NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lapeerian]

I asked my local TSC last year what hatchery they came from, they thought it varied depending on the breed they were getting in that week. CountryMax, at least the Cortland one, orders from Cackle Hatchery.
After reading the heartache some of the downstate NYers have had with shipped chicks, I am leery of ordering live chicks from a hatchery. Thought of a dead box of chicks keeps me from doing anything more than enjoying the breed desciptions and pictures from the hatchery. I know if I really wanted a certain breed, I can find it on here. Or buy eggs for a broody, or borrow some space in someone's incubator.

 

[JayinCohoes]

Question tho regarding the hatchery chicks/ducks...is it just that hatchery or all hatcheries that you wouldn't buy from? Also, where do chicks/ducks come from that they sell at Tractor Supply?

Tractor supply in my area told me that all of their chicks and ducklings come from one hatchery but I forgot the name of it. When I go back I'll ask again. Their just now getting ready to start chick days and I'm wanting ducklings but I only wanted 3 not 6. I would rather buy local if I can but I haven't found any yet. I bought my red sexlinks from TSC last year and all 6 are doing fine and laying like crazy. Of course I could just be one of the lucky ones who didn't have a problem so I won't endorse them just yet.

I'd love to know how people who hatch their own chicks do in selling their chicks. Are you able to sell all of the chicks you don't want for yourself? I could totally see myself hatching 50 chicks and not being able to find enough homes for all of them. Is there enough demand out there to breed our own chickens so that more people can buy locally? Hatcheries seem like they are able to fill a niche of the demand for instant gratification in owning a specific breed of poultry. Unfortunately we are all slaves to the effects of capitalism. We want what we want now. I could easily go on one of these hatchery websites and buy the exact breed I'm looking for and have it shipped within a few days (or at least that's what they want us to believe). Maybe as more people start raising their own backyard chickens we won't need to use hatcheries or even TSC at all.

 

[ChickPrincess]

I've just read so much about hatchery chickens losing the natural behaviors of being a chicken (like going broody). I would just rather have my own hatches or buy from local people who have real mama hens.

Besides, do some searches on the internet to find out what happens to all the unwanted chicks (mostly roos). I'm by no means an animal rights activist, but that's just not right.

 

[JayinCohoes]

I've just read so much about hatchery chickens losing the natural behaviors of being a chicken (like going broody). I would just rather have my own hatches or buy from local people who have real mama hens.

Besides, do some searches on the internet to find out what happens to all the unwanted chicks (mostly roos). I'm by no means an animal rights activist, but that's just not right.

so what do you do with all of your extra roosters when you hatch your own? I can't see people keeping 50% roosters.

 

[Coupe]

They become Dinner! Or sell a few if anyone will buy them.

 

[Framac]

Tractor supply in my area told me that all of their chicks and ducklings come from one hatchery but I forgot the name of it. When I go back I'll ask again. Their just now getting ready to start chick days and I'm wanting ducklings but I only wanted 3 not 6. I would rather buy local if I can but I haven't found any yet. I bought my red sexlinks from TSC last year and all 6 are doing fine and laying like crazy. Of course I could just be one of the lucky ones who didn't have a problem so I won't endorse them just yet.

I'd love to know how people who hatch their own chicks do in selling their chicks. Are you able to sell all of the chicks you don't want for yourself? I could totally see myself hatching 50 chicks and not being able to find enough homes for all of them. Is there enough demand out there to breed our own chickens so that more people can buy locally? Hatcheries seem like they are able to fill a niche of the demand for instant gratification in owning a specific breed of poultry. Unfortunately we are all slaves to the effects of capitalism. We want what we want now. I could easily go on one of these hatchery websites and buy the exact breed I'm looking for and have it shipped within a few days (or at least that's what they want us to believe). Maybe as more people start raising their own backyard chickens we won't need to use hatcheries or even TSC at all.

So far in my limited experience, getting rid of chicks is not too bad. I only kept 6 females for myself last year, and sold/gave away(Friends) the rest.

I was able to sell a few roosters to people looking for something in particular. But roosters/cockerels are a lot harder to off load. I ended up not wanting to deal with processing the roosters, so I sent them to auction. I got back an average of $5, for 20, and they ranged from 18 weeks, down to 4.

