Hatchery vs. Local Feed Store

[nate1the1great1]

CANCEL THE ORDER NOW!!!!!! Feed stores are cheaper and the peeps don't die as easily because they aren't shipped very far. I got mine on Wednesday and i got 12 chickens and 2 more ducks and i only lost one because it got sick or it didn't develop right but that happens.

 

[McCoysOrps]

CANCEL THE ORDER NOW!!!!!! Feed stores are cheaper and the peeps don't die as easily because they aren't shipped very far. I got mine on Wednesday and i got 12 chickens and 2 more ducks and i only lost one because it got sick or it didn't develop right but that happens.

I said cancel too

 

[eggsellentfarms]

DO NOT put wood shavings in with them they will eat them and die!

It's a good thing all the chicks I've ever raised didn't know that "fact", otherwise they might not have survived. I guess ignorance is bliss.

Back to the original subject...I've often looked at mail order hatcheries and thought about all the chicks I might buy, but never have. The local feed stores are so convenient and cheaper for smaller orders. I was all set to order some this year to increase my flock, but then found a bunch of very nice, healthy hens just coming into lay, for sale locally at a good price. That was a no brainer.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

At the feed store I work at we hold the chicks a mandatory 24 hours before any can go home, this helps drastically with the loss rate as they become stressed when being moved alot. Also most of the losses with chicks are happening between hatch and abt 3 days old and usually they are 2-3 days old at the feed store, therefore not nearly as many die is you yourself were to order through a hatchery

 

[nate1the1great1]

Ya i had mine and it died at 3 days old at my house .

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Sorry to hear

 

[outdoorsii]

Honestly from a perspective of buying chicks before from a local feed store CHAIN...they have been known for selling chicks & misidentifying them, so if you dont' care what your getting then definitely LOCAL, but if you want what you want, I'd definitely go for hatcheries

 

[Sophie1959]

I picked up my three chicks from Meyer Hatchery on the 24th. So far so good, but this is also my first attempt at having chickens. They seem pretty healthy to me.

 

[SusanPC]

Our local feed store allowed us to order our specific breed chicks and then they included them with their first order of the year. This saved us shipping costs since we only wanted three chicks. They order from Ideal and we are in Texas (about 5 hours away from Ideal). I would like to drive to a small hatchery one day and pick up my chicks, but the closest is a 3-hour drive each way. So far, at a week old, all chicks seem happy and healthy. A silver-laced Wyandotte, a Buff Orpington, a Plymouth Barred Rock, and our last-minute addition from the bulk order, an Ameracauna.

 

[clankeyes]

Our local feed store allowed us to order our specific breed chicks and then they included them with their first order of the year. This saved us shipping costs since we only wanted three chicks. They order from Ideal and we are in Texas (about 5 hours away from Ideal). I would like to drive to a small hatchery one day and pick up my chicks, but the closest is a 3-hour drive each way. So far, at a week old, all chicks seem happy and healthy. A silver-laced Wyandotte, a Buff Orpington, a Plymouth Barred Rock, and our last-minute addition from the bulk order, an Ameracauna.

My local feed store did the same for us. As a first timer who had her heart set on having an Ameracauna and Marans the store special ordered them to arrive together for me. Another local feed store said " No here is the weeks each breed will arrive . No special orders" ... Shop, Look, Talk , Ask.