hatchery vs feed store chick place

[greeneggs444]

I was just wondering if you can get better variety of breeds by ordering through mail is it worth it? I mean you can buy chicks from a tsc right across the street, but can only pick from 2 breeds, do more of your chicks generally live? What are the pros&cons of ordering from hatcheries? feed stores?

 

[Frost Homestead]

Feed stores order from hatcheries. So you're going to get about the same from either place as far as quality of breed. Only difference I can see is if you wanted only a few birds. Most hatcheries have a minimum, which is usually 25 chicks. The chicks at the feed store are probably a few days older than the ones you would get through the mail, and you can bring them home the same day. This is just my opinion, but unless you're looking for something specific or a lot of birds I would just get them from the feed store.

 

[Roccomanchickens]

Agreed with Frosthazard;

The feed store and tractor supply order from the hatcheries and have them mailed to them. At least when you get them from the feed store you know they made it through the shipping. It's really upsetting to get your box of chicks and find dead and dying chicks in it.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

agreed too
But here in south Georgia, all the feed stores put signs up letting the locals know when they are ordering too.
They take special request here and will order what you want along with their order.
Yes it's safer, if they die in shipping, it's not yours it's the feed stores loss.
Plus you can pick and choose from the chicks that come in too.
Just another option. Ask your local store next time your in there and ask if you can have some added to their next order....

 

[greeneggs444]

Quote:
you mean breeds or general chicks?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

they get what every you want here, breeds, sex, anything.

 

[yinepu]

Here the feedstore just calls the hatchery and tells them they want X number of chicks.. then the hatchery sends them whatever they have available... so the variety usually isn't that good..

I like to order exactly what I want.. so I prefer to order directly from the hatchery.. I hardly ever lose a chick either way

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
well that stinks, on the local end I mean

Small town stuff here, everybody knows everybody, so they work with you a lot more to keep you coming in the store.
Now the TS and stuff like that, yep, they could careless about you, but our private small town feed stores, they custom order for you along with their main order