Help with new flock in Pensacola, FL

[Liquidfuture]

Quote:
Thanks for the welcome! Well, I started with a very clear sense of the breeds I wanted to consider (Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, and a few others), but now, I'm realizing that I may not have that luxury if I want to buy sexed chicks locally. Any thoughts?

I'd like to vary the breeds a little (keeping in mind that I only want 3-4 birds). I definitely want good egg layers, good for NW Florida climate, and I'd prefer full-bodied brown, black, grey colors etc. I'm not really against white chickens other than the fact that they can get dirty looking!

Tall order, I know. My range of considerations is quickly widening, though.

 

[Nava]

Quote:
Thanks for the welcome! Well, I started with a very clear sense of the breeds I wanted to consider (Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, and a few others), but now, I'm realizing that I may not have that luxury if I want to buy sexed chicks locally. Any thoughts?

I'd like to vary the breeds a little (keeping in mind that I only want 3-4 birds). I definitely want good egg layers, good for NW Florida climate, and I'd prefer full-bodied brown, black, grey colors etc. I'm not really against white chickens other than the fact that they can get dirty looking!

Tall order, I know. My range of considerations is quickly widening, though.

well it's hard to sex day old chicks but maybe you could wait till they are at least 5 weeks old and then it might be easier to spot the pullets
try posting in the Florida thread there are some people from NW there they might be able to help you with some chicks
just click on the link in my Sig.

I'm in Ocala other wise I'll hook you up with some 6 week old chicks *girls*

 

[KZ]

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I think you may be a bit confused (or I am reading what you are writing incorrectly) - you WANT pullets and hens. A pullet is a young female and a hen is a grown female. Only females lay eggs. If someone is advertising they have pullets, this means they have been sexed.

I have bought birds (chicks and Peachicks) in the mail, however, only with overnight delivery. They have done fine, but I don't think I would be comfortable risking Priority mail (like the big hatcheries use).

 

[newchknmama]

Quote:
I think you may be a bit confused (or I am reading what you are writing incorrectly) - you WANT pullets and hens. A pullet is a young female and a hen is a grown female. Only females lay eggs. If someone is advertising they have pullets, this means they have been sexed.

I have bought birds (chicks and Peachicks) in the mail, however, only with overnight delivery. They have done fine, but I don't think I would be comfortable risking Priority mail (like the big hatcheries use).

I think what she is saying is she has only found hens and pullets meaning young hens not laying yet and hens that are already laying? and no baby chicks... that she wants to raise them from the get go. I felt that way too, I wanted baby ones that were just hatched and sexed at birth so I could be more sure Id have no roos since i live in a subdivision.

 

[pwdhorn]

Dothan, here but I have gotten several in area from Craigs list.

 

[KZ]

I guess it's a regional thing, when people here say they have pullets, they mean baby (day old or week old) female chicks. I guess in Florida they mean older females.

Quote:
I think you may be a bit confused (or I am reading what you are writing incorrectly) - you WANT pullets and hens. A pullet is a young female and a hen is a grown female. Only females lay eggs. If someone is advertising they have pullets, this means they have been sexed.

I have bought birds (chicks and Peachicks) in the mail, however, only with overnight delivery. They have done fine, but I don't think I would be comfortable risking Priority mail (like the big hatcheries use).

I think what she is saying is she has only found hens and pullets meaning young hens not laying yet and hens that are already laying? and no baby chicks... that she wants to raise them from the get go. I felt that way too, I wanted baby ones that were just hatched and sexed at birth so I could be more sure Id have no roos since i live in a subdivision.

 

[nwfl]

Im east of you in holt. I have bought many chicks from okaloosa feed in crestview. They usually get birds in tuesdays. Youmight be able to request them to hold certain breeds. They get their sexed pullets from ideal and a couple other hatcheries as well as from local breeders. There is a feed store off 87 south heading toward navarre that gets chicks too. Im sure there are others. Thought there was one in Pace and jay. Okaloosa county ag extension has a link to breeders in my area, good resource. And as others have said craigs list, milton farmers market advertises there and vendors have chicks. Ive ordered from cackle hatchery and have received healthy birds. But for just a few the feed store is a good idea.

 

[Liquidfuture]

Quote:
I think you may be a bit confused (or I am reading what you are writing incorrectly) - you WANT pullets and hens. A pullet is a young female and a hen is a grown female. Only females lay eggs. If someone is advertising they have pullets, this means they have been sexed.

I have bought birds (chicks and Peachicks) in the mail, however, only with overnight delivery. They have done fine, but I don't think I would be comfortable risking Priority mail (like the big hatcheries use).

Well, I may be confused, or there may be a real difference in terminology. My impression of "pullet" thus far, has definitely been a female chicken, but one that has reached "adolescence." Essentially, not a fuzzball chick anymore. While I don't need a chick that is only 2 days old, I would like chicks that are closer to that age than to 3 or 4 weeks old, if possible.

 

[Liquidfuture]

Quote:
I think what she is saying is she has only found hens and pullets meaning young hens not laying yet and hens that are already laying? and no baby chicks... that she wants to raise them from the get go. I felt that way too, I wanted baby ones that were just hatched and sexed at birth so I could be more sure Id have no roos since i live in a subdivision.


I just quickly looked at a few online dictionary resources. They both essentially defined a pullet as a "young hen less than one year old." I suppose technically this does include baby chicks, but in my *very* limited experience, I've always thought that the reference implied chickens slightly older (but still under a year).

 

[Liquidfuture]

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Wow, that's a lot. I've now got some more homework to do. Thanks!