Now comes the hard part.  Time to slim down my chicken yard.

I have a couple options when it comes to selling my chickens.  One is advertise on Craigslist which has always been successful for me.  Sometimes, I check everyday to see if anyone is looking for what I have to sell and that has worked for me a number of times.  I recently sold some fertilized eggs and a couple of white Silkie hens from the wanted section of farm and garden.

There is a Swap Meet at a local feed store on the last Sunday of each month.  We only went there once when we bought our first Silkies.  I may take a few chicks/chickens there this weekend.

There is also the local flea market where you can sell your chickens.  I personally try to avoid the flea market when I purchase chickens because most of the ones I have seen look old.  I prefer to look at the yard where I purchase chickens so I can see they were raised in a clean, healthy environment.  But still, it is an option.

I have actually had a few people stop by that have purchased chickens from me.  Repeat business is always nice.  Sometimes I don’t have what they want at the time though, especially if they want 10 hens of a certain age.

I have been using the same rooster, Kellogg, for my Americuanas for a couple years now and I have a few of his sons that could replace him but I am thinking I need to trade one of my roosters for another Americuana just to get some fresh blood in the mix.  I don’t know if it even matters with chickens but it just seems to make sense that a new rooster could improve the flock.

I love taking care of the chickens but I must admit, the feed bill is getting high and cleaning all those water containers is a back breaking job.   I think I have 20 water containers right now.

The good part about selling chickens is putting some money in your pocket.   I can’t really say I am in a profit making business because it is more of a hobby.   I  did sell some chickens recently and made 70 dollars not counting the eggs I sold.  I really think I could make it break even if I put my mind to it.

Leah, a fellow chicken raiser, certainly seems to have a nice business going for her.  She has three incubators and keeps two of them full of fertilized eggs and the third one is the hatching incubator.  She sells day-old chicks for $3 to $7 days as  straight run (sex not determined).  She has some beautiful chickens.  She advertises on Craigslist and that is how I met her.  I think I have bought from her at least three times.  I am wanting to get some of the Copper Marans from her.  They lay the dark chocolate colored eggs.  I will need another yard for them so that may have to wait until next year (putting up fence and building another house).

I have promised myself this fall will be the year I actually prepare the soil for my long awaited vegetable garden.  A garden will help with feed costs for the chickens, too.  I am thinking of planting corn for the chickens and of course, they will get all the extra vegetables (especially if too many grow at one time) after I share with my relatives.

I received  my Mother Earth News this past week and they have an article on being self-sufficient on one acre of land.  Well, I have two so that makes it even better.   By the way, if you have never read or looked at a Mother Earth News, go online and look at the articles they print.  Good stuff.

I am not one to be a doom and gloom kind of person but reality is….our economy sucks right now so anything you can do to provide for your family is going to help.  I stock up when I can on sale items that have a long shelf life.  We all need to stretch those dollars.   I guess if times got really hard, I could eat my chickens.  I hope that never happens for many reasons.

I hope you find a hobby that makes you feel at peace with the world or at least relaxes you.   I have found my little piece (PEACE) of heaven.