Help me decide on hatching eggs!

[PeckPeckChick]

If your hen is broody and has hatched eggs successfully before, the hen should be better.  If your hen is a first time "mom", sometimes they just don't get it and you need to be ready to take over with an incubator.  Or sometimes a hen will sit just fine then harm the babies (I think they can get confused).  Or you could try to incubate them and have an equal possibility for success or failure.

A hen with a brood of chicks is a whole lot cuter than a foam box full of chicks, though...

Try to find some cheap fertile eggs around you.  Doesn't matter what kind, full size chicken, duck, whatever.  Let her sit them and see how she does.  If she does well and hatches them out, then try the more pricey eggs.

My only problem with this is I cannot have extra chicks so what do I do with them?

 

[WalnutHill]

List them on Craigslist.

 

[Basil G]

I haven't had a problem with the hen going after the chicks. I've had the chicks wanted to eat the hen's eyes (and those chicks are long gone)

 

[PeckPeckChick]

List them on Craigslist.

Just wondering 1 are chickens or ducks in higher demand and 2 would they be easier to sell as chicks or older

 

[Basil G]

I just depends lots of folks want chicks but just as many want egg layers(adults)

 

[Mommy6]

Just wondering 1 are chickens or ducks in higher demand and 2 would they be easier to sell as chicks or older

This just depends on what people are looking for. I only buy pullets, so I prefer to shop through a hatchery for sexed chicks. I know people who have bought grown pullets too. Hard part would be finding a home for roosters.

 

[PeckPeckChick]

That's my concern, roosters. What do you guys do with them?

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Oh, you did not want to start the rooster chat. Get your recipe book handy. Lol.

 

[PeckPeckChick]

Oh, you did not want to start the rooster chat. Get your recipe book handy. Lol.

*gasps in horror* lol

 

[Basil G]

I was thankfully able to sell all my roosters I needed to last year to good home(you know they go to a good home when the new owner is sending you fan mail) this year I'm hatching more so I guess I'll be calling up the local butcher or someone