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  • From: "Beth Spaugh" <lists AT rhomestead.com>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] non de-beaked chicks
  • Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 17:56:03 -0500

It is easy to get chicks with intact beaks, but hard to find ready-to-lay
pullets that have not been debeaked. Since our main egg market is summer, we
have gotten ready to lay pullets in May in the past. As we reduce our flock
(more local, lower priced competition) it becomes less economical to drive 9
hours round trip to get the pullets, so we have started raising our own.
Our first batch from last summer started laying in December. The earliest
we were able to get chicks without going airmail (which can be faster but
more exposed) is the end of February. I may check Mt. Healthy's
availability, it has a good reputation, but need a couple weeks to get fresh
chick starter anyway.

Thanks for the info about winter availability.


Beth Spaugh
Rehoboth Homestead, Peru, NY
Farm Fresh Food Club CSA - http://rhomestead.com
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Garden fresh vegetables, organically grown, and pastured chicken, duck, and
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Moore Lappe

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Vern and Amy
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 12:38 PM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] non de-beaked chicks

Hi Beth and Aaron,
I am new here today, so bear with me. I have never seen a de-beaked
bird in real life. We have gotten chicks from a couple different hatcheries
mailorder and had good success. Most recently we started some from Mt.
Healthy, and our neighbors that we went in with raise several hundred layers
and lots of fryers naturally. They were happier with Mt. Healthy Hatchery
than more well-known hatcheries such as Privett, etc. More robust chicks
and arrive via mail a day faster even though they are coming from farther
away. We got ours before it started getting cold in Oct, but the neighbors
were just getting more last week! She said they only come debeaked from
anywhere if you request it and pay extra for the extra labor in debeaking.
I believe the hatchery can put a self-contained heating pad in the
box--don't let them sit at your local P.O. overnight anyway!--stay in
contact with your postmaster.

Vern
Vern's Veggies and More!
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  • Re: [Market-farming] non de-beaked chicks, Beth Spaugh, 02/03/2011

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