Hatching Chicks

Have you tried to find chicks from the hatcheries in the past couple of years? Sold out, unless your want cockerels! I used to hatch a small incubator to replace some of my biddies who were getting too old to lay every day. When everyone panicked and started buying chicks I decided to bet a bigger incubator and start offing chicks for sale.

I have 4 separate flocks for breeding; Rhode Island Reds with Rufous the Red rooster, Lavender Orpingtons with LG (Lavendula grandiflora), Cream Legbars with Milk Toast the rooster, and a barnyard flock with Araucanas, Black Australorps, and Silver Laced Wyandottes with a newly crowned Black Araucana roo named Growly Boy (son of Growly Girl who loves to go broody).

I start hatching in January, usually, using thrift store playpens as brooders with heat plates to keep them cozy and moving blankets around the outside to keep the breeze out. If you ever wanted to try your hand at chickens, or want to add really productive breeds to your flock, sign up for my newsletter so you’ll know when the peepers are available.