New Chicks

[Teddytoo]

Good morning! I had a successful hatch of 14 chicks, Icelandics, white Ameracaunas and Easter eggers and fully intended to hatch more and sell them but when I went to take the pics and do the add, I found that I just can't do it! It has been a few years since I have sold any kind of livestock and discovered that wow, I have changed and no longer wish to make any money from the sale of animals! Anyone else have this happen to them?

 

[nikkers390]

Good morning! I had a successful hatch of 12 chicks, Icelandics, white Ameracaunas and Easter eggers and fully intended to hatch more and sell them but when I went to take the pics and do the add, I found that I just can't do it! It has been a few years since I have sold any kind of livestock and discovered that wow, I have changed and no longer wish to make any money from the sale of animals! Anyone else have this happen to them?

I have the same problem but then I remember constant cleaning of the brooders, $$$$food costs, separating cockerels and pullets holding your breath till they are out of the vulnerable chick age.
I found, unless you are raising for your own use, other people want healthy chicks. Once they leave in the loving arms of their new owners, I miss them for a minute and then concentrate on the remainder, with just fewer chores.
I hatch and raise chicks to sexable age, sell or re-home the ones I can do without, and have more time to follow my chicken plans.
It's easy to get emotional about tiny, fluffy butts.

 

[CalBickieMomma]

This is why, as much as I would love to breed chickens and even raise them to pullet age to sell (I LOVE the chick stage!), I could never do it. I would have the little beans for less than a day and wouldn't be able to give them up .

 

[AOrchard]

Hatch for 4-H kids! They'll be beyond delighted, it's not about the money for them or for you, and it feels more wholesome.

 

[Teddytoo]

I have the same problem but then I remember constant cleaning of the brooders, $$$$food costs, separating cockerels and pullets holding your breath till they are out of the vulnerable chick age.
I found, unless you are raising for your own use, other people want healthy chicks. Once they leave in the loving arms of their new owners, I miss them for a minute and then concentrate on the remainder, with just fewer chores.
I hatch and raise chicks to sexable age, sell or re-home the ones I can do without, and have more time to follow my chicken plans.
It's easy to get emotional about tiny, fluffy butts.

It is so weird for me to have this happening as I have sold hundreds of livestock in the past without a problem. I originally was just going to do my own birds, then thought why not sell them again. I only have the 14 hatched inside and a broody hatched four and some will be roosters that I will rehome and have already offered to raise some to pullets for Mamas for Mamas. I guess I am getting soft in my old age!

 

[Teddytoo]

Hatch for 4-H kids! They'll be beyond delighted, it's not about the money for them or for you, and it feels more wholesome.

That's a great idea, with COVID-19 though I am not sure this would be possible but I will certainly find my local chapter and find out.

 

[Teddytoo]

This is why, as much as I would love to breed chickens and even raise them to pullet age to sell (I LOVE the chick stage!), I could never do it. I would have the little beans for less than a day and wouldn't be able to give them up .

Yes, exactly what has happened to me. The Icelandics are not for beginners anyway and are not good confined so need room to range and they are excellent flyers to boot! The white Ameraucanas are a project for me so I don't mind having extra of those. The EEs I don't mind raising to pullet stage and letting go, but will keep a couple for myself as I have 3 beautiful blue ones.