Starting Meat Birds - Day olds or fertile eggs?

[PacsMan]

Since straight run is fine with meat birds, which is more economically, buying day olds from a hatchery/farm, or buying fertile eggs?

You have postage with day-olds (and to a lesser extent, fertile eggs too)
You've got the non-hath rate, but then you may have DOA day-olds

What is everyone's experience on buying meat birds to start?

Marty

 

[NC chicken man]

Start with day old and you will know just what your getting.

 

[PacsMan]

Quote:
Because with eggs I might get lizards??

 

[TimG]

I think Cornish Crosses are $1.49 at my local feed store (when you order ahead). The good thing about picking them up at the feed store is you know they are all alive when you get them. If you're not planning on getting 100, you'll probably do just fine at that price, too.

 

[PacsMan]

My local feed store is selling them (later in the season) for $2.49 each. Any idea how much fertile eggs might cost?

 

[protodon]

For cornish cross I would say day olds would be best because you will get the amount of chicks you order. I know I never hatch every fertile egg I've incubated if they were shipped from elsewhere. I think it's only cheaper to hatch if you have your own breeders of some other type of bird.

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
Thats alot. I would order directly from a hatchery, i bet its cheaper!

 

[uhuh555]

We always get day-old cornish x chicks from Townline Hatcheries because they are an hour away and are very healthy. Depending on how many you buy what the price is. We started out buying 1000 twice a year but now only 200 twice a year. The price ranges from $0.89 to $1.09 (cockerels only) depending on how many are purchased at a given time. We have been breeding our own meat bird line and this will be our third year doing so. In three more years (if our past success continues) hope not to be buying chicks. Hatching our own meat birds will cost slightly more than buying them but we will be in control from beginning to end.

At the rate people are becoming aware of the poor quality of the commercially grown chicken and managing their own food supply by raising their own; the cost of the hatchery chicks will become greater than the cost of a store bought "ready to eat" chicken. Example: Pacsman said he pays $2.49 chick, just add another $.50 you can buy a 4-5# store bought chicken (on sale).

For many the cost factor limits their options between good healthy great tasting home raised chicken or store bought. I wish you the best in your efforts.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

At certain times of the year some hatcheries offer great deals on meatbird chicks. If you can catch one of those sales when you're ready to accommodate them you'll save a lot.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Central is offering cornixh x for .65 a peice.. Plus $5.if you order less then a hundred.. I have talked to some others who have gotten from them and had great luck.. I am plannig to get mine from there.. http://www.centralhatchery.com/pricelist.html