I'm picking out chicks today, any advice?

[kengland]

Too funny! Soooo true. I went to the Farm store already having pre-ordered 8 chicks. When I got there I saw they had a few extra (mine are all Delaware). I told the wife and kids, "throw another one in the box." I mean after all, if 8 is good 9 has to be better right?

 

[westtxamber]

Here's a link to the thread I started with pics of my new chicks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/638391/the-girls-have-arrived-pics#post_8580864

 

[kipper]

Pullets are sexed, but sexing isn't 100% accurate. Most hatcheries allow for about 10% males incorrectly sexed as females. I think My personal experience would average out to about 1 in 20 as an "oops" boy.

I would select average sized chicks, that's just me. All pullets/hen will lay, some breeds more than others. "Henderson's Chicken Chart" lists basics on most breeds including temperment and how many eggs laid a year. Google it, it's a good one to have on hand.

Oh, and chicken math:
1 coop + chicks+ 1 coop+ chicks+ ooh, we need some of those+ coop+ chicks= 3 coops and houses, spoiled birds, and more on the way!

 

[heybarb]

The chicken math did us in...we only wanted 4 chicks, but TS wouldn't sell just 4, so we ended up with 6 very cute little yellow chicks. A good friend's hen hatched a dozen old english / silkie mix and boy are they cute so we picked up 2 more today. That makes 8!

 

[hollyertley]

Yes that is exactly why I have 12 Chicks. I wanted the new kind they got in yesterday but ohhhhh noooooo. They have a 6 chick minimum.
So my chicken math looks like. Trip to tractor supply=6 chicks Therefore: 2(Trip to tractor supply)=12 Chicks.

 

[sas212]

City ordinances says 3. My neighbor has 6 so I thought 4 was a good number. We came home with 7 because it was a straight run selection...You know...Might lose one or two or might end up with a roo...Or two.
I lost one after the first 24 hours but chose not to replace it because I had planned for that.
Four days later we lose another and both of them were my granddaughters babies so I ran to the feed store to see if I could replace it with another lookalike. No luck. BUT, they had pullets so I got two!
I think this is what they call chicken math.