Hatchery vs. Local Feed Store

[JadedPhoenix]

Our feed store allows you to add your requested breeds onto their weekly scheduled order which may give you a break on the shipping. It doesn't hurt to ask (presuming the hatchery they order from has your breed).

I tried getting our feed store to order some leghorns but they wouldn't. Tried telling me that the Ideal 236'ers were the same thing. Nope. It says right on the website that they are a hybrid and if you want to breed them you should specify white leghorns only. Oh well.

 

[Bocrates]

Now, I've got a question to add. To or not to...buy egg cartons from hatchery vs. local feed store? Need to be blank/no label. Paper is preferred but styrofoam is fine. Atwoods charges $0.30+tax for plastic see-through cartons. (You are welcome to PM me your comments if my question is taking this thread on a tangent.)

Find a local breakfast diner and arrange with the cooks to pick up their leftover cartons on a Sunday afternoon. We get enough cartons for 10 dozen eggs per visit for free, after a hardy meal of course. They probably throw away 10 times that a week.

 

[theoldguy]

hi guys, feed stores buy from hatcherys , the local ones here order from privett hatchery. So chances are your gonna get hatchery chicks either way good luck

 

[AinaWGSD]

In most cases, hatchery vs feed store (or farm supply store) is a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other. There are success and horror stories from both sources and in the end it boils down to what you want and personal preference. Most feed stores get their chicks from hatcheries themselves, so as far as source goes the chicks may be coming from the same place anyway. Some feed stores are set up to handle chicks better than others. Some feed stores have barriers around their chick bins so that customers can't easily man handle the chicks without the help of an employee. Others have open bins that shoppers (and their children) can just reach into at will, which can result in all manner of germs being spread and chicks being put back in the wrong bin (which could mean the wrong breed, or males from straight run bins being returned to pullet only bins). Chicks from a feed store are subject to the same shipping stress as chicks ordered directly from a hatchery, plus any handling stress at the store itself (whether that's from employees picking out chicks for customers or shoppers reaching in and handling the chicks with or without permission), plus the stress of traveling from the store to your brooder. Feed stores may or may not have the breed(s) you want and they may or may not be able to order them for you if you want one that they don't usually carry. Feed stores are definitely easier (or at least cheaper) to go through for a small order as most feed stores have a minimum chick purchase of 3-6 whereas most hatcheries have a minimum chick purchase of 15-25 with much higher shipping costs for small orders (several hatcheries do offer orders as small as 3 but you are then left paying more for shipping than the chicks).

I have had good luck getting healthy chicks shipped directly from hatcheries. Our first order was a small order and we wanted specific breeds that the local farm supply store did not have (and at the time the one that had chicks in the store had a minimum chick purchase of 25 chicks, or at least that's what the sign lead us to believe, and the other store only places one order and we had already missed it) and we did not lose a single chick. Our second order was for broilers and we lost one in shipping and two shortly after, but out of 25 chicks (and the hatchery sent a few extras) and a breed that is not always known for being hardy that's really not bad. The last order we placed was for some straight run layers (leghorns, welsummers, and easter eggers) and turkeys. We did not lose any in shipping that time either. The last time, we did lose several to coccidia after we got them home, but that was my own fault because I did not check to make sure a waterer we had previously used was cleaned properly before putting it in the brooder.

 

[luvameracauna]

I say DO NOT BUY FROM HATCHERY, A friend of mine bought and order if 25 when they arrived 13 of them were alive then over night (even with a heat lamp) 9 more died leaving 4 then within 5 min of each other two of the remaining 4 died then over night 1 died then the last died she lived the longest (2 days after we got her) I know this sounds like a sob story but there's a point even if they do survive it's sad to put them through this, all the travel, I have 10 birds from my feed store they are all healthy happy full grown and starting to lay eggs

 

[LTygress]

As for the deaths, the same things happen with the birds that go to feed stores. But the feed store eliminates the dead ones for you, so you don't see them!

And I also forgot to mention in my last post that BOTH hatcheries and feed stores will "stand behind their chicks" it's just a matter of whether or not you CONTACT them.

So it's still the same, buying from either one. As others have said though, buying from breeders will beat out hatcheries AND feed stores, no matter what. But between those two, it doesn't really matter.

 

[AmazingChickens]

CANCEL THE ORDER!!!! My freind ordered from a hatchery, she got 25, when they came 16 of them were alive, then the next day we came to see them and only 4 were alive, and throughout the day 3 died and the next day the last one died

 

[dekel18042]

Thank you for your excellent thought out post on the subject. Different sources are better ffor different people and their needs and their wants.
Perhaps I am just lucky, but I don't know of anyone receiving dead chicks from a hatchery although I know it happens. I've also heard of people getting wrong breeds and sexes from feed stores that I haven't heard from hatchery orders.
Over my lifetime I have gotten chicks directly from other people, from hatcheries (I've had excellent results). I've bred my own, in fact have a clutch in the house now and probably anything new I add in the foreseeable future
will be shipped hatching eggs to add another breed or my own eggs. All my chickens, whatever the source are healthy and I love them all equally.
Hatching eggs and raising my own seems to be the best way to keep down introduced germs, but the bottom line is there are many ways to acquire chickens. You just need to figure out which way best suits your needs and gets you what you want..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

CANCEL THE ORDER NOW!!!!!!!!! Hatchery chicks die easily and you can get chicks sooner so they grow and lay faster for you!!

