What to do with chicks?

[Poultry Master1]

I will be ordering my chicks soon and from the people I have spoken With chickens reproduce fast once they are about 6/7 months old so I planned to sell the chicks they made at the local flea market but it occurred to me that if I have more than one breed of chicken (which I plan to) how will I be able to tell the people buying the chicks what breed they are or will be people not really care? Also if I am selling the chickens at flea markets will I have to have some sort of certification or will the birds have to have some sort of test like NPIP? Any advise is appreciated.

 

[BoomChickaPop]

Chickens only produce fast if you have a rooster, a broody hen(or incubator).
PPL typically don't care if the chick is a mix or purebred. As long as it is cute and fluffy.
NPIP CERTIFIED you will need if you are running a hatchery or big operation.
But purebred chicks go for more $$$ than mixes.
If you have chicks of the same breed, when they get to breeding age, separate the breeds from the other breeds so that you get purebreds.


BCP

 

[bobbi-j]

I will be ordering my chicks soon and from the people I have spoken With chickens reproduce fast once they are about 6/7 months old

What breeds are you getting? Are you ordering a male, also? (Called a "cockerel" in their first year, "rooster" or "cock bird" after that) What are your goals for your flock? Why are you getting chickens?

If you have one breed of rooster, and other breeds of hens, the chicks would simply be called mutts or barnyard mixes.

You should check with your state ag department on that.

Any advise is appreciated.

 

[Poultry Master1]

I live in tennessee and I don't plan to try and make money off the chicks I just won't be able to take care of many so I don't want to try to keep them and then get overwhelmed. Also I do plan to get a cockerel and about 4 pullets. Three of which will be wyandottes as well as the cockerel which from the research i have done do become broody on occasion and are decent egg layers but I also plan to get a buff orphington hen which from the research I have gathered came highly recommended for their friendlyness and egg production but they are prone to broodiness.

 

[bobbi-j]

I live in tennessee and I don't plan to try and make money off the chicks I just won't be able to take care of many so I don't want to try to keep them and then get overwhelmed. Also I do plan to get a cockerel and about 4 pullets. Three of which will be wyandottes as well as the cockerel which from the research i have done do become broody on occasion and are decent egg layers but I also plan to get a buff orphington hen which from the research I have gathered came highly recommended for their friendlyness and egg production but they are prone to broodiness.

If you don't want so many chicks that you get overwhelmed, just don't let any hatch. Collect eggs daily and there will be no problems. If you get a broody, keep taking her eggs. Sometimes that will break them, or you may want to use a "broody breaker". Simply a wire cage you put your broody in for a few days to get her out of the mood to set. If you are just wanting egg production, you really don't need the cockerel. If you do want to hatch out a brood every now and then, you might want to have a Plan B for your birds if you don't have a market for them.

 

[Poultry Master1]

Thanks I'll probably just do that and take the eggs before the hen has the chance to incubate hem thank you all for the advice.

 

[bobbi-j]

You're very welcome. Enjoy your birds!

 

[aart]

I live in tennessee and I don't plan to try and make money off the chicks I just won't be able to take care of many so I don't want to try to keep them and then get overwhelmed. Also I do plan to get a cockerel and about 4 pullets. Three of which will be wyandottes as well as the cockerel which from the research i have done do become broody on occasion and are decent egg layers but I also plan to get a buff orphington hen which from the research I have gathered came highly recommended for their friendlyness and egg production but they are prone to broodiness.

I would strongly advise that you not get a cock/erel until you've had pullets/hens for at least a year.
Then maybe think about getting a cock/erel and hatching some chicks.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would strongly advise that you not get a cock/erel until you've had pullets/hens for at least a year.
Then maybe think about getting a cock/erel and hatching some chicks.

Good advice!