hatch your own vs. day old chicks ?

[kimb]

I'm having a heck of a time with getting week old chicks from local people (already lost 2, in 2 months - very heart breaking!).

I know with hatching you obviously have straight run - but also have the possibilities of vaccinating or non/vaccinating by choice.

It day old chicks - they have a rough shipment, and are exposed to many other chicks/environments and could catch disease and are selectively vaccinated ...

are there any other pros/cons of hatching vs day old chicks? what do you prefer and why?

 

[Beekissed]

If I order chicks, I specify no vaccinations.

When I have a broody hatch her own clutch, I don't have to worry about keeping them warm. I love the freedom of having a ready-made brooder who helps them learn to eat and drink, keeps the other hens away and I also love the whole natural thing of it all. It's wonderful to watch a hen and chicks!

This year I will be doing both....ordering chicks and letting broodies hatch their own.

 

[cubalaya]

i prefer hatching my own or local breeders but if the hatchery has something i really want, i would go there.

 

[bigstack]

This will be my first chickens in a long time. I am hatching 57 now. staggerd hatches. I also orderd 17 from Ideal. They should be here this coming friday or so. I orderd just incase I blow all the hatches. I want to hatch my own so I can have a hand in the whole process. I guess you cansay I wanna play mom and dad. LOL I love the thought of these lil guys being because of my diligence and care. I also orderd the chicks just in case, and to have some different genes for breeding. I tried to find quality bloodlines locally. Hopefuly it all works out.

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[ChooksChick]

I do both, but I hatch because I want a specific breed from someone who has better-than-hatchery birds, but it can cost more than hatchery birds because your hatch rate will be low and half will be roosters.

I buy from hatcheries, because they will be cheap, can be a specific sex, and I will get close to the amount of birds I expect for the cost- but they will be not be appropriate for the breed standard, and they may be treated harshly by the travel.

 

[kimb]

great advice/opinons already

thanks everyone!

Beekissed - do you do your own vaccinations or none? I don't plan on showing - I just like my pretty little chicks

... the recent batch I got came from a women that buys chicks at the hatchery and then sells them as they get older (as they determine colors & sex) ... out of the 12 I got in november I'm down to 2, and of the ones that left, ones in the hospital and another is semiblind - blind... and I think I have a rooster too (which the whole point of waiting until they were 7-8 weeks old was to aim for hens)

I'm more of a "less vaccination" person myself I guess that's another topic in itself

I do have 4 chochin and 1 chochin/silkie banty (whose already been broody this year) ... has anyone ever had hatchery eggs hatched by their broody hen?

as fun as incubators are ! they are a lot of work to roll them

But I just want the happiest healthiest chicks - I'd love to support local people but I'm just nervous sense I really have hard time with losing my animals - there is a big risk in contamination from farm to farm, never mind bird to bird ... (I know I'm probably over reacting)

 

[Beekissed]

I don't vaccinate at all. I like my birds to develop their own immunities and hope to let natural selection shape the health of my flock. Never had a chick die of unnatural causes here....only a couple went the way of the black snake.