Mail Ordering Pullets/Adolescent Hens

[Tirningirl]

Hello all, I'm not sure if this is where this subject should be posted. I'm new here and didn't see a thread already started for mail ordering pullets. We're in the process of building our first tractor coop/run 4x10 and are wanting to get 4 hens. I'm not sure we're up for doing the baby chicks on our first go around. My questions are... Most local listings (Indy area), that I've called tell me they don't vaccinate for anything. This has me a bit worried. All of the mail order places that I've found via this site do vaccinate. Do many of you mail order pullets or adolescent birds? It seems so cruel to ship a bird through the mail. I'm just not sure I'm comfortable with that but I'm sure they have it down to a science. We'd like to get a couple of Sussex, a Austalorp and a Wyandotte that are a several weeks old. Who would you recommend for this age of bird and mail ordering? Any help for a newbie would be greatly appreciated. This forum and the information here is incredible.

Thanks,

Jenny

 

[RonC]

I purchased my day olds locally and they were not vaccinated. I wouldn't worry a lot about that if they are not exposed to other chickens although some do prefer to vaccinate. Hatcheries are good at shipping live birds but even science can go wrong. It is getting hot in most of the country and that could be a problem. It's not cheap to ship live animals either so you might call local feed stores and check to see what is available there.

 

[steny03]

I just got into chickens and didn't want to go the chick route, so I ordered started australorp pullets from the Murray McMurray hatchery. I was nervous about shipping too, but everybody arrived healthy and pretty quickly too. I received the shipping notice on Wednesday and received my birds by Friday morning. They were a bit skittish but just after a week of being home they are coming out to meet me now.

Shipping was expensive, but they were well packed.

Steny