Hatchery vs. Local Feed Store

[mekat49]

My feed stores just throws everything together and couldn't tell me the breed, most of all they are straight run so you could end up with all roosters. I did this once, now I order from a hatchery and order the different breed and sex I want!!

 

[CountryGal517]

What I know about stores such as tractor supply is that they get chicks in all the time and they never know what they are going to be getting until they get them that morning. We called one day looking for golden comets they didn't have any then but like 2 or 3 days later they had all kinds of them so I'd say if you want something particular to order them however you could get lucky and find what your looking in the store

 

[Ciqala]

Last year I picked up 12 pullets from Tractor Supply and was at their mercy as far as breeds were concerned, 3 of my "pullets" ended up being cockerels {first time ever having chickens}. I kept two of the boys and only having 9 hens for them just isn't working, even with hen saddles. So today I ordered 8 pullets from Agway, I pray they're pullets lol. I can comfortably fit another 3-4 in our current set up, so I'll be adding an addition to the coop. The thing I liked about Agway is that I could mix and match breeds that I wanted.

My new chicks won't be in until the first week of April, I don't know how I'm going to wait that long. I'm so excited! My two boys will be thrilled to have more ladies and my current hens will be happy they have more ladies too

 

[itspebbl]

We got the two of the red pullets and they both turn out to be pullets although they were not any of the breeds listed but great layers anyway!

 

[Twinklin]

It depends on the feed store. The feed store near me has a small amount of chicks compared to some of the larger feed stores. The man took us out back in the hutches where they have the chicks and even though they were all mixed together he knew the names of all the breeds. They tend to have the typical production breeds but for our first 4 we were fine with that. This spring I'm getting 4 fancier breeds from an online hatchery and we'll see how that goes. Some of the larger more commercial feed stores I would stay away from. I have heard bad things.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I am pretty sure they all come from a hatchery one way or another. The hatchery generally has more selection but otherwise if the feed store has what you want it should be no difference. The biosecurity is probably better with the hatchery chicks. The feed store chicks are out there being handled by many chicken owners.

 

[prose15]

Called feedstore today, they got around ten different breeds in today! I will probably end up buying from both. Thank you everyone for your comments! I will keep you posted on what I decide

 

[clankeyes]

My order from my feed store won't be in until April 23 Sad sad sad..

 

[Yeoldmarm]

I don't quite get what you are showing as a way to sex chickens? Are those tail feathers? Wing tips? What breed? I have always sexed by opening the vent gently and feeling for the tiny 'horn' found in males. Heck sometimes it pops right up and voila you have a cockerel. Always be careful however to handle the chicks gently. My neighbor Sue Lee (Vietnam) can go through a whole boatload of newborns in just minutes it seems and she is always right with this method. Its what she taught me as a child. I know of no other, though if I could learn one that doesn't require me to turn the poor little thing over and pop out its butt I'd love to know - plus it would preclude me getting pooped on, too as often happens.

Happy to learn in Tennessee
Mikelyn

 

[gardenmuse]

The question from me is not so much what varieties are available, or how soon I can get them- it's more about the ethical treatment of the animals- including the hens that lay these hatchery eggs (local feed stores almost all get theirs from commercial hatcheries), the handling of newly hatched chicks by the gender-separating workers (not to mention the quality of their lives at the conveyor belt!) and lastly, the poor little roosters that get culled and tossed into the dumpster like garbage- still alive and peeping!!

The REAL question would be- where can I find a local breeder who uses humane methods and systems???

Let's change this system that treats animals like a consumer product, and start respecting the living beings that they are, and treat them accordingly.

Thanks for listening