How often do you buy new chicks?

[AnaD]

I was just curious. And what do you do with the older ones if you don't want to expand your flock. Eat them?

I'm new to chickens, but I'm having a good ole time. BYC is addicting!

 

[magicpigeon]

If one of the older one dies, or I just find an "irresistable" bird. I let the old ones live as mine are pets; not a source of food or income. As I said, as a general rule I do not let the population expand and will usually sell the offspring of my birds

 

[gryeyes]

Gerk. Sorry, just choked there. Umm, I used to buy chicks just about every time I went to the feed store. Which wasn't bad when I only had a few and only needed feed once a month.

The last chicks I bought were mid-Summer, 2010. I had started incubating and hatching eggs of various breeds, and one breed I wanted but didn't have eggs for yet was at the feed store, so I picked up one of those (Light Brahma) and you cannot buy just ONE chick, so I picked up a couple other breeds.

Now I'm hatching, and when chick season starts at the feed store in late February, they already know I won't be buying any chicks unless they get in something special. Because I go there every two weeks for feed, sometimes after only one week, and they know I'm hatching my own chicks now. They ask me every visit how my Trader Joe chicks are doing.

All of mine are pets, who will be able to live their natural lives with me. Except for those few I adopt out to reallllly good homes (with BYCers I know).

I have approximately "too many" chickens.

 

[sonjab314]

I haven't bought any chicks for a while. Now as for hatching eggs........that's a different story

 

[KWAK]

i hatch/but new chicks every year! ( around 60 at a time )

 

[avidgriller5000]

we usually buy (or hatch) new chickens every spring.

 

[bock]

I usually buy 2-5 chicks every spring (except for last year, we got ducks and geese) and our broodies usually hatch a few mutts every summer. This Spring I am getting 25! I can hardly wait.

 

[FREEZE's CHICKENS]

I get chicks whenever i feel like i want some more.! all depends on what you can afford to take care of and have room for! be smart about your chicken buisness and it will treat you good! have fun with it

 

[nicokl502]

I am new to chicken too!! i had 5 sent in the mail on nov 1 2010 two passed away the 1st few day from shipping we are thinking about getting two more but not sure how the other chickens would do with new ones help!!!!

 

[Paul Ewing]

Hard to say, we ordered chicks in 6-8 times last year and hatched out another 6-8 batches. Not sure this year. We have started with a hatch of around 65 Buff Orpingtions and Americunas and an order of 100 RIR pullets already and the wife put 100 or so lot of BO eggs in the incubator a week ago.

Extra pullets and hens are sold at 4 to 20 weeks or added to the laying flock. Most males end up in freezer camp.