"Stocking up on chickens" Covid-19 chat

[Tofu the chicken]

So as many of us know there has been a giant boom in chicken buying due to covid-19, which in my opinion makes sense, but I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on it? Do you think it'll be like people who buy bunnies and chicks for Easter and a bunch of animals become unwanted/homeless as a result once this virus is over or do you think people will enjoy chicken raising and still keep it up after this virus is over?

Most hatcheries have delays on shipmenta of supplies and have chicken orders farther out than normal, how do you feel about this? Also is there anything that is new from this that you enjoy? Like for example my pet chicken has chick packs of 20 chicks that before were exclusive to hatching eggs

All this and anything else you have thoughts on please comment below I'm interested in what everyone thoughts are

 

[hysop]

I hope this is not the case, but I really do think a good handful of people will be putting their chickens up for sale after this settles down. My reason for believing this is: taking care of chickens is more expensive and time consuming than buying $2 18-pack of eggs at the store.

 

[Tofu the chicken]

I hope this is not the case, but I really do think a good handful of people will be putting their chickens up for sale after this settles down. My reason for believing this is: taking care of chickens is more expensive and time consuming than buying $2 18-pack of eggs at the store.

Sadly I agree as well, I think a lot of people will come to enjoy it and keep it but that there will be a boom of unwanted chickens when this is done

 

[hysop]

But I don’t doubt some people will get their hearts stolen by these chickens. But that won’t be the case for everyone.

As far as delays in shipment and stuff. I had planned on ordering some chickens this year, but I see how backed up they are and decided against it. I’ll wait til next year and see if my area has any chickens for sale from people who ended up not wanting theirs anymore, but if not, I’ll definitely look into buying some next March. For now I’m just hatching my own.

 

[hysop]

I started chicken owning two years ago. I started because I genuinely thought owning chickens was CHEAPER than store bought eggs. Yeah, silly me. But I love my chickens now despite their cost and work.

One thing that comes to mind is cleaning their coop. Some people may not be fans of spending a weekend cleaning once they go back to work. Or what if the chickens get sick or this and that. It’s not just a breakfast producing machine, it’s a live bird that requires attention and care and love!

 

[wyoDreamer]

I believe it will be too much work for people, besides the need for a coop and feed and bedding and a place to put the dirty bedding and they will tear up the landscaping and they make noise.

A co-worker was thinking about getting some chicks since "the stores are having a hard time keeping eggs in stock". I mentioned that a chick has to grow up into a pullet before it will lay eggs. "how long is that?" Minimum of 14 weeks - depending on what kind of chicken you get, maybe 16 weeks or more. "That is 5 months!!" No, that is 4 months, lol. "Oh, yah, lol. Do you think 3 hens will be enough for my family?" I advised to get the max number that her town would allow - 4 chickens. I also let her know that chickens lay one egg a day and not every day - maybe 3 to 5 eggs a week for each chicken. Some breeds lay more, some less - so out of 4 chickens, she should expect 2 to 4 eggs a day. "But with 3 kids, that won't be enough." That's why I live out in the country where I can have as many chickens as I want. I smile and walk away.

 

[hysop]

I believe it will be too much work for people, besides the need for a coop and feed and bedding and a place to put the dirty bedding and they will tear up the landscaping and they make noise.

A co-worker was thinking about getting some chicks since "the stores are having a hard time keeping eggs in stock". I mentioned that a chick has to grow up into a pullet before it will lay eggs. "how long is that?" Minimum of 14 weeks - depending on what kind of chicken you get, maybe 16 weeks or more. "That is 5 months!!" No, that is 4 months, lol. "Oh, yah, lol. Do you think 3 hens will be enough for my family?" I advised to get the max number that her town would allow - 4 chickens. I also let her know that chickens lay one egg a day and not every day - maybe 3 to 5 eggs a week for each chicken. Some breeds lay more, some less - so out of 4 chickens, she should expect 2 to 4 eggs a day. "But with 3 kids, that won't be enough." That's why I live out in the country where I can have as many chickens as I want. I smile and walk away.

I didn’t think about the old bedding! I live out in the country too so I just throw it into an unused field that I am gonna turn into my compost area soon. But what about the people in small cities or small properties.

 

[Tofu the chicken]

I didn’t think about the old bedding! I live out in the country too so I just throw it into an unused field that I am gonna turn into my compost area soon. But what about the people in small cities or small properties.

I live in a city (limit of 12 poultry) I currently have 7 birds and since it's a small flock they are in a small coop (although currently a big coop is in construction) and so I'm able to just throw away the bedding, normally takes up one trash bag full

 

[hysop]

I live in a city (limit of 12 poultry) I currently have 7 birds and since it's a small flock they are in a small coop (although currently a big coop is in construction) and so I'm able to just throw away the bedding, normally takes up one trash bag full

Oh good to know!

I remember ages ago I was at a lady’s house and she mentioned how she wanted chickens. She had a huge pool, fancy looking backyard and a large hyper dog. I told her, chickens smell, they’re loud, they require cleaning out poo every now and then, they’ll poop everywhere and destroy flowers unless you keep them in a run which would then cut into her yard space. She quickly decided she didn’t want any. Chickens are amazing and I love them, but I like explaining the bad parts to see if that won’t deter them, then they’ll be fine usually.

Kinda when people get a puppy. They only see the cuteness but not the accidents they’ll have til it gets potty trained, or the destruction they do as they get older if they spend all day indoors while their owner is at work.

 

[AltonaAcres]

I'm so upset over this issue. People don't what they are doing, and their birds are dyeing. Every single store around here soldout of chicks within hours of receiving them. It's usually the opposite and they have to sell them at reduced prices after a couple of weeks. Makes me sad