There are a few people in my area that know me, and know that I raise and hatch chickens, and a few per year will contact me for laying hens/chicks. You can post on places(craigslist) to and get rid of a few.

The amount you will be able to sell, will depend in part on what breeds you have. I could sell all blue egg laying hens with no issues, and for a good price. RIR, Austrolops, etc. are harder to move, even for less money. If you have the space to let them grow, and you post a few times a month on different places, most of the time, you can move most birds. I have and LOVE Jersey Giants, but they are not a breed that people around here are interested in.

Framac

 

[happyhensny]

I have ordered from hatcheries, bought at Agway & TSC, gotton more at tailgate sales, incubated eggs, just about all the options out there. Yes, hatcheries do "discard" the males in any number of ways, it is definitely awful. But, the thing to consider is if people would take those males then they would not have to get rid of them. Not saying it is right, but it seems to be what consumers want vs reality. If you order from a "hatchery" choose one that only sells straight-run. Chick Hatchery (John Blehm) and Sandhill Preservation are some. I have hatching eggs for sale and will have chicks too and I cannot tell you how many people do not want males. I am not a hatchery, nor a real "breeder". I have "pure" breeds that do quite well at shows but will not claim breeder status. So, if you want hatching eggs or chicks find someone here or someone out there but make the decision based on your situation and how you would like chicks sold.

Off my crate now... Sorry.

 

[mderby48]

E

Tractor supply in my area told me that all of their chicks and ducklings come from one hatchery but I forgot the name of it. When I go back I'll ask again. Their just now getting ready to start chick days and I'm wanting ducklings but I only wanted 3 not 6. I would rather buy local if I can but I haven't found any yet. I bought my red sexlinks from TSC last year and all 6 are doing fine and laying like crazy. Of course I could just be one of the lucky ones who didn't have a problem so I won't endorse them just yet.

I'd love to know how people who hatch their own chicks do in selling their chicks. Are you able to sell all of the chicks you don't want for yourself? I could totally see myself hatching 50 chicks and not being able to find enough homes for all of them. Is there enough demand out there to breed our own chickens so that more people can buy locally? Hatcheries seem like they are able to fill a niche of the demand for instant gratification in owning a specific breed of poultry. Unfortunately we are all slaves to the effects of capitalism. We want what we want now. I could easily go on one of these hatchery websites and buy the exact breed I'm looking for and have it shipped within a few days (or at least that's what they want us to believe). Maybe as more people start raising their own backyard chickens we won't need to use hatcheries or even TSC at all.

Exactly! If I could find the breed I want locally I would never order from a hatchery, it's a last resort tho some people do it every year. For instance Rancher Hicks had some Delaware chicks, Which I have been looking for, I didn't hesitate to drive almost an hour to pick them up. He also threw in some fertilized eggs which was awesome of him

 

[Cass]

Hatcheries grind up baby roosters and sell them to dog and cat food companies to put their pet food. When you see "chicken" in your dog food ingredients list it isn't prime breasts they are talking about.

But that's not why I won't and don't buy from hatcheries. I watched a "Dirty Jobs" episode at a hatchery....yuck, omg, not my babies....they live in trays. They live in filth. They DIE in transport. They are used as "packing peanuts" to fill the box with bodies so the ones you order don't die from lack of heat when shipped in cooler weather.

When I get babies (which I probably won't ever do again if it works out with the grade school hatching for me. LOL) I get them from local chicken folk. People I trust and know would not give me birds that are sickly or weak. (However Annnie? I have learned to count and I won't be taking 10 birds when I paid for 4, ever again. LOL)

I will admit that I don't have the breeds I want. Oh wait, I don't care what breed they are as long as they lay an egg. IF you want a specific breed, why not hatch them yourself so you know exactly how they have been treated since birth? My neighbor raised her own birds from about 3 weeks old and they are the friendliest birds I have ever seen. (her friend hatched them under a broody) She took the time to make them that way when they were chicks.......they never had the trauma of being handled roughly, shipped, cooled, heated, thrown around....they were always treated nicely and it shows.

 

[stonykill]

so what do you do with all of your extra roosters when you hatch your own? I can't see people keeping 50% roosters.

They become Dinner! Or sell a few if anyone will buy them.

yup, dinner! Eating one shortly! Delicious!