Why do people pay more for eggs to incubate than day old chicks?

[walkswithdog]

Mostly what Ridgerunner said.

And the whole neat and addiction thing is good.

But most of us don't buy hatchery eggs.

We buy breeders eggs. I bought hatchery stock four times. Out of 75 partridge rocks I ended up with 8 that came anywhere near the breed standard. I got some hatchery delawares, and culled to two of them.

I started getting breeders birds from eggs, and SAW the difference. The birds are closer to the standard, better in size and shape and type and often temperament - since breeders have to live with the birds they have, unlike hatcheries with birds locked in production cages.

And eggs from breeders are a HECK of a lot cheaper than shipping high quality live chicks or birds any distance at all. So hatching in that regard makes huge sense.

Breeders have goals and standards and a passion for their breed. Hatcheries have SALES and PROFITS.

The only hatchery eggs I buy are colored broilers for hatching practice and because they ARE cheaper that way per bird if you buy a good amount.

It's worthwhile to me to hatch my own from breeders it makes it affordable to get in excellent stock.

And I do love hatching...

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

because it's FUN FUN FUN!!

 

[Katy]

I like to hatch my own. plus it's the only way I had to get some of the breeds and quality I wanted.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
I agree!!!

 

[lucky123]

Thanks for all the replys. I understand now, but where are you finding all these breeders to get eggs from? This I would be willing to do to get a better chicken, and since I've had them hatching since yesterday,I can understand the fun part! I would love to have a few eggs from certain breeds from good breeders I could incubate.

 

[speckledhen]

I'll add one more reason to stay away from hatchery birds, cheap though they may be. Out of my ten original hens from the same hatchery, five have died from internal laying, which is a genetic/hormone issue. A sixth, but younger bird, from the same hatchery, also died this year from internal laying. Two others of the original group almost died more than once, but heavy doses of penicillin knocked out the infection and so far, they are still with me, but not laying.
They are bred to reproduce, never go broody, etc, etc, especially the most common hatchery breeds, the RIRs, Barred Rocks and Buff Orpingtons and SLWs and GLWs.
I have three other hens from that same hatchery, two Brahmas and one banty Cochin. The banty took a 3 month break to raise chicks so her body got a rest. The Brahmas show no signs of the ailment, however, that breed is not considered a high production breed (though neither has been broody at almost 3 years old).

So, I intend to stay away from hatchery stock from now on. I want them to have their natural cycles and if they brood, they are probably better off. To stay away from the hatchery, as well as to never bring in started birds (my policy for disease prevention), I have to hatch my birds, either from my own flock or from eggs supplied by breeders I know and trust.

 

[wildorchid053]

when you get eggs from a breeder can you put them directly under a broody hen and they will be healthy or are they suseptable to the new areas germs since they are from somewhere else? or do you have to quarantine them and momma for 30 days?

 

[beckychick]

I paid for the eggs because I couldn't find baby chicks. Most places won't ship unless you order 25 chicks at once. I finally gave up on looking for chicks and got an incubator.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i like the connection i get with my hatching chicks. i've bought hatchery chicks and i've noticed they don't seem to be as friendly or are skittish.

with hatching them myself i get to 'talk' to them to come out and play! i'm the first thing they see through the glass and seem to imprint better. i also find the foot feathering on some breeds are better when they come from a breeder.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Yes, you can do that. If the parent stock is healthy, the chicks should be fine. No quarantine necessary, but usually my hens and chicks are away from the flock for several weeks anyway. The chicks will adapt to the environment they are hatched into. They've never been anywhere else and unless they have some disease that was passed to them through the egg, they'll be fine. That is why I buy hatching eggs only from certain folks here on BYC.

Home-hatched babies are so much calmer and friendlier, in general, than the ones who have been tossed around in the mail for days and traumatized, at least in my experience.