Official BYC Poll: Why Do You Incubate/Hatch at Home?

[AgnesGray]

It was hard to choose just three. lol We love hatching though for a number of reasons.

One reason that has stood out this year is that my deliveries from a hatchery we've used in the past have gone really badly. I've ordered from them twice this year and over the course of the first week, more than half of the chicks have died. I have 5 brooders, all doing well except for the mailed chicks from a certain hatchery. Same as last time I ordered from them. They refunded a few that died in shipping, but kind of insinuated that I was doing something wrong. The other annoying thing is that it cost $55 to ship them in the first place. Five of the fifteen I just reordered with credit from last time have died and I think we are done. My mailed poults from another source are all thriving and now out on grass, but most hatcheries don't have the breeds this one does. Maybe it's one of the stops the chicks make between them and me, but it's a lot of wasted money and lost chicks that don't generally happen just hatching them at home.

So we're back to hatching! My silkies will be happy.

 

[ASteelman]

My "other" reasons would be to 1. keep a closed flock and 2. breed for improvements.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Economics. Skip a few egg breakfasts, and you get free chicks.

Also, rarely, I'll find a hidden egg stash of eggs without an accompanying broody hen. I can't sell those, so the ones that pass the "cold water float test" can go into the incubator.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Other - I hatch chicks to sell them. Or to add interesting birds to my flock.

The breed I have for selling lay brown, so any added birds that aren't of that breed have to lay a different color egg to stick around.

 

[alpacasandchicks78]

Hatching chickens can be a fun and educational experience for the entire family. How cool is it to watch a small egg turn into a tiny life! And of course, when these chicks grow up, your understanding of chickens and their life cycle can be quite rewarding, something you will never forget.

Everyone has their reasons, but we would like to find out: Why Do You Incubate/Hatch at Home?

Place your vote above (top 3 reasons), and please elaborate in a reply below if you chose "Other".

View attachment 2843398

Further Reading:

• A Simple Guide To Hatching Chicken Eggs
• The Beginner's Guide to Incubation
• How To Incubate and Hatch Chicken Eggs
• Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[alpacasandchicks78]

Hatching chickens can be a fun and educational experience for the entire family. How cool is it to watch a small egg turn into a tiny life! And of course, when these chicks grow up, your understanding of chickens and their life cycle can be quite rewarding, something you will never forget.

Everyone has their reasons, but we would like to find out: Why Do You Incubate/Hatch at Home?

Place your vote above (top 3 reasons), and please elaborate in a reply below if you chose "Other".

View attachment 2843398

Further Reading:

• A Simple Guide To Hatching Chicken Eggs
• The Beginner's Guide to Incubation
• How To Incubate and Hatch Chicken Eggs
• Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

It's economical because of the free eggs and we don't mind mixed breed chickens. Our best layers are EE.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I cant run down to TSC to get more of my favorite breed so I incubate some in the spring and let a few broodies pitch in. I appreciate sustainable dual purpose heritage breeds.

 

[JaeG]

Because the broodies keep hiding their eggs.

My dear husband has had to climb up to and rescue two batches of chicks from high up in trees where our bantams have decided to nest.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I checked "other"
Being on a small remote island has just a few draw backs. Shipping being one that went from decent to pretty *bleeping* bad- even our feed stores have quit or slowed their orders due to big loses around 2-3 years ago and also weather.
So, I thought I would pitch in because of our food insecurities during a pandemic, promote self sustainability and chicken therapy to my neighbors and provide breeds that are a little harder to come by but do well in our climate, friendly, pretty and lay decent.
I'm an older gal with extra time and resources, having a project that keeps me at home and my neighbors safer is good.
I do both/all- incubators and broodies. Though, I prefer incubator as I can control amount, breed and outcome better. The amount of space that gets commandeered by a broody as opposed to peaceful flock, plus the terrorizing of the flock by a broody I usually separate chicks from mom early so why put her through that to begin with unless I have a chronic.

I don't normally get to keep any of mine, rehoming down to the roosters. Vetting is time consuming. But the whole process is very rewarding. I love learning and improving my breeding, providing help and a good value for my island neighbors and the friendships that I have formed in the process.

What is there not to love about these beauties and this process?!!

 

[sunnywoodlands]

I hatched my first batch of chicks via incubator earlier this year. We're doing this for mostly financial reasons -- including so our farm can be more self-sustaining.

I am also interested in the genetics. We started with RIR rooster and RIR + PBR hens, and I'll be selling some of the pullets soon.

With the next batch, we'll be adding a RIR rooster, Speckled Sussex rooster, and maybe a Buff Orpington rooster from this year's meat bird order.