Hatchery chiks ...yes or no?

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Thanks for all the input. Not planning on showing... just want eggs and pets. looking at australorps and Silver Laced Wyandottes. Also thinking about EE, but i see mixed reviews for them as far as tempermant and production goes. going to get 4-5 total.


MO
 
I can tell you that my EEs, while a little slower to mature than other breeds, are VERY good layers. I get 4 eggs a day from 4 birds. They do slack off in the winter when they molt but all breeds will do that. Once the molt was finished, they were quickly back to work.
 
We just got our first chicks this week from My Pet Chicken, and I was very impressed with the service and the packaging (so was our local post office). As said above, our chicks arrived perky and healthy in one day, and are only getting more active as they adjust. I would definitely order from them again. They seem like a smaller outfit, too, because I always spoke to the same people when I called - Jen and Deborah. (I might be a little over-exuberant because the chicks are so frickin' cute! :) )
 
I think a lot depends on your local PO and theory familiarity with live chick shipments. I live in a rural area, two local businesses recieve chicks regularly in the spring (TSC and a pet store). Our local PO handles quite a few and keeps them in a warm office until you pick them up.
I also think more is better for shipping. That is why many hatcheries have a minimum of 15 or 25. If I'm getting just a few, I order through the local pet/farm store so they can combine orders. Those chicks seemed better than an order of 15 I had shipped directly to me. The 15 (they shipped 16, one obvious warmer/cull) arrived fine and did well. I ended up with 14 surviving the first week. All still thriving. As said, they aren't show birds, but fill my needs for eggs and meat.
 
Hatchery chicks are the way to go if you just want pullets. Hatching chicks results in about 50% males and 50% females. It is exciting to go through the hatching process. Originally I bought hatchery chicks but now I do have breeding programs of a few select breeds I am interested in. I love to watch the chicks grow and go through their many stages. My Pet Chicken isn't a hatchery but have hatcheries they work with where their chicks come from so you can order as few as 3 chicks. Most hatcheries have a minimum order of 25 chicks.

Here are some good sites about the different breeds of chickens.
Henderson's Handy-Dandy Chicken Chart
FeatherSite
My Pet Chicken

ETA: Most breeds can be handled pretty well if you start handling them as chicks. The more they are handled the more they will get used to it and as they get older some will want to be picked up and held and many will tolerate being picked up and held. All birds will have their own unique personalities.
 
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