I recently posted that I was ordering from a hatchery but decided not to and I’m going to hatch eggs most likely. And or pick up chicks or pullets from a local breeder
There are pros and cons to each choice. What swayed you to change your mind?
I would probably go with hatching eggs from an NPIP source to reduce the risk of disease (there is a higher risk of Marek's disease getting chicks from a breeder rather than a hatchery..... NPIP doesn't cover Marek's) but at this time of year fertility rates will probably not be very high, so you may not have a very successful hatch. As someone else mentioned, it is important to have a plan for the surplus cockerels that will result if you hatch. Adolescent males in a young flock can be a major cause of stress both to the birds and the keeper once those hormones kick in. Just some things to consider.