Hatchery pros cons and sexing eggs? Just a few quick questions.

[teddyjames]

I have looked through the stickys and really haven't found any discussion on it but I could be wrong.

I have found a few hatcheries just by searching for them, however many were discovered here. Some had some expensive birds and I'm not talking exotic. Take Rhode Island reds, straight run. I'm not sure the exact hatchery since I looked through no less than 15 different ones, pricing and checking out their shipping and ordering policies, but I found one asking $14 per chick. I assume free shipping, but Murry McMurry also has free shipping, and their chicks are in the $3 range.

Does quality play a large role? Are the genetics better in the more costly chicks?

I don't want show quality, and past experience shows me McMurry is pretty reliable but they really don't have as much of a selection and their hatching dates are sporadic at times and I also understand this time of year is not the best time to start getting chicks.

To make a long story longer, I guess I'm asking if anyone has any shortcuts for a prospective chick buyer because I'm looking at spending more than one day/night finding the best company to order from. Cheapest but the highest quality. The most you can get with the least amount of $$. I want cheap but good birds. Not the best birds, not the CHEAPEST, somewhere in the good ole middle. Can you suggest good middle ground hatcheries or should I just go with the good old mcmurry?

An old timer told me that they can sex eggs with 80% accuracy! The longer oblong eggs - Roosters. The more round plump eggs are hens. I call bs on this because this person didn't know chickens had kidneys, but is there a way to sex eggs? (I don't think so without a DNA lab available or something and without destroying the egg in the process)

By the way my coop is coming along fine. I'm finding more materials every day!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Look into your state thread. You can sex some birds at birth.
Others see if the lay eggs or crow.

 

[aart]

An old timer told me that they can sex eggs with 80% accuracy! The longer oblong eggs - Roosters. The more round plump eggs are hens. I call bs

You would be correct, that's BS.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

I am new to this as well, welcome to BYC. I found the same as you through research. I settled with Ideal and Hoover's (which our local TS and Boomgars uses). The prices of chicks were a little bit higher (average 6 to 8 dollars).
I just got them 2nd week of Aug. I pre ordered in April ( I wanted a variety of breeds lol).
I will say, for future orders, I am hesitant to get anymore from Ideal (if I do need to order online again). Out of 27 of original order, I lost 13 they were good about replacing, but I still lost 4 out of 17 (I bought 3 red laced wyandottes to make order 15, they added 2 extras).
If the 15 I received from Hoover's I didn't lose any. It could have been shipping, not sure but made me a bit hesitant to order more from them.
There's others with way more experience, I'd love to see what others say. I hope this helped some.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I like Murray McMurray for larger birds. I don't think I've really had issues from them and I order from a lot of hatcheries

 

[skeeeter]

Hi! I know that Strongberg's and Cackle have "show quality" descent chicks available at times.. McMurrey's does also have a couple of certified breeds available. If you are just wanting chickens any place will do. If you want something a 4Her could raise and take to the fair, those three places would be good places to check out.

 

[skeeeter]

Sandhill also works to keep chickens up to quality.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Sandhill also works to keep chickens up to quality.

Ehh.... multiple posts from buyers on here claim otherwise

 

[Chicalina]

No, you cannot sex eggs. If only!!!

 

[FamilyOfSeven]

MurrayMcmurray hatchery is probably the best. They have so many breeds and varieties. Or like some other people mentioned, you could get an incubator and hatch your own eggs.