What do large hatcheries do with extra chicks?

[haley3k1]

I was thinking about big time hatcheries with tons of breeds like McMurray. They guarantee shipments of day old chicks of several breeds. What do they do with extra chicks that are not sold? Seems like keeping them would be more costly to the business as far as space and feed. I'm sure some go to renewing breeding stock, but the others? Do they get processed as chicks? Many of the breeds they sell aren't worth anything for meat so I'm sure they aren't raised for butchering. And for that matter, where do retired breeders go? Also processed for miscellaneous products?

And for small time breeders, especially those selling sex-linked chicks... What do you do with males you don't sell?

 

[Bkaye]

Note sure about McMurray but Meyer has a bin in their shop they sell leftover chicks in. They also sell started pullets in some breeds, I’d imagine they are leftover. I can’t imagine other big hatcheries not doing this too.

 

[DrumstickRanchTex]

Note sure about McMurray but Meyer has a bin in their shop they sell leftover chicks in. They also sell started pullets in some breeds, I’d imagine they are leftover. I can’t imagine other big hatcheries not doing this too.

I saw a snake and reptile zoo that used a few mice but used large numbers of chicks for feeding the snakes.

 

[Happy hen lover]

They send extra chicks to keep the "purchased ones " warm while shipping. Usually roosters I think.

 

[haley3k1]

Note sure about McMurray but Meyer has a bin in their shop they sell leftover chicks in. They also sell started pullets in some breeds, I’d imagine they are leftover. I can’t imagine other big hatcheries not doing this too.

I did read something about Meyer taking their extra chickens to auction as well. Sounds like they do a good job of selling as much of their stock as possible.

 

[haley3k1]

I saw a snake and reptile zoo that used a few mice but used large numbers of chicks for feeding the snakes.

I've also heard of some selling their extras as feed either as frozen chicks or even processed for dog food and other reasons. Just don't know how true or common this practice is.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

From Meyer's website: https://meyerhatchery.zendesk.com/h...131-What-Happens-to-Extra-Chicks-After-Hatch-

Not sure about the others. I'm sure it varies from dispatching them to finding homes for all of them like Meyer claims to. If this is something that concerns you, at least you know you can order from Meyer because their policy seems humane.

I was unable to find this info on McMurray's website. I'm sure you could email them.

 

[saysfaa]

I've read a out people who have contracts with hatcheries to take leftover chicks. They raise them for layers or fryers. They have enough flexibility in their operations to take a wide range of kinds of chicks and numbers of chicks.

I don't remember which hatchery, or how many hatcheries do this. More than one, though. I almost remember that at least some of them are family members of the owners of the hatcheries - either the hatchery grew from the chicken farmers expanding into hatching chicks too or the chicken raising grew from the hatcheries having extra chicks.

I think the supply and demand is pretty predictable at the scale of the medium sized and big hatcheries.

 

[aart]

Just heard a story on the radio about 'them' genetically engineering for all female hatches.

 

[Sally PB]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bye-bye-boys.1557261/
Link inside for info.