North Idaho / Eastern Washington

[Scrambles55]

This weekend I will be in need of a couple of day old chicks. I prefer sex link females. If you are going to have some please PM me. I live in CdA area.

 

[nanclapper]

Oh really? Then I am glad that I have these ones! If we were farther from our neighbors, I would love to have a rooster,but not here. Six weeks now. Yay! I have taken them for short field tips outside in this 2'x 3' dog pen, on those warm days the last two weekends. Last year I got chicks that hatched the first of May, so by this age, they were outside full time. Every time is a learning experience. I am looking forward to having these ones out of the spare room and digging in the grass.

Looking good! Shouldn't be much longer and they will be ok to be outside.

 

[firedragon1982]

Hey guys,

So glad I found this thread! I am in the Post Falls area currently, and brand spanking new to BYC. We don't yet have chickens because the neighborhood we're in (HOA ordinances), but are attempting to sell and purchase some actual property with a few acres! My husband wants me to find local chicks instead of hatcheries that ship via mail. I agree that there's less chance of chick deaths that way, but am not seeing much in the way locally either. I bet I'm just not looking in the right places... At this point in time, it might be summer time before we'd be closing on a property, possibly longer if things get held up. Yes, I'm crossing every digit and appendage possible that we can close on a new house before summer, but things happen...

Any suggestions on where to look other than BYC/Murray McMurray/Ideal/Cackle, North 40 (formerly D&B/Big R), and Country Store? Craigslist is kinda.... scary LOL!

 

[darina]

WELCOME!!!!!

I wouldn't write off Craigslist entirely, but I know what you mean, sometimes people that tend to post on Craigslist can be pretty flaky. I would do a search for chicks and if you find a well worded post with lots of details and information, bug those people! I have found a couple of breeders locally,but they are very breed-specific. So, what kind of chickens do you fancy?

 

[firedragon1982]

Thanks Darina! The more I research, the more unsure I become! At first I was thinking Barred Rock and Buff Orpingtons because we were just going to dip our toes in with just eggs for a while. Then I started doing the math about raising some meat birds and how it can be cheaper than purchasing whole birds at the store, with more confidence about what goes in them. So at some point after getting the layers I want to do some meat birds. But then looking more at layer breeds and some good dual purpose birds, I'm fancying the Laced Wyandottes, Ameraucanas, Partridge Plymouth Rocks have super pretty feathers, Speckled Sussex. And for the pretty factors, even if totally not for our climate: Lakenvelders, Welsummer, Spangled Hamburg... man I could just go on and on

But in reality, I think we'll start with the Barred Rock, and maybe Silver Laced Wyandotte for the eggs starting with 6-10 chickens, then move on from there. Tried telling my husband we could just order about 40 straight run of a breed (or two straight runs of 20) and then just butcher the extras, but he just gave me one of "those" faces... you know, like I'm crazy. He might be right!

 

[darina]

Oh my goodness. It does not stop once you get chickens. Almost every week I find a new breed I want.


Here is an example of a good CL post, although this one is super-duper detailed, maybe a little bit overboard.
http://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/4868761992.html

 

[Scrambles55]

Pips & Peeps sells Ameraucana. I got my Lavender Ameraucana project hen and fertile eggs fom her. She is just across the border in WA.

 

[darina]

Pips & Peeps sells Ameraucana. I got my Lavender Ameraucana project hen and fertile eggs fom her. She is just across the border in WA.

Is that what those gorgeous white dovey looking birds are in your pictures? They are lovely.



@firedragon1982 , Scramble55 had a great suggestion there...Also if you read a few pages back on this thread, nanclapper is working with breeding Dorkings and Silkies, and I recommended her and her chickens! I think next year she plans to add Heritage Rhode Island Red and maybe more....

 

[Scrambles55]

Rumples is from the Lav Am project pen. Her chicks Lil Bit and Minnie Pearl are also from the same place. Minnie is the Lavender color hen. Rumples is split as is Lil Bit. Pips & Peeps is about 10 miles from you.

 

[nanclapper]

Hey guys,

So glad I found this thread! I am in the Post Falls area currently, and brand spanking new to BYC. We don't yet have chickens because the neighborhood we're in (HOA ordinances), but are attempting to sell and purchase some actual property with a few acres! My husband wants me to find local chicks instead of hatcheries that ship via mail. I agree that there's less chance of chick deaths that way, but am not seeing much in the way locally either. I bet I'm just not looking in the right places... At this point in time, it might be summer time before we'd be closing on a property, possibly longer if things get held up. Yes, I'm crossing every digit and appendage possible that we can close on a new house before summer, but things happen...

Any suggestions on where to look other than BYC/Murray McMurray/Ideal/Cackle, North 40 (formerly D&B/Big R), and Country Store? Craigslist is kinda.... scary LOL!

Welcome to BYC!! I really like buying local if I can find what I’m looking for, however, I have driven to Seattle twice to pick up chicks and second time for full grown turkeys, that was a fun drive home!! Deciding which breed to start with can be a tough decision…so many choices! I started with chicks that I ordered from the Co-op on government way in CdA. I ordered a variety of 10 chicks; golden Sex-Links, buff Orpington and Rhode Island Red. I liked all of these breeds, however, once I started researching chicken breeds more, my thoughts changed about what I wanted to raise. Look at what you want chickens for; egg layers, meat, show, fun? Then decide do you want hatchery stock, private breeder, and heritage? I chose to go with private stock and heritage breeds. Someone wrote, “choose one breed and do that well”. I haven’t been successful with limiting myself to one breed, LOL, however, I have limited myself to just a few. I wanted a reasonably good egg layer, meat (dual purpose) and also a breed that needed attention (preservation). I chose the Dorking as my main breed and have been happy with my choice. I have been raising Silver Grey Dorkings for two years and I’m waiting an order of Red Dorking chicks (from a breeder in Florida). I’m also waiting for an order purebred Rhode Island Red chicks from Dick Hortsman (private breeder and APA Judge located in Pennsylvania). I chose to add RIR again mostly because my husband loves brown eggs and if I’m going to raise Rhode Island Reds, I want pure lineage. There is a big difference between hatchery Rhode Island Reds and RIR bred to the Standard of Perfection. Most hatchery RIR stock has Leghorn in them to boost egg production. The pure or heritage RIR are a deep mahogany color and they are stunningly beautiful. I also raise Silkies for fun because they are so “stinking cute”!

I shop and sell on Craigslist all the time and have not had any problems. I find “chicken people” are the nicest people! I have purchased Ameraucanas from Pips & Peeps, found her on Craigslist, and was very happy with the chicks I got bought from her.

I have ordered online from Murray McMurray and was very happy with my order. I did lose a chick in transport, however, if you call them right away, they will refund your money for the chick. They are great folks to work with. There are also a multitude of Facebook chicken pages and I highly recommend “Good Eggs, Bad Eggs, Reviews About Poultry Buyers and Sellers” Facebook page. You can search for a sellers name to see if there is anything posted about that person. This is useful and can save you some grief since there are some online scammers out there. I actually got scammed by one, paid via PayPal, never received chicks and if not for my credit card company, I would have been out $150! I was also given a “heads up” about the seller via Private Message on BYC and I am grateful for that.

Keep in mind the “feed stores” Co-op, North 40, only have chicks in stock for a limited time, so they are generally sold out around May.

Good luck, have fun and ask questions!
Nancy