What do you do with extra chicks?

[Mandymooligan]

I am so close to buyng an incubator but I have to ask one question. What do you do with all the extra chicks? I can definitley see how this could be addicting but my one and only thing stopping me is that question, especially roosters.

 

[theoldchick]

I have a neighbor down the road eagerly awaiting for any extras I have. He has kids he needs to feed....

 

[stoopid]

You silly! That's why we are all here, getting moral support from the chicken math, to rehoming, to rooster recipies. You'll catch on soon enough! Good luck trying to not fall in love with ALL of them!

 

[onthespot]

Some I sell, some I keep, some I cull, some I give away.

 

[mstricer]

I have a Amish neighbor with kids to feed also. They bake me pies I give them unwanted roosters. Good exchange.
Michele

 

[Fred's Hens]

Test try your local market. If a market exists, you'll soon know. If you fail to find a ready market for your hatched chicks, then you'll either have to cease hatching or end up with many, many more mouths to feed. Don't commit to a long term agenda until you've tried it for awhile to test things out. Our market here is rapidly approaching the near saturation point on all things poultry. Like all things, expansion cannot go on forever.

 

[Animalian]

Some people rent out their incubators. People PAY them to hatch out chicks. You could get a breed that can be sexed at day old (eg faverolle) then "charge" the person X many chicks as you want. That way you'll be able to hatch chicks and get more hens when you need them, but never have to deal with "getting rid of" extra chicks because they'll already have a home to go to!

 

[Mandymooligan]

Here is a hard question. Do you ever cull roosters as soon as they show themselves as chicks so you don't have to feed them out?

 

[onthespot]

sometimes. My dogs eat the young ones that get culled. They don't go to waste.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Do you process them first?? I'm sure that's a silly question to folks who use them for dog food, but I'm wondering...