Hatchery that sells "older chicks"??? Does that exsist?

[askjcm2005]

Sorry if this is the wrong section to post in, please feel free to move this moderators if it is in the wrong section!!

I am new to chickens but I am addicted!! I recently got 12 tiny week old silkie chicks and that didnt go to well. Either they were already sickly or they had a vitamin defiency or something of the sort so now I am looking for only older chicks. By older I mean past the tiny chicks stage, like maybe a month-2 months old...?

Does a hatchery exist that sells them that old? I live in San Diego if that makes any difference.

I am mainly looking for Silkies and Polish...

 

[buckeyejerseygiants]

I don't know of any commercial hatcheries that sell started birds that young (although someone on here might). I'd imagine they avoid it because after chicks 3 days of egg nutrients are up they become difficult to ship. McMurray and Meyer sell started pullets at 16 weeks, though. Shipping for anything but newly hatched chicks is generally very expensive.

Your best bet is probably finding a breeder in your area. I'd also recommend checking the newspaper, Craigslist, and the farmers paper if your area has one. We usually order enough to make the minimum and then get rid of however many we don't need through those outlets once they're home and growing.