Pros and cons of hatching your own chicks versus just buying them?

[Cest La Vie]

Hello everyone!

I am a previously retired chicken lady that recently decided to get back into the game (aka I moved, had to give my girls away to a beautiful farm sanctuary, and now have my own home so I can raise chickens again).

Back then, I'd just buy chicks from either my local feed store or online hatcheries.

However, this time around, I want to try hatching them! I completely lucked out and found someone local to me that has 3 Lavender Orpington hens with a matching Roo. This sweet lady had both fertile eggs AND many chicks! They also have a pretty successful hatch rate but that is with their high-tech incubator and/or broody hens.

I bought a Kebonnixs Incubator in hopes of hatching some eggs but when I went to go pick the eggs up yesterday, had some serious chick fever. She let me hold and cuddle all her cute little chicks and gosh.. now a part of me is impatient and wondering why I didn't just get chicks.

Nonetheless, I have eggs in the incubator but was curious if there are any benefits from hatching your own eggs? Does it matter in how "tame" or "friendly" the chickens are? I know Orpingtons in general are a sweet breed but am curious! I mostly want to hatch my own eggs only to experience the process.

Has anyone noticed any differences of hatching your own chicks versus just buying them?

(Side note: I had bought 4 Black Star chicks from a local feedstore back then and because I spent so much time with them, they were super friendly lap chickens. This is swaying me towards just buying the chicks but if it makes even more of a difference to hatch them out, I'd love to know!)

 

[GC-Raptor]

Cest La Vie said;
Has anyone noticed any differences of hatching your own chicks versus just buying them?

For me, buying sexed chicks is the only way.
I got chickens for eggs.
I buy non-broody breeds and sex-links.
Hatching averages half boys. I don't cull for meat, and giving away roos after feeding them isn't gonna happen.
I keep two Flocks in separate coops/pens and replace the older flock at 4 years old or when there is less than 3 layers.
My newest flock of pullets 10 weeks old today.

Enjoying their first treat of Scratch Grains. GC

 

[Brooks_]

replace the older flock at 4 years old or when there is less than 3 layers.

What do you do with them?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hatched chicks for the main part are generally healthier than shipped chicks because they get food and water and warmth right away as opposed to 2 or 3 days in the mail.

Eggs also usually are less likely to pass diseases than chicks if you get them from another place. Not guaranteed since some nasties can go in eggs and not every place has ill chicks, but just something else to consider

 

[alwaystj9]

The biggest thing for me is dealing with surplus Roos. I can buy or order just pullets and that usually leaves me with a rare, occasional Roo. When I raise my own I average 50 to 70% males. I have hatched out 10 and only had 2 females. Males are hard to get rid of and you spend just as much time/effort and feed bills raising up a roo as a hen. It's a pain processing them, it's very hard to find homes and having a bunch of roos around makes my big roo ornery.

 

[Brooks_]

I intend to hatch what I need. I don't trust the stores to keep the stock labeled correctly or do I want to do a minimum order/small order fee. I imagine in time I will need fresh genes tho.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I have generally bought chicks but this year did have three bantam hens that hatched 18 chicks and miraculously 12 are pullets. And there is nothing I enjoy more than watching a momma hen with diddles.

 

[GC-Raptor]

What do you do with them?

I give them away or cull like I did with my last flock.
Two layers and a hen that hasn't laid in more than a year. No takers after a month. GC

 

[Cest La Vie]

Cest La Vie said;
Has anyone noticed any differences of hatching your own chicks versus just buying them?

For me, buying sexed chicks is the only way.
I got chickens for eggs.
I buy non-broody breeds and sex-links.
Hatching averages half boys. I don't cull for meat, and giving away roos after feeding them isn't gonna happen.
I keep two Flocks in separate coops/pens and replace the older flock at 4 years old or when there is less than 3 layers.
My newest flock of pullets 10 weeks old today.View attachment 2768605
Enjoying their first treat of Scratch Grains. GC

What beautiful girls! This makes me want chicks all the more! The whole incubating process is also iffy and I'm not even sure what's going to come out.

You're so right!

 

[Cest La Vie]

Hatched chicks for the main part are generally healthier than shipped chicks because they get food and water and warmth right away as opposed to 2 or 3 days in the mail.

Eggs also usually are less likely to pass diseases than chicks if you get them from another place. Not guaranteed since some nasties can go in eggs and not every place has ill chicks, but just something else to consider

What about chicks that I can pick up locally? My main reason for hatching the chicks is because I wanted to experience the process.. but after receiving my eggs yesterday, am feeling a bit down. I was only able to get 4, with one being a bit mishapen. Of the 4, only one of them weighs 52 grams with the rest weighing less. I'm afraid they won't hatch ):