Why do you hatch?

[Erin80]

Is it a hobby? Or for profit? For meat for your family? Wondering why everyone hatches!

For me it’s a hobby. I’m starting to narrow down a few breeds I’d like to focus on (Orpington, Ameraucana and silkie for now). I keep my own flock small (no more than 12), and make sure my grow out coop is empty for winter as I don’t want to have to deal with two coops in freezing temps. We sell our extras and give away roosters (though my husband did process three extra roo’s two years ago......he says he wants to do that again so we will see).

 

[Mvan42]

Just for fun here. I also did it for educational purposes this year.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

I incubate eggs pretty much all spring because with 22 hens I almost always have a broody... and there's not a whole lot that is much cuter than seeing this in your yard...

 

[Offshoreorca]

As a hobby, but also for eggs for our family. I really enjoy chickens as pets too!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

All of those things. I still buy some birds from the hatcheries, and buy some eggs.
I'm trying to figure out what I want as far as chickens go.
This year is the first year I've been selling the chicks I'm hatching and it's been great!
I hatch out our turkeys and quail for meat, and now I'm hatching out Bresse for meat.

 

[SharW75]

This is our first year hatching, and we did it for fun. We have a couple hens go broody each year, so we really didn't need to incubate, but we wanted to see what certain crosses would look like, and we also wanted a few different breeds we didn't have, or really like. Our girls provide us with eggs, we sell some, and we donate the rest to our local chapter of Feed Our Vets. Plus, watching chickens is always entertaining and relaxing.

 

[Duckee]

Only did a few hatchings. At home and the local grammer school. All for the purpose of trying to change local no chicken ordinance. Me and my daughter also did a big presentation at city hall which included grants purina will give schools to raise chicks. Outcome: city turned downs chickens, but got some for the school for a year to get the grant money! So for a year the kids got to learn how to raise chickens for eggs and meat in a town that can never own chickens!!!
I personally feel it is my right to raise my own food ( for me, health reasons). So i talked to my neighbors and they said they were ok with it. So i keep hens and share eggs! My neighbor also has a pet goat...shhh. lol
By the way, I live in a rural/country area. But places like Chicago can have chickens! Lol

 

[Kiki]

Hobby and meat.
I do not sell.

 

[KOdin]

Is it a hobby? Or for profit? For meat for your family? Wondering why everyone hatches!

For me it’s a hobby. I’m starting to narrow down a few breeds I’d like to focus on (Orpington, Ameraucana and silkie for now). I keep my own flock small (no more than 12), and make sure my grow out coop is empty for winter as I don’t want to have to deal with two coops in freezing temps. We sell our extras and give away roosters (though my husband did process three extra roo’s two years ago......he says he wants to do that again so we will see).

Because my dang hens won’t get off their eggs so they forced me into it

 

[blessedwith10]

Hobby here. I LOVE my chickens. I give eggs away to friends family and those in need. Hatching because I have an itch I need to itch lol. I'll probably have to sell some seeing as I have 5 in 1 incubator due in 2 days to hatch, 3 in another for the 28th, not a great incubators. And just started 22 in my NR360 on top of the 3 hens that are setting on eggs. lol We also started chickens for our own eggs and broilers for meat. I actually don't tend to the broilers when we have them because I'll get attached and won't be able to process them lol. We have 6 kids at home (10 total but 4 moved on), and they love them too and it's great for them to have responsibility and learn the process. Anyway. That's us!