Hatchery vs. Breeder?

[ramboas93]

Bought from breeders and from hatcheries and in terms of health really haven't seen any difference. Some chicks die for all kinds of reason thats just how it goes, and should always be taken into account when buying chicks especially if you have kids, make sure they know that too so its not just a shocker surprise.

 

[rebrascora]

As regards keeping them on the same ground (a pen) and for that matter housed in an enclosed coop together at night, it leaves them prone to spreading disease much more easily than a more open coop and free range, but of course that brings with it a new set of dangers like predators and the cold in winter, although chickens can withstand quite a bit of cold. Infections and parasites are concentrated into a small area in enclosed quarters and therefore more likely to be picked up by other birds.

I am so sorry that you had such a traumatic time with your hen and I can understand why you would prefer not to repeat such an experience, but it really is a bit of a lottery. You can negate one set of risks by changing an aspect of your management only to encounter others. Finding what works best in your conditions and set of circumstances takes trial and error and experience.... it's a tough learning curve and there is heartache along the way, some you perhaps could have prevented with hindsight but most you probably could not.

I would agree with the previous poster that broody reared chicks are not just a joy to watch but also generally have stronger immune systems.

 

[Brummie Pekin]

What I would do is go to a nearby farm that is selling poultry and monitor what they are selling visit the farm every few days and when you think that the chicks are being kept and being looked after well you can go in and buy some.

 

[lazy gardener]

I've only been keeping chickens now for about 3 years. Most of my chickens came from different places but this year I have begun to hatch some of my own. So far it appears to me that the ones I have hatched are bigger and hopefully healthier than the others I have. I guess time will tell but if possible I believe its better to hatch your own with a real hen as opposed to the hatcheries or even your own incubator. But thats just my opinion and I'm sure theres others that feel differently.

This is why I have suggested getting local stock from a barn yard mix. Especially, if these birds have been raised and bred locally for a few generations, they have adapted to deal with local conditions including climate and pathogens. Of course, no matter where your stock comes from there is risk of disease when bringing in new birds. This is true for NPIP certified small flock owners, and NPIP hatchery stock. But, it's a risk we all take to one degree or an other.

This year, I ordered some chicks from Cackle. They were off to a rough start due to shipping stress. I also hatched chicks from my own flock. Both groups had same hatch date and were brooded together. It was astounding how much bigger, and how much faster my chicks grew and matured than the hatchery stock.

One thing the flock owner can do to help temper the issues of keeping a flock on the same ground, particularly on the same run is to use deep litter. This populates the soil with beneficial bacteria and fungi, as well as worms and insects. All of this soil life work to keep the pathogens in check. A bare soil run is very high in nitrogen and phosphorus. Pathogens can abound because all of the natural flora has been killed off. Bare soil becomes "dead" while a DL system is absolutely teeming with beneficial micro and macro-organisms.

 

[debid]

That's exactly what I was thinking about the "same ground" issue. I haven't moved my coop but the ground is ever-changing with the litter breaking down and the resulting soil being periodically harvested.

We all know chickens produce eggs but they'll also produce black gold if you'll let them. I took about 80 cubic feet out just recently because the ceiling was feeling quite low. The stuff I scooped out is beautiful soil and doesn't stink at all. They then got a big pile of dry leaves and they're right back to happily making more. We're fortunate to have plenty of oaks around but I've considered knocking on doors and offering to rake and take if I need more leaves. I'm pretty sure I could find takers for that!

 

[cottontail farm]

My parents would collect already bagged leaves from people in town for their chicken coop. It worked out for everyone. In out area they're set out at the curb in huge paper sacks.

 

[lazy gardener]

I hit the mother lode. I noticed a yard with lots of huge trees of all different kinds, and lots of bags of leaves piled up. I stopped, went knocking on the door, and met a sweet little old lady. She came trotting out to the end of her walk way to talk to me, and was more than happy to let me come and get her leaves, "Since no one has asked yet this year." This was 2 years ago, and I told her I'd take them all. It ends up being about 100 bags. Contractor sized bags. The down side is that she doesn't often have them bagged (has a family member do it) until after the weather turns nasty and they are sopping wet and full of ice. But, I store the dry ones around the coop and run, and pile the wet ones in the orchard, sheet compost, and HK. I see to it that she gets some fresh eggs when I'm done hauling her leaves. I have an other friend who rakes his leaves onto his trailer and hauls them to the dump. Since my yard is about the same distance, he now brings them to me.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I personally dont trust breeders as there birds live in sheds and most have mg because of the crowdedness they live in as npip doesnt test for mg either its not worth it

 

[cavemanrich]

@lazy gardener
I KNOW THIS IS GOING OFF SUBJECT...... but please don't beat me up.
I don't ever throw any of my leaves out. In autumn when they start to fall, I mulch them into my lawn. I also bag at certain times and apply a thick blanket over my flower beds. Here are some pix I searched out from years prior. BEFORE and AFTER.

In the top picture upper right corner you can see one of multiple flower beds. It is still green, so I did not cover over with a blanket of leaves and grass clippings. Bottom picture, barely visible but there is also a flower bed on the extreme right. It also is still growing. After a frost, I clean up flower beds and tuck them in for the winter.

 

[lazy gardener]

May be OT, but I love it. We are surrounded by leaves, yet, I never have enough and spend weeks gathering them every fall. Hard on the back. But well worth it. We have a bagger for both the ride on and for the push mower. those grass clippings and leaves are simply too valuable to allow them to be mulched back into the lawn! I've also noticed that my lawn is less weedy when we bag the clippings.