thinking of originally.

2x Mt healthy usually has open ship dates and good choices.

 

[springvalley123]

FYI, don't count on buying from the feed stores---they've been repeatedly sold out here (Arizona) in recent years. Their chick page for Cal-ranch even says something like "your best chance of getting chicks is to show up on Thursday or friday.....

Best chance, of getting any chicks at all.... And in recent years, TSC has often been sold out, except for a few white/yellow babies in the red sex link bins (obvious residual males) etc.

Maybe it's better in some other areas of the country but I think this will be a worse year to try to get chicks---also, there's been a lot of news stories in AZ urging lay people go start back yard egg laying flocks. All means greater demand.

 

[BlueBaby]

It also might have an effect because a 2 story chicken egg layer barn just burned up over in New Jersey. They will maybe need to replace their hen's too by buying big order's of laying hen chick's from the hatcheries?

I have a shipment of Bielefelder hatching egg's that just shipped out today from Omega Hills Hatchery over in Mississippi. They sell chick's there too, but I prefer to hatch them myself.

Sorry the one that burned wasn't in New Jersey, it was in Connecticut.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-...chickens-die-in-fire-at-connecticut-egg-farm/

 

[Percheron chick]

Hoover's has chicks to ship tomorrow. I have only had their EEs and they were one of the nicest colored group of EEs I have had. Not the regular brown.

 

[Iluveggers]

A lot of hatcheries canceled shipments this week because of the frigid temps. Meyer was selling their female chicks from those batches for $2 each, pickup only, because the flights they usually use were canceled.