Day old chicks... Is it possible to see quality at that young of age?

[Hennypen]

Just curious if people who sell day old chicks if they were able to cherry pick at that young of an age.

Either keep the good ones for themselves or sell the good ones. Or if they're too young to tell how they'll end up.

 

[lildinkem]

Hennypen,
Have no fears, it is highly unlikely anyone can tell a day old TOP SQ Chicken over the average Production birds. I have a friend who bought 10 Buff Orps from a prominant Buff Orp breeder, only to have him change his mind and only sell 8 Buffs. My buddy winded up giving me his Buff flock. A year later I approached that breeder interested in a cockerel, and I could tell there was sellers remorse. You can not tell who is the pick of the litter even in dogs at a day old.
Good luck

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

But you can tell some of the culls at hatching like ones with stubs, wrong comb, and some other traits if you know what you are doing.

 

[standardbanty]

Quote:
I agree 110%. You can cull early for defects...

 

[silkieluver_07]

For silkies you can tell the difference between foot feathering, toe spacing, and combs (single vs. walnut) Before I joined 4-H I could have cared less about comb type. Now when the chick hatches, I check immediately for the type of comb. If it has a single, it finds a new home as a pet.

 

[walkswithdog]

I do Rocks and Delawares. Rocks you get to wait forever, especially in partridge - since I can't judge pencilling until they're out of juvenille feather. And rocks will develop comb faults later, rather than show them early.

Delawares is a little easier - comb faults show early, as do poor leg color. I can weed out sprigs and green legged birds early on, and know which ones to watch for poor color because they'll often start out in juvenille feather all white and never get very good.

Though side by side with my hatchery PRs, Halo's Blue and Black Rocks - made mine look like pikers... sigh. One step at a time. Halo's birds are drop dead gorgeous at birth.