Please talk me out of buying more chicks

[Redhead Rae]

I don't need to buy more chicks.

I don't need to buy more chicks.

I do not need to buy more chickens this year.

I currently have 59 chickens.

• 1 Black Cochin Rooster
• 2 Buff Orpington Roosters
• 9 Buff Orpington Hens
• 9 Leghorn Cross Hens
• 3 Dominique Hens
• 2 Dominique/Buff Cross Hens
• 1 Dominique/RIR Cross Hens
• 3 New Hampshire Cockerels (18-19 weeks)
• 10 New Hampshire Pullets (18-19 weeks)
• 4 Delaware Cockerhers (18-19 weeks)
• 8 Delaware Pullets (18-19 weeks)
• 7 Leghorn mutt chicks (14-15 weeks) (not yet sexed, but I think I have 4 pullets and 3 cockerels)

I have 24 hens that are now laying 20ish eggs a day. That is more than keeping up with our need for eggs. However I have 18 pullets that should be laying very soon as well. I have one buff hen (7 months old) that seems to be broody and I have hatching eggs from my Cochin roo and Dominique/Dom cross hens to put under her once I confirm that she is, indeed, broody and not just playing at being broody.

I have plans for getting some colored and dark egg layers next year and I'm contemplating getting a hatchery surprise box from cackle for fun. But I want new chicks now. Thankfully the season is almost over for most hatcheries and I won't be tempted to buy more chicks until January/February.

I really just hope my hen is broody so I get my chick fix without having to put in all that extra work of caring for hatchery chicks.

 

[17 chickens]

I am right there with you but I have 53 hens all laying and 18 ducks. I am planing my next round of chicks for the Jan 2018 year and it is going to be over 50 new little girls!!
I have so many egg customers I can't keep up with the demand!
Call me crazy!

 

[Redhead Rae]

I am right there with you but I have 53 hens all laying and 18 ducks. I am planing my next round of chicks for the Jan 2018 year and it is going to be over 50 new little girls!!
I have so many egg customers I can't keep up with the demand!
Call me crazy!

I need egg customers! How do you find them?

 

[17 chickens]

I have a sign I put out at my driveway every day when I have eggs available and I place a free ad on craigslist in the farm and garden section... It works!
I even had a customer pay 10.00 a dozen for 16 dozen eggs if I could move him up on my list of egg buyers. He was in luck cause I had a few people that needed to move pick up dates due to vacations! Yes, He did pay $10.00 a dozen! My eggs are for sale at $3.00 a dozen

 

[sannabelle]

I am you right now, hahaha!!

Hubbs sells our eggs at his office and they are constantly mad because we don't have enough for everyone to buy all the time. There are a couple people who will buy every dozen we send and then no one else gets any that week!

I keep telling him, more chickens=more eggs= Chickens and chicken feed is basically free?

 

[Redhead Rae]

I have a sign I put out at my driveway every day when I have eggs available and I place a free ad on craigslist in the farm and garden section... It works!
I even had a customer pay 10.00 a dozen for 16 dozen eggs if I could move him up on my list of egg buyers. He was in luck cause I had a few people that needed to move pick up dates due to vacations! Yes, He did pay $10.00 a dozen! My eggs are for sale at $3.00 a dozen

I would do the sign, but we live in a rural area where people either have their own chickens or don't have money for "pastured eggs". We do go to church in a bigger town and we could possibly do farmer's markets. I guess craigslist could work. What do you do to wash and store your eggs? For our personal use, we try to keep the nest boxes as clean as possible and keep the eggs in the pantry. I don't think that will work for customers.

 

[makmm]

@raecarrow Do you ever sell your eggs to people for hatching eggs? Just curious because I have 8 hens and 2 roosters and I am debating on trying to sell hatching eggs for all the home schoolers around here. Or should I just stick to selling eggs "for eating"? I'm looking for a pro's opinion Thanks

 

[FlyWheel]

What? No Easter Eggers? You need more chicks.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I don't need to buy more chicks.

I don't need to buy more chicks.

I do not need to buy more chickens this year.

I currently have 59 chickens.

• 1 Black Cochin Rooster
• 2 Buff Orpington Roosters
• 9 Buff Orpington Hens
• 9 Leghorn Cross Hens
• 3 Dominique Hens
• 2 Dominique/Buff Cross Hens
• 1 Dominique/RIR Cross Hens
• 3 New Hampshire Cockerels (18-19 weeks)
• 10 New Hampshire Pullets (18-19 weeks)
• 4 Delaware Cockerhers (18-19 weeks)
• 8 Delaware Pullets (18-19 weeks)
• 7 Leghorn mutt chicks (14-15 weeks) (not yet sexed, but I think I have 4 pullets and 3 cockerels)

I have 24 hens that are now laying 20ish eggs a day. That is more than keeping up with our need for eggs. However I have 18 pullets that should be laying very soon as well. I have one buff hen (7 months old) that seems to be broody and I have hatching eggs from my Cochin roo and Dominique/Dom cross hens to put under her once I confirm that she is, indeed, broody and not just playing at being broody.

I have plans for getting some colored and dark egg layers next year and I'm contemplating getting a hatchery surprise box from cackle for fun. But I want new chicks now. Thankfully the season is almost over for most hatcheries and I won't be tempted to buy more chicks until January/February.

I really just hope my hen is broody so I get my chick fix without having to put in all that extra work of caring for hatchery chicks.

I think there are.. 125 chickens making me drive 2 counties away to buy bulk silo prices..
I am the wrong person to ask..

 

[17 chickens]

I too live out in the sticks from people, but you would be amazed at the people who will drive for those eggs!
I too like to keep my nesting boxes clean and yes its a lot of work with that many hens!
In our state we can have up to but not over 3000 laying hens without a license for poultry. I follow the poultry laws when cleaning eggs though, I will use sand paper or water then a one paper towel dry per egg use. I use our fridge in our house to store eggs cause I don't keep them as long. I will be getting a fridge for the garage next spring though with the extra girls coming.
If you feed organic or non gmo you can charge more per dozen.
As for chicks or hatching eggs I don't do any of them as I don't have roosters and it cuts into profit to feed them. I know there is a market for them but I choose to have a closed flock here. That means I don't let anyone go near my flock who has chickens or any kind of birds, I have put so much time and money into my flock I don't want them to get sick or die. They are my pets so I don't eat them and they are happy that I am a vegetarian!
I do save on cost buy growing them a garden and when I weed and mow they get that too.