Teenager Runs Successful Hatchery

2020 - Volume #44, Issue #5, Page #07

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Sixteen-year-old Hunter Dahline’s workday typically starts before dawn when he checks on his chickens. “Right now I’ve got them in several buildings, but I’m hoping within a few years that I can have one building to house my entire operation,” says Dahline.
Dahline first took a liking to poultry when he was just 10 years old. His family always had a few laying hens so he asked his parents if he could buy some of his own. “I wanted to use my own money and try to keep track of expenses by myself,” he says. He started with just 5 hens and planned to sell the eggs for a profit. The young farmer quickly learned that selling a few eggs didn’t even cover the cost of feed.
Within a year Dahline’s grandparents offered support for his growing passion by giving him their old incubator, and soon Dahline’s flock began to grow. He purchased larger incubators and more chicks from nearby hatcheries, sometimes at a discounted price. Today Dahline’s hatchery is registered with the state of Minnesota under his name, and co-signed by his parents. The health and safety of all the birds is monitored by Minnesota Poultry Test Labs (MPTL) and National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) groups.
He raises and sells laying hens and broiler chickens, guineafowl, ducks, turkeys, geese and pheasants. The majority of his hatchlings are chickens including Cornish Cross for meat and Red Sex Links for egg production. Dahline sells his birds to retail customers and to area hatcheries. “Sometimes I can’t even keep up with the demand,” he says.
Business during the COVID year of 2020 has brought success. “People are buying up all the chickens they can possibly get, and I’ve been booked 3 mos. out,” says Dahline. “I’m happy with it all, but it makes me a little nervous for next year,” he adds. Looking ahead to 2021 he hopes to have 300 birds producing about 800 eggs per day. With all those eggs and the work load involved, Dahline has partnered with nearby farms to help house and maintain the birds. “It’s great that many of these farms have young kids helping to take care of the birds, too,” he says.
Dahline knows that his own work ethic is key, but he also credits the support of his parents, grandparents, and mentors from two separate hatcheries in the area. Dahline plans to keep learning all he can about the business and continue in poultry production as he gets older. “I’m just lucky to have found my passion so young,” he says. “Some people think I’m crazy, but taking care of my chickens is where my heart and values are.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dahline Poultry, Willmar, Minn. (ph 320 979-6910; dahlinepoultry@gmail.com).

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Teenager Runs Successful Hatchery SPECIALTY/SERVICES Sixteen-year-old Hunter Dahline’s workday typically starts before dawn when he checks on his chickens “Right now I’ve got them in several buildings but I’m hoping within a few years that I can have one building to house my entire operation ” says Dahline Dahline first took a liking to poultry when he was just 10 years old His family always had a few laying hens so he asked his parents if he could buy some of his own “I wanted to use my own money and try to keep track of expenses by myself ” he says He started with just 5 hens and planned to sell the eggs for a profit The young farmer quickly learned that selling a few eggs didn’t even cover the cost of feed Within a year Dahline’s grandparents offered support for his growing passion by giving him their old incubator and soon Dahline’s flock began to grow He purchased larger incubators and more chicks from nearby hatcheries sometimes at a discounted price Today Dahline’s hatchery is registered with the state of Minnesota under his name and co-signed by his parents The health and safety of all the birds is monitored by Minnesota Poultry Test Labs MPTL and National Poultry Improvement Plan NPIP groups He raises and sells laying hens and broiler chickens guineafowl ducks turkeys geese and pheasants The majority of his hatchlings are chickens including Cornish Cross for meat and Red Sex Links for egg production Dahline sells his birds to retail customers and to area hatcheries “Sometimes I can’t even keep up with the demand ” he says Business during the COVID year of 2020 has brought success “People are buying up all the chickens they can possibly get and I’ve been booked 3 mos out ” says Dahline “I’m happy with it all but it makes me a little nervous for next year ” he adds Looking ahead to 2021 he hopes to have 300 birds producing about 800 eggs per day With all those eggs and the work load involved Dahline has partnered with nearby farms to help house and maintain the birds “It’s great that many of these farms have young kids helping to take care of the birds too ” he says Dahline knows that his own work ethic is key but he also credits the support of his parents grandparents and mentors from two separate hatcheries in the area Dahline plans to keep learning all he can about the business and continue in poultry production as he gets older “I’m just lucky to have found my passion so young ” he says “Some people think I’m crazy but taking care of my chickens is where my heart and values are ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dahline Poultry Willmar Minn ph 320 979-6910; dahlinepoultry@gmail com

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