What do you do with ALL THESE CHICKS?!!

[WallyG74]

I’ve been reading a lot of incubating and hatching threads here recently since I’m trying to get it right myself. This could make a good poll topic but I’m not that talented so we’ll just say, give me feedback instead of check the box. I see lots of huge hatches going on. 2 and 3 incubators running at once. I even saw someone saying they run 5 constantly. No matter how many you hatch I’d just like to know what your dreams and goals are as you hatch out batches of chicks. Growing large meat flocks, selling, etc. Please chime in and inspire me and others that are on the fence with this popular practice! Thanks in advance to all!

 

[CluckerFamily]

Sounds like hatcheries are short on how many chicks they will have this year.
More people are hatching chicks to sell.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

There are several people on here who sell chicks as a side hustle. Some even have a wait list to hatch specific eggs for other people. Helps the birds pay their keep.

Personally I just give away extra birds: chicks, grow outs, adults. I'm a terrible salesman. Not worth the hassle for me.

We also grow out and process (butcher) our own roosters but never more than 10 roos at a time. That last one depends on time of year and how many birds I have (how overwhelmed I feel).

 

[Austrian Chickens]

Due to the corona crisis we are still in lockdown and we don't know when we will be able to get out of it and can buy new chickens. So we ar trying to breed them. I know serveral people who also thought this would be the best solution.

 

[MysticUniKitty]

I've heard some say that in order to incubate the vaccines they need eggs for this. With the virus going on and if that is true then where did they get all the eggs to do the testing and make the vaccines? Probably from the hatcheries and that's why when I made my order it's now been pushed further out. I'm starting all new, but with the hassle of ordering from hatchery and everything I believe I'll start saving for an Incubator again so I can start adding or replacing next year. There's no way to get your money back through selling and raising chickens but if i get in a pinch i want to be able to sell a few chicks or Eggs to get a bag of feed or other things for them. But gotta have limits other wise you can quickly become overwhelmed.

 

[WallyG74]

I've heard some say that in order to incubate the vaccines they need eggs for this. With the virus going on and if that is true then where did they get all the eggs to do the testing and make the vaccines? Probably from the hatcheries and that's why when I made my order it's now been pushed further out. I'm starting all new, but with the hassle of ordering from hatchery and everything I believe I'll start saving for an Incubator again so I can start adding or replacing next year. There's no way to get your money back through selling and raising chickens but if i get in a pinch i want to be able to sell a few chicks or Eggs to get a bag of feed or other things for them. But gotta have limits other wise you can quickly become overwhelmed.

I couldn’t agree more. Ya know that’s how they incubate flu vaccines so it makes sense.

 

[lovesfarms]

I've heard some say that in order to incubate the vaccines they need eggs for this. With the virus going on and if that is true then where did they get all the eggs to do the testing and make the vaccines? Probably from the hatcheries and that's why when I made my order it's now been pushed further out. I'm starting all new, but with the hassle of ordering from hatchery and everything I believe I'll start saving for an Incubator again so I can start adding or replacing next year. There's no way to get your money back through selling and raising chickens but if i get in a pinch i want to be able to sell a few chicks or Eggs to get a bag of feed or other things for them. But gotta have limits other wise you can quickly become overwhelmed.

I thought this vaccination is egg free so people with egg allergies can take it but it does have polyethylene glycol (miralax) in it. An I wrong?

 

[MysticUniKitty]

I thought this vaccination is egg free so people with egg allergies can take it but it does have polyethylene glycol (miralax) in it. An I wrong?

I'm not sure? There is so many conflicting reports and i think each vaccine might be developed differently? That's why i made sure to put that "i heard" and "if that is true".... It was just a theory we were tossing around for why there is a shortage for hatcheries this year. The other idea we had was that this generation at the hatcheries are finally so inbred they just can't lay like they used to.
But either way i'll still look into hatching my own next year so i don't have to deal with hatcheries, and if i need to add in new blood i'll look for local breeders.

 

[lovesfarms]

I'm not sure? There is so many conflicting reports and i think each vaccine might be developed differently? That's why i made sure to put that "i heard" and "if that is true".... It was just a theory we were tossing around for why there is a shortage for hatcheries this year. The other idea we had was that this generation at the hatcheries are finally so inbred they just can't lay like they used to.
But either way i'll still look into hatching my own next year so i don't have to deal with hatcheries, and if i need to add in new blood i'll look for local breeders.

It is nice for the rest of us that don't have incubators to be able to get chicks local, last year a lot of chicks died in the mail. They are better off if they don't have to sit in a cold post office. My babies were very cold when I got them in the mail. We need to support our 'small business'! Thanks to everyone hatching babies for other people! Covid won't beat us!!

 

[MNnative]

There are two distinct vaccines, in the U.S. at least, from two different large Pharmaceutical Companies. They have very different requirements for storage etc.. this makes me think they may be developed quite differently too. I have not looked into the specifics of either vaccine as of yet. Once it becomes available to myself or my family I suppose I'll do more research then. Though I suspect most will get whatever one is offered to you, whenever it is offered, if you are interested in getting the vaccine. Unless you have specific needs e.g.related to allergies, etc...