So why do you Hatch your own?

[WhiteRaven]

Quote:
From what I've heard no-one wants 10 roosters and 1 hen, they'll end up hurting each other over the hen

. You either keep them for meat, swap them with everyone else for an unrelated cockerel or give them away, many hatcher's will swap cockerels for hens to keep you happy but its worth checking first.

 

[sheila3935]

I went to buy ducks from a lady and she had 2 incubators that she wanted to sell 25.00 each so I bought one. Let it sit for a month then ordered eggs. I so wanted these EE eggs to hatch but the shipping was too rough on them 3 were cracked when I got them and the other 3 didnt do anything candled clear after 10 days, so I went to a farm nearby and got 2 dozen RIR eggs 22 out of 24 hatched 1 was clear 1 didnt pip. Now I just hatch some eggs from my chickens to check for fertility set 13 only 4 developed rest were clear. All four hatched. When I started with chickens had no desire to hatch but after buying the incubator on a whim I cant stop my only regret is that I didnt buy the other one too.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Because it would cost to much to replace the predator reduced flock every year, and I want to pass out the genes from the "smart" ones that learned to avoid being eaten---especially the Guineas, they free range right into predator-central it seems like.

 

[IroquoisEgg]

soooo gryeyes whaddya got over there these days??

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Excess roosters - I either eat them or sell them. I'd much rather eat my own healthy chicken than someone else's Cornish X.

Excess chicks - Well, most of my chicks are "excess" anyway, which get sold.

Excess hens - If a hen does not pass my mark or didn't sell as a chick, she gets sold. There's always someone who wants her.