Second Thoughts and feed store chicks

[Cluckhead]

I have had chickens about a year now and want to add a few more to my flock. I have a local feed store that has the girls I want ( Ameraucauna, Cuckoo Maran and a Russian Orloff) but I keep seeing mention of "feed store chicks" versus "hatchery chicks." What is the difference? I'm guessing it's egg color.
2 of the 4 I have now came from a private breeder (I WISH she was still around) and the other 2 from a private party too but I think they get their chicks from a local feed store too. That might explain why the Blue Wyandotte lays a very pale brown egg and our pale green egg laying Ameraucauna hasn't laid an egg in months-but the latter is more than likely just coincidence.

The problem I have is that I only want three girls and they are separate breeds so that presents somewhat of a problem for me as far as ordering from a hatchery as I haven't found one that has those particular 3 breeds. I'm pretty stuck on 'em.

Is there really a difference in the feed store stock and can I ask a feed store where they get their chicks from? Oh, It's Concord Feed in Northern Ca that has the chicks btw so if anyone has expereience with them please post it up here.

 

[Southernbelle]

Our feedstores buy chicks from hatcheries. All our local stores use Mt. Healthy Hatchery in Ohio. A lot of feedstores order from Privett. So either way, you're getting hatchery chicks. The advantage to buying from feed stores is you don't have to buy 25 like you would if you ordered them right from the hatchery.

 

[fastpat]

Quote:
My local independent feed store custom orders chicks, you order as many as you want, they combine orders to get the shipping numbers up. The advantage, in addition to only getting as many as you want, is that you don't have to take any that are unhealthy. My feed store adds about one dollar to the cost from the hatchery, a reasonable amount.

 

[silkydragon]

you can ask them around me there is 1 hatchery that used to buy chicks from a private breeder but stopped and started ordering from mt healthy cuz the private breeder was wanting too much and the other 2 order from hatcherys i like 1 in the next town cuz they order all pullets instead of straight run

 

[Yardbirds286]

I am getting 6 feed store chicks next week. They buy from Ideal Hatchery.

 

[vatterpa]

Mine come from Mt healthy, they are super healthy too. but are still 3.5 weeks old

 

[PriceFamilyFarms]

Our local feed store sells local chicks only...most of them come from the store owner's incubators but he buys other breeds from people also. RIR, BO and BR str8 run for $2 each. My birds all came from there and 8 out of 8 all turned out to be pullets.

As first time chicken owners I think we scored big time this way because we walked away very informed and If we ever have a question he's just a phone call or visit away. He even came out to the house to check out the coop I was building for the birds, saw my wife painting and grabbed a paint brush and joined in!

He also gave me a blue runner duck because my niece liked it so much. The duck has given us hours of entertainment with her antics - one day she's running the yard with the chickens the next she's taking a nap under the boat with the cat! Yes, duck and cat laying in the shade together!

 

[Mervin]

I have six from a feed store (not TSC) that gets them from Privett. I also have six from a breeder, I'd say unless your planning on showing go with the feed store. I got to look over my chick and pick the ones that looked the best. They've been very healthy and have feathered up quickly. To be honest I have no complaints. Do keep in mind, that anything "Red" is probably a production red or a red sex-link and that Ameracaunas are more than likely EE (mine are the prettiest birds I have) and everything will be just super.

 

[PriceFamilyFarms]

Thats one thing we didnt want was production reds. When we were talking with him the day we bought our chicks, he told us they come from "True Rhode Island Reds" and that they are decendents of his grandfather's and father's show birds. He even went up to his office and brought a photo album out with pictures of the birds with ribbons.

Our's have feathered out very nicely and are just stunning!!

 

[gryeyes]

Concord Feed has a good reputation and they buy from reputable hatcheries. (I don't know which ones, right off hand.)

If it's got the ones you want, buy 'em there! I almost drove all the way from Sacramento to Concord once to get a particular breed which was never available at MY favorite feed store (where I got almost all of my chicks). Then, suddenly, my feed store got Welsummers in... so I didn't have to make the drive.