New to Chickens - Hatching Eggs, Chicks or Pullets?

[K-Karla]

We live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and my family and I are planning to keep some chickens in our back yard. We can have 3 hens and are in the process of building a suitable coop and enclosure for the hens in our large back yard.

Should we get chicks, pullets or hatching eggs? We do have an incubator and could find good homes for the extra birds that we hatch (we can only keep 3 hens in our city). We have successfully used our incubator hatching duck eggs. If we get pullets we would not have to deal with any extra birds but would miss out on the fun of seeing them hatch and grow.

Any guidance you can give us would be most appreciated!

 

[SouthernBYChickens]

I guess it really all depends on how much patience you all have. We've hatched eggs out from under a setting hen and have ordered chicks from a hatchery. Both were great experiences, but I guess getting to see them hatch was an incredible thing to experience - although we didn't actually see them hatch because they were under the hen when they did, but you know what I mean...

 

[HudokFarm]

All I have to offer is my own recent first experience with chickens: Although my husband and his family had chickens many years ago, we just got some for the farm again two summers ago. I was the only one of the four of us who was new to chickens, but I was nervous about learning the ropes about them, so to speak. To help ease me into chicken ownership, we found a local back-yarder who had some one-year-olds and some pullets for sale. We bought two one-year-olds and ten (turned out to be nine, it was a mess of feathers trying to catch them!) of the pullets.

I think it was good for me to start with some grown and pullet hens. We are getting chicks this spring to raise now that I know a little more and am more comfortable with this animal. I need to know a LOT about an endeavour before I attempt it. If we had started out with eggs or chicks I would have worried myself sick about them. Are they OK? Is this normal?? If you're comfortable with trying chicks or eggs, I say go for it! I just know I could not have done it!

 

[snipercp]

why dont you buy 1 week old chicks or some 1 day olds then you dont have worry about selling extra chicks but you will still have the joys of seeing them grow up.

Connor

 

[suzeqf]

If you are only wanting 3 hens then I would find someone who has pullets and has sexed them so you know you are getting girls or split a sexed hatchery order with someone so you know you are getting girls