Surprise babies! What do I do with extra chicks?

Well of course I couldn't wrap up hatching season when 'I' wanted to! Zippy, my adorable black Silkie hen, decided that there was time for one more hatch. I guess I hadn't paid real close attention to if their were eggs underneath her. She's a great broody so I didn't think about it at all in fact.

Maybe I should have looked closer though because all the sudden I heard baby peeping today! The first chick out was a blue Marans.

First, let me explain Marans genetics to you real quick: I have splash hens and a black copper roo....when they mate you get blue! I don't have any blue silkies. So there is no doubt in my mind, That is NOT from one of Zippy's egg!

This is how little I paid attention, I didn't even know she had some brown eggs under her too! I figured there were some eggs, but sometimes she tries to hatch nothing so I wasn't really sure.

Next out were a tiny white silkie baby and then a little pale gray/brown chipmunk marked silkie baby! Oh the wonders on genetics! This little guy is shaping up to be partridge! My available roo's are buff, white and splash! Hmmmm.

Finally the last baby hatched, a cute little white silkie baby! They were hatched October 11 which makes them almost 1 month old! They are so adorable, but unfortunately nobody seems to be in the market for chicks right now.

Of course the story can't end there....because 4 extra chicks really isn't a big deal. The problem is the 4 chicks I hatched from my cuckoo silkie are still here! Franks babies are just adorable! 2 cuckoo and 2 white. Her babies tend to be just a little bit lighter skinned, but they are still fluffy little sweethearts.

I had planned to take 3 of them to the Uniontown poultry swap but unfortunately my husband was using the truck for something big that day and I couldn't go.

Only 3 of these little guys were going to the swap because the 4th one has a problem with her foot. No matter how hard I try I can't get that toe to straighten out. (yes, I'm pretty sure it's a her!)

I've tried splints which have made it slightly better. She doesn't limp, but the toe sorta causes her to walk on the side of her foot. It doesn't really seem to bother her though so it might just be one of those things she can live with.

But the rest of the chicks are perfect so that brings me back to the main problem!

What to do with extra chicks?

I have a few places I utilize when I have extra chicks.

1. Social media
2. Craigslist and other local online bulletin boards
3. Actual bulletin boards like at feed stores.
4. Word of mouth.
5.  Poultry swaps
6.  Poultry auctions

I really like going to poultry swaps because I can meet and socialize with other chicken, duck, goose, guinea, turkey, quail keepers etc. in the local area. Oh, and there's an occasional peacock, rabbit or goat too!

I really like getting to meet others who are doing the same things I am. It's great to have people to discuss chicken stuff with because the non chicken people just look at me like I'm crazy sometimes! lol

I also like looking at what others have for sale because it helps me to see my competition and also what isn't my competition! For instance I've been the only one with Marans and Guinea Fowl at almost every swap, but silkies are getting a lot more popular, so that tells me to move into new colors that others don't have.

Luckily I've learned my lesson on this one and will be lifting hens up and checking below them more often! Hopefully there's no more winter babies!

Update: I talk more in depth about selling chicks in the post How I make $1,000 a month with just 15 chickens. It's amazing what I learned in the time between writing the 2 posts!

~L

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