Help! How do I decide where to buy from?

[AllynTal]

If this had been a couple of months ago, you could have walked into the local feed store and gone home with chicks. It gets tougher in the summer. I think every hatchery has had glowing reviews and some bad reviews. The only one I've had personal experience with live birds is with Cackles. All the chicks arrived alive and healthy and all stayed healthy. The downside to having chicks shipped is the cost of shipping. It can get a little pricey and there are minimum orders to consider. Cackles has a 15-chick minimum order unless you get a City/Town special order. In the special order, you can get fewer chickens but shipping can be even higher. I remember that one of the hatcheries -- I don't remember which -- had a three chick minimum, but they added a "small order" fee, which I think included the price of a little heater so the chicks stayed warm in transit.

Yeah, actually, picking the breed or breeds you want is the easy part. Now comes all the headaches.

 

[AllynTal]

Oh! And just in case you do decide to have the chicks shipped, be aware that it is possible to have one or more of them not survive shipping. Most hatcheries will add a couple of extras to the order in case that happens so you'll get alive at least the number you paid for. Salient point: you'll have to decide whether to have your kids hanging over your shoulder when the box is opened. You know your kids and how well they'll handle opening the box to find a dead chick. Some parents prefer to leave the kids home when they go pick up the chicks at the PO so they can open the box there and deal with any dead ones before they take the box home.

 

[LilyandSparrow]

Oh! And just in case you do decide to have the chicks shipped, be aware that it is possible to have one or more of them not survive shipping. Most hatcheries will add a couple of extras to the order in case that happens so you'll get alive at least the number you paid for. Salient point: you'll have to decide whether to have your kids hanging over your shoulder when the box is opened. You know your kids and how well they'll handle opening the box to find a dead chick. Some parents prefer to leave the kids home when they go pick up the chicks at the PO so they can open the box there and deal with any dead ones before they take the box home.

Totally! My husband and I talked about this last night--my girls are pretty sensitive to animal deaths so we would have to intercept the box before it was opened for the girls to see. I'm okay with them experiencing death as I know it will happen with animals, but this seems like an unnecessary heartache if we went the hatchery route.

My original plan was to get the chicks in the spring, but as was not the one building the coop, I couldn't control when it was finished So, here we are, later than we wanted it! The poultry show isn't for almost 2 more weeks, and I am hesitant to wait that long to decide if I will get them from a breeder there or to order and have them shipped. If I can't find a local breeder by this weekend, I will probably go the hatchery route.

 

[AllynTal]

...The poultry show isn't for almost 2 more weeks, and I am hesitant to wait that long to decide if I will get them from a breeder there or to order and have them shipped. If I can't find a local breeder by this weekend, I will probably go the hatchery route.

Check the shipping availability of whichever hatchery you choose. Depending on what breeds they have available to ship, they may not be able to ship right away. It is very possible that you'll have to wait at least two weeks -- maybe longer -- if you order through them.

 

[LilyandSparrow]

Check the shipping availability of whichever hatchery you choose. Depending on what breeds they have available to ship, they may not be able to ship right away. It is very possible that you'll have to wait at least two weeks -- maybe longer -- if you order through them.

Yes, that is a good reminder. So far, all the hatcheries I've been checking over the last week have had a July 11 or later ship date, which is part of the reason I'm hesitant to wait to make the decision. I feel like I need to decide by this weekend or I'm looking at fall for chicks, which probably isn't a great idea.

 

[SueT]

Summer brings county fair season, and poultry exhibits! You can meet lots of chicken people there. Lots of 4H kids showing their chickens. Your kids might be interested in seeing them.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Summer brings county fair season, and poultry exhibits! You can meet lots of chicken people there. Lots of 4H kids showing their chickens. Your kids might be interested in seeing them.

Yep! That's how I got hooked!

 

[SueT]

have you checked craigslist?

 

[LilyandSparrow]

My girls are SO excited! They watched youtube videos all morning about types of chickens, chicken chores, chicken care, etc. I can only imagine how much they will love the fair & poultry exhibits.

I have been checking craigslist daily. Most being advertisted are 3-5 month old pullets and we'd really love to start with chicks if we can. But, if we aren't able to, I am sure they will enjoy the older pullets too.

 

[AllynTal]

... I feel like I need to decide by this weekend or I'm looking at fall for chicks, which probably isn't a great idea.

I understand, but don't rush into a decision because you feel like the clock is ticking. Fall for chicks can be just fine. You're in western Washington, you said? So I'm thinking pretty mild temperatures in the winter if you're near the coast. If you use the heating pad brooder method and brooder them outside, they'll feather out faster than if you brooder them in the insidious torture chamber ..... I mean the inside brooder with the heating lamp .... so they'll be well prepared for winter.

It probably won't come to that. You have options. I'm thinking you'll have chicks by the end of the month.