Feed store chicks come from the same hatcheries as people buy from.

I prefer supporting local feed stores. Ordered chicks are usually unhealthier and some even arrive dead.

Unless the local feed store gets birds from a local breeder there will be no difference.
Orscheln's, Tractor Supply and the like aren't local feed stores but huge chains that buy their chicks from hatcheries.

I think you have the potential for getting healthier chicks if you buy from a local hatchery/breeder. But you also have more risk of problems. I'm almost positive that my Marek's problems came with the pullets I purchased locally, from what seemed to be a reputable breeder. Now I am forced to buy from Murray McMurray as they offer the best Marek's vaccine. I am happy with the MM chicks I got. After 4 months, I have one sick pullet out of the 9 I ordered. Pretty good given that I lost 7 of 9 from the local hatchery.

Bottom line, there is no 'right or wrong' answer. Both options have pros and cons.

X2

Our feed store allows you to add your requested breeds onto their weekly scheduled order which may give you a break on the shipping. It doesn't hurt to ask (presuming the hatchery they order from has your breed).

I tried getting our feed store to order some leghorns but they wouldn't. Tried telling me that the Ideal 236'ers were the same thing. Nope. It says right on the website that they are a hybrid and if you want to breed them you should specify white leghorns only. Oh well.

X2
Most will add to the order or order what you want if you contact them well in advance and especially if you prepay. Others may not be cooperative at all.

hi guys, feed stores buy from hatcherys , the local ones here order from privett hatchery. So chances are your gonna get hatchery chicks either way good luck

X2

In most cases, hatchery vs feed store (or farm supply store) is a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other. There are success and horror stories from both sources and in the end it boils down to what you want and personal preference. Most feed stores get their chicks from hatcheries themselves, so as far as source goes the chicks may be coming from the same place anyway. Some feed stores are set up to handle chicks better than others. Some feed stores have barriers around their chick bins so that customers can't easily man handle the chicks without the help of an employee. Others have open bins that shoppers (and their children) can just reach into at will, which can result in all manner of germs being spread and chicks being put back in the wrong bin (which could mean the wrong breed, or males from straight run bins being returned to pullet only bins). Chicks from a feed store are subject to the same shipping stress as chicks ordered directly from a hatchery, plus any handling stress at the store itself (whether that's from employees picking out chicks for customers or shoppers reaching in and handling the chicks with or without permission), plus the stress of traveling from the store to your brooder. Feed stores may or may not have the breed(s) you want and they may or may not be able to order them for you if you want one that they don't usually carry. Feed stores are definitely easier (or at least cheaper) to go through for a small order as most feed stores have a minimum chick purchase of 3-6 whereas most hatcheries have a minimum chick purchase of 15-25 with much higher shipping costs for small orders (several hatcheries do offer orders as small as 3 but you are then left paying more for shipping than the chicks).

I have had good luck getting healthy chicks shipped directly from hatcheries. Our first order was a small order and we wanted specific breeds that the local farm supply store did not have (and at the time the one that had chicks in the store had a minimum chick purchase of 25 chicks, or at least that's what the sign lead us to believe, and the other store only places one order and we had already missed it) and we did not lose a single chick. Our second order was for broilers and we lost one in shipping and two shortly after, but out of 25 chicks (and the hatchery sent a few extras) and a breed that is not always known for being hardy that's really not bad. The last order we placed was for some straight run layers (leghorns, welsummers, and easter eggers) and turkeys. We did not lose any in shipping that time either. The last time, we did lose several to coccidia after we got them home, but that was my own fault because I did not check to make sure a waterer we had previously used was cleaned properly before putting it in the brooder.

I've never had a problem with shipped chicks. Some people have. Any chick that goes 2 or 3 days without food and water will take some TLC but the feed store chicks have been through the same turmoil and they may not be knowledgeable enough to do the TLC or care for that matter since they'll only own them a few days.
If you buy mail order, you'll be more diligent since you plan on having the birds a long time.

 

[Cheyen]

I think there's too much bias against hatchery chicks. I order them in bulk almost every year, and I've never had much trouble. Of course, your experience may vary from hatchery to hatchery and post offices, but the key is finding one that you know you can count on and afford. I order from Murray McMurray and MyPetChicken. The chicks always arrive on time and are very happy and healthy once you give them some food and water. A few of them will die, but not to the extent that many other people have mentioned. They're chicks. Chicks die. I just picked up an order of 15 chicks last week, and only one was dead on arrival. I've got some polish chicks, d'uccles, and silkies coming today, and I'm very excited!

That being said, I also love the convenience of feed store chicks. They're usually cheaper than hatchery birds, and you get pick the healthiest ones you see. There also isn't a ridiculous "minimum order" of 20 or more chicks, because they have a much higher chance of survival when they're in your car with you, rather than traveling across the country.

One down side of feed store chicks is that they don't always carry the "fancy" breeds, so you've got a limited selection. My local Southern States only carries layers such as RIRs, golden comets, and leghorns. Another problem is that not all stores will sex the chicks for you. Mine only guarantees an 80% accuracy when they sex theirs.

Hatcheries and feed stores both have their pros and cons. I recommend trying both and then basing future decisions on your own personal experiences.