"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.

 

[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

 

[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

 

[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 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.

 

[Hidrainja4]

Pullets are sold out but Meyer hatchery has day old chicks. this is the one closest to me. Plenty of chicks at TS Stores here also. Some people will mess up and they will have dead chicks, some people will re-home them, some people will turn into a crazy chicken lady like me! I think there will be an up tick in serious chicken keepers and that is great. I think some city counsels will have to rewrite their anti chicken laws. Keep an eye out on community boards and craiglist you might get new equipment cheap or free chickens. This is an opportunity to expand the world of chickens keepers. To me it makes more sense than the whole toilet paper hoarding that was happening.

 

[Kafen]

Admittedly I kind of fall in this category. Although the way I look at it, I’m not getting chickens because of COVID-19, but rather in spite of it. I’ve wanted chickens since we moved to our small acre in the country a couple years ago (and have been researching them since then) but I couldn’t quite get my husband on board until he went to the store a few times for eggs and came home empty handed. Whatever the reason is, I’m just happy for the green light! And if I can get them here quick, then he can’t change his mind and it’ll be too late

It is making sourcing chickens very difficult and so I’ve decided to hatch my own. But I also refuse to budge on my standards. Ever since I started looking into chickens, I’ve wanted Australorps and virus be damned, I’m getting them! They’re sold out everywhere so I’ll have to wait until June, but it’s fine since I’m getting them for the long haul, not for tomorrow’s breakfast.


But that being said, getting chickens is a logical decision for us. We have the space and I’m already out there twice a day tending to the horse (and the amount of poo I deal with from him would put chickens to shame). Our whole goal for this property is to make it work for us and become a lot more self sufficient.



In that way, this pandemic is opening a lot of people’s eyes to the food chain and in that way it’s good. But people need to stop and think if they actually have the space, money, time, and capacity to care for them. I do also think there will be a lot of poor dead baby chicks in people’s garbages that they won’t admit to. No animal should be purchased without careful foresight and consideration. Ever.

 

[wyoDreamer]

The woman having the screaming fit at the store was not allowed to return the TP, but she insisted the store manager "come up and process her return". The manager showed up to the service desk and he brought 2 large stock boys with him - to "help her out with her supplies". The manager and one guy walked her out and the other stayed with the poor gal behind the counter to make sure she was OK.

With the virus, the store policy is no returns. PERIOD.

 

[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!