A question about buying ready laying hens

[Void_Priestess]

Um hello! I have no idea if I'm posting in the right place, but this is the only place I can think of to post my question.

My mother is thinking of getting chickens (not sure yet) and she tasked me and my brother with doing all the research and math for it. A question came up when we saw how long it will take for our hypothetical hens to start laying and that was whether or not we could buy ready laying hens and how much it would cost to do so. We aren't quite sure which chicken to get yet, but our current candidates are Australorps, Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks, Ameraucanas, and Dominques if that helps in any way...

If you guys have any information on common prices or an experience that could help, then please share it. Thank you for your time!

Edit: Okay, this has been resolved. We will be raising the chickens from chicks since it makes more sense for our situation. Thank you for your help, guys!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Started pullets from a hatchery will start laying a few weeks after you get them, typically being 12-15 weeks old. They are extremely pricey to ship and are typically only available in the late spring early summer. Sometimes you can get lucky on local facebook pages or the infamous craigslist, generally paying 20-30 a bird. The downsides of this are the genetics will never be certain, and you cant tell if the hen is closer to 1 year old or 3. You may be getting a chicken nearing the end of its laying cycle. A lot of it comes down to budget, timing, and how much you care about pure genetics whether you go local or hatchery route.

 

[Severne]

they usually take 4-6 months to start laying, some later than others. If you are looking for a very early layer, try the egyption fayoumi. usually in my area chickens go for 5-20 bucks. Layers on the high end of this.

 

[Void_Priestess]

Started pullets from a hatchery will start laying a few weeks after you get them, typically being 12-15 weeks old. They are extremely pricey to ship and are typically only available in the late spring early summer. Sometimes you can get lucky on local facebook pages or the infamous craigslist, generally paying 20-30 a bird. The downsides of this are the genetics will never be certain, and you cant tell if the hen is closer to 1 year old or 3. You may be getting a chicken nearing the end of its laying cycle. A lot of it comes down to budget, timing, and how much you care about pure genetics whether you go local or hatchery route.

Thank you very much! If you could give me some exact numbers for how expensive it is to ship them, then that would be nice but honestly, it doesn't matter. I think I'll try to convince my brother to just buy chicks

 

[Void_Priestess]

they usually take 4-6 months to start laying, some later than others. If you are looking for a very early layer, try the egyption fayoumi. usually in my area chickens go for 5-20 bucks. Layers on the high end of this.

Okay, thanks. Unfortunately, we can't get that breed because we live in an area with odd weather and the cold is something we often deal with.

 

[SueT]

They say there is a shortage of chicks at this point due to so much demand, so you may not be able to pick and choose breeds or ages, you may have to take whatever is available.

Good luck!

 

[Kakaruk]

We have a local general store that often has 'red sex-linked' pullets, meaning that are some sort of Rhode Island Red cross - bought two for about 10$ each and they were laying within a couple months (bc they were 4-5 months when I bought them). They lay wonderful big eggs, they are nice birds but not as pretty as more pure bred. I also bought one each barred plymouth Rock and buff orpington pullets, they were I think closer to 20$ each and were laying quickly. The buff became a brooder this spring has hatched out five chicks!

Starting with chicks is always the most fun option but the costs involved are things like not only the feed but: heat lamp, waterer, feeder, shavings (not cedar), and whatever container you are using. I often have started mine just in a box and maybe move up soon to a wash tub, and then up to a little cage of some sort before moving them outside to a coop.

I hear there is difficulty now getting chickens and chicks? I don't think I would recommend shipping pullets but who knows. The thing about shipping chicks is that after birth they can go without food/water for a few days because they still live off the reserves from their egg.

I had one silver Wyandotte that didn't do well for me but I live in Texas and it gets real hot in the summer. I have never had Austrolops but I think they are solid girls all around. My plymouth rocks and Amerucaunas (I have mixed breed olive eggers) have been real good girls, good layers. I have a Rhode Island White who is a good hen. I also have two mixed breed leghorn/hatchery local blend that lay just like there's no tomorrow!

Depending on what your Mother wants to do: I have raised chicks in the garage and in the living room near the fire place. They are so versatile, they just need to stay warm, dry, eat, sleep, water, and poop.

 

[Tre3hugger]

If you could give me some exact numbers for how expensive it is to ship them,

Um, google hatcheries. Read their shipping pages.

 

[Void_Priestess]

Um, google hatcheries. Read their shipping pages.

True. Sorry to bother you. Thanks for your time

 

[Void_Priestess]

They say there is a shortage of chicks at this point due to so much demand, so you may not be able to pick and choose breeds or ages, you may have to take whatever is available.

Good luck!

Alright, that's really good to know, actually... Thank you so much