What do hatcheries do with so many unsold chicks?

[burntumber]

I was purusing Eggbid and noticed a hatchery that has hundreds of purebreed chicks for sale with nary a single bid.

So do they cull all of these chicks if they don't sell?

 

[spook]

Perhaps you do not want to know what they do with them. I can imagine the circumstances of who is "holding" them. Perhaps they are given away to family, raised to sell as adults, or culled. Also, if there is another auction near by, they may be taken there.
I'd love to thing they live happily ever after, but I saw a man recently taking "chickens & chicks" to auction from one of our Chickenstocks. They are not treated humanely. I was so sad by how he just grabbed them by one leg, tossed the birds (regardless to size or breed) by there necks, leaving them in the hot sun with 6 hours of no water access. It was a hot day and some chicks were having heat stroke and he went around with a "who cares" attitude.
They probably all lived, not harmed, but for me, my chickens are my babies, meat birds are still treated nicely.
Good luck on your answers!

 

[MissPrissy]

You answered your own question.

 

[2manyhats]

I can't imagine culling perfectly healthy chicks. I would hope that wasn't the answer and that they would have a kinder solution to the obvious problem with unsold chicks. You'd think that would be set up ahead of starting the hatching. Ugh!

 

[Oblio13]

http://www.hsa.org.uk/Resources/Publications/Technical Notes/imd.pdf

 

[Harley's girl]

I asked the same question at Meyer hatchery in Polk OH. Char, told me that any unsold chicken goes to the Mt Hope auction. So I asked around and indeed, they always have chicks at this auction. Sure would be nice if all the hatcheries would use this practice.

 

[2manyhats]

I'm glad to hear that they are responsible. It will make me choose them over others.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

There are some pretty graphic videos on YouTube about what happens to the male "battery hen" types and the culls. It's exceedingly horrifying, so only go searching for them if you have a strong mind and heart and really want to be informed.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Most standard male chicks are culled (sometimes horribly) or go to zoos or
other facilities who feed animals with them such as snakes.

We have 50 standard males coming from Meyers this week. They are cheap to
buy. They will be raised with the utmost care and then culled as meat birds.
Hopefully a few may find some homes.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

There were a bunch of chicks from Meyer at the Lorain County fair, and I am guessing that they donated them.