Our intentions were to use the incubators to raise our personal yearly freezer supply and to expand our egg laying production for the local markets. (we need to expand our layer flock from 25, to about 75 for next year) However, we have found that there is also a demand for chicks & started chickens around here as well. We've got 2, possibly 3 orders right now for our birds. One is for 50, another for just 4 or 5. We deliver the birds in person instead of risking them to the woes of shipping. Some orders have come from in from 2 or 3 hours travel distance from our farm. We have also been asked if we offer dressed birds, which we could do now that the incubators are in full swing.
and then there's that addicting-box-of-chocolates thing when it comes to hatchin chickies...
This is my first year hatching and my intent was to fill the freezer for the year as well. Now I have a zillion chickens running around and I keep procrastinating on the "freezer" part. I wasn't planning on them being so stinking friendly. Now I can't find it in me to get the axe out. Oh well.