I need Purchasing advice please

[TnMama]

Hello. I am planning on ordering or buying my 12 hens soon. Here's my issue. I can order them on various hatchery sites,and I can buy them at my local feed store. I had thought that buying at the feed store would be cheaper, since I dont have to pay shipping. However, the hens will run me right at 4.00 per chicken. I asked the nice man if I got them home and 2 die the next day if I can bring them back for another bird or money back. He said no. So I figure I should buy 14,since I know some will expire. However, I've also done some web looking at My Pet Chicken, Meyer's,and Cackle. I can order my small amount, but with shipping and all, the price will even out. This is the first time as an adult I will be raising a flock. I don't want to shell out a ton of money on chicks that i really don't have. I also don't want to buy too many hen's and none of them expire.
I guess my point is, Do I buy from a hatchery and get some kind of warranty on my chicks, or do I buy from my feed mill with no warranty.

Thanks.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

I would buy from the local business, assuming that the business is clean and reputable. We buy all of our chicks from a local Wilco and over the last 3 years its always been the same 3 ladies working in the chick section that we've dealt with. If you read through the threads here you'll see two recent ones involving Cackle and possible issues. I googled Cackle and found several people who couldn't get them to answer the phone, email, or letters when there was a problem with their chicks.

 

[fried green eggs]

I purchased 26 chicks from TSC last Spring - none died, all healthy. I made sure my brooder was warmed before I brought them home and heat light gave them a large area with 95 deg temp and room to get out of the heat if they wanted. I placed brooder where they would get No drafts on them. I fed Chick Starter feed, with meds & vitamins added to water. Chick Grit also added at 1 week old.
I had one chick that had a crooked beek (I didn't notice it when she was a chick) so by the time she was 4 months old we culled her. I did end up with a few more roos than I wanted from Straight Run chicks I bought (those went to freezer camp) and I ended up with one pullet that was not, but I kept him as my roo.
To make sure you only get hens buy Sex Link chicks or pullets just make sure they are very active when picking out your chicks.
What ever you decide to do, this website is a great place to get information and advice. The Search allows you to type in a question and find lots of related information.
Good Luck &

 

[dainerra]

my local store (Tractor Supply and Orschlen's) will replace chicks within 24 hours, provided that you bought a bag of feed while you were there - just something to prove that you had properly prepared for the birds.
The local feed stores all get their birds from hatcheries, so it's the same birds, just with a middle man. The good thing is that you can examine the chicks and pick out healthy lively ones, helping to insure that they will make it. You can check them over for pasty butt, make sure they are active and eating, things like that.

 

[ragerkid2]

I went with eFowl.com this year. I went to TSC last year and nothing good came out of it. I got the wrong chicks. Got too many. Ect. Efowl had free shipping and the prices were 3 somthing for chicks. And the min. was 15. So me and a couple people ordered together and it all worked out. The only thing is you have to buy your chicks in batches of 5. You can get as many breeds as you want, as long as they are in batches of 5. It was a bummer because I wanted a bunch of breeds. I got EE Barred Rock and GLW. I want Cochins and Marans. That will be a TSC eventure. But the problem is I'm running out of space in the coop!!!!

 

[TnMama]

Good Mornin y'all. Yesterday was quite a day out here in the boonies. We got the hen house structure off loaded in the yard, junk cleared out of the way. Plus, the kids, { 2 boys} and I went to visit DH's cousin. She has a bunch of chickens,so we had us a hen party yesterday afternoon. I got idea's for my set up and all. They use 5 gal buckets for nesting boxes,and I decided to do the same. Picked them up at my local grocery store,for a whoppin' FREE. Also, she decided to go in on an order from McMurry. They are who I really wanted to order from. We are going to split an order of the "Rainbow Assortment Layers" pullets. I had originally decided just to get Buff Orp,and Rhode Island Reds. now,I think it will be neat to see what kind of mixed lot we get to decide on which one's we like around here. We got them ordered yesterday for a March 19 either hatch or ship date.

Looking at the websites,Cackle's site seemed a lil screwy. On my pc if you type in just the main page,a cackle plays and then nothing,so to look at the site, I had to google Cackle Hatchery order page. I asked my BIL about Tractor Supply and he told me all they get are the straight runs,so that would have been a no for me.

Thanks for telling me how to use the search part. I'm new to navigating on here,and I appreciate the reply's and tips!

 

[Oakieridge]

Also search on craigslist. Many times you can find chicks just as cheap from a local breeder. When I have excess chicks that is where I sell mine at.

 

[loanwizard]

I would also look to my local farmers. A lot of times they will hatch them for you. I have a few in the incubator now for a photographer that wants them for Easter. Gonna sell them to her then she will give them back when she is done. Hey, it will pay for some feed lol!