What Do You Do With SO Many Chicks?

[sheilawagner]

Hi Guys,


I know I'm guilty of this too, I just love hatching eggs now and it is so addictive. Coming this early 2011, I will have so many new chicks, I won't know what to do with em.

Put it this way, I have just hatched 8, I have 17 in 1 incubator due next week, another 24 incubator due early Jan. I can't possibly keep all of them, and I know what I'll need to do. And it got me thinking, what DO you guys do with all your excess chicks? Share some ideas with me?


Sheila

 

[wilkey44]

keep building brooders for the chicks i have 69 chick right now 4 do in 2 days 12 for the first and and 5 more on the 6th and I find that im having to build brooders to keep up with chick growth and temp brooders from storage containers I got a little behind now I am having to catch up

 

[TrystInn]

I sell and/or trade them for other birds or equipment. Sometimes even for organic feed. Seems to work great.

 

[debilorrah]

Oh honey you are on the low side. Some people here hatch out hundreds every 21 days!!!! Alot sell them. Myself, I am rebuilding my flock from a large predator loss. I am sure we all have our reasons. I have ducks in the bator now due on 1/1/11. After that more chicken eggs go in. I need at least 8 more to make up for the loss.

 

[AllCoop'dUp]

Has anyone on here considered renting out incubation space? I just ordered an incubator and I'm thinking about offering to incubate eggs for people who want to hatch their own eggs. Any thoughts? I would only charge for chicks actually hatched.

 

[debilorrah]

AllCoop'dUp :

Has anyone on here considered renting out incubation space? I just ordered an incubator and I'm thinking about offering to incubate eggs for people who want to hatch their own eggs. Any thoughts? I would only charge for chicks actually hatched.

I did think about that and then I went on Craigs list and some fool was offering to do it for free because he is THAT nuts about chicks. I cannot compete with free.​

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Last year I supplied 2 feedstores with chicks & sold ALOT of eggs on e-bay. Advertise in the local paper for chicks. They're irresistable!

 

[marcym]

I'll be keeping the hens in my first three hatches for replacement hens. The roosters will be processed and in the freezers of friends and family. After I have the hens I need, I have three other people already asking to buy chicks.

I've learned that old cupboards laid on their backs, doors removed and covered with a screen make great brooders!! Necessity is the mother of invention!!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

We've got somewhere between 250 and 300 on the place right now and I still haven't figured it out.

Build more coops I guess.


oh, and I've ordered more eggs to hatch out in the spring.
I have got to be nuts.

 

[Tala]

I've never been able to sell a chick. Not even for $1. People called from my ad and asked if I would sell them any laying hens instead

I have been able to sell young pullets, however all I keep hatching out is roos