Day-old Chicks or Started Pullets?

[KrupkaChickens]

Hello! We currently have 7 birds and only get 3 or 4 eggs per day. There is a little stand at the end of our driveway where we sell eggs. Every dozen we put out there are sold and we keep running out. We are looking to get more chickens and I am debating between started pullets from a hatchery and chicks from our nearby TSC. What do you all recommend? Is the cost similar? Thanks for the help!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Started pullets will cost quite a bit more, but will start producing sooner. That's the decision you will have to make.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

If you aren’t up to all of the work involved in raising chicks and you don’t mind spending the extra money, then started pullets will produce sooner.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[Hidrainja4]

well.. my hatchery Meyer in Ohio, it is in driving distance from my house. ARE ALL SOLD OUT OF PULLETS!!!! COVID 19 HOARDERS WENT AND BOUGHT ALL THE PULLETS!@#$%$^% after they bought all the toilet paper. So maybe day old chicks aren't a bad idea.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Pullets will cost you more initially out of pocket but they're obviously closer to laying, and chances of accidentally getting a male are extremely low as long as you know what you're looking at.

 

[KrupkaChickens]

Has anyone done both? I'm wondering how different the cost is!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I bought a Welsummer chick (3 days old) for 3.99? 4.99 maybe?

The chick turned out to be male, so went back and got another Welsummer at around 3-4 weeks old, same store, same hatch group. I think that was 7.99.

That chick died in an accident. Went back to same store, they still had Welsummers from that hatch group, and they were now at 7 weeks old and marked as started pullets. Somewhere between 14.99-17.99.

 

[Bean15]

well.. my hatchery Meyer in Ohio, it is in driving distance from my house. ARE ALL SOLD OUT OF PULLETS!!!! COVID 19 HOARDERS WENT AND BOUGHT ALL THE PULLETS!@#$%$^% after they bought all the toilet paper. So maybe day old chicks aren't a bad idea.

I know right! so frustrating. All 3 farm supply stores within driving distance had sold out of chicks within an hour of the shipment. The lines went out the doors and into the parking lot! The only problem was, not only were they out of pullets, but also day-old chicks, turkey, and even quail.

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

Hello! We currently have 7 birds and only get 3 or 4 eggs per day. There is a little stand at the end of our driveway where we sell eggs. Every dozen we put out there are sold and we keep running out. We are looking to get more chickens and I am debating between started pullets from a hatchery and chicks from our nearby TSC. What do you all recommend? Is the cost similar? Thanks for the help!

Started Pullets are hens that are 15-22 weeks old. You can buy any number of start-up pullets, even just one. Most hens start laying eggs for 24 weeks.