ordering chicks......dumb question

[ozarkmomma]

If you order different breeds are they "marked" or "labeled" in some way? How do you know which are which? I am splitting an order and need to know how to tell my chicks from hers?

 

[BellLisamo]

They are not marked. BUT if you order a box of say 50, and one is one breed, and the other is another breed, they will be seperated.

There is one hatchery that charges $6 for them to identify them for you, i forget which. I think its Cackle? ?



ETA:
How many different breeds are you ordering?

 

[ozarkmomma]

Quote:
maybe 4-6...will they all be separated? I have never ordered before.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Quote:
No they won't all be separated. Telling them apart can be easy or hard depending upon what breeds you are getting. McMurray and other hatcheries often have pictures of the chicks. You can always post pics here and we'll help figure out what each chick is.

 

[randomchick]

Your title says "ordering chicks......dumb question"
First off there is no such thing as a dumb question.
Second, you would be surprised how common of a question this is.
Third, I made the mistake of assuming they would be seperated my first time buying. lol, boy was that a mistake.
Best advice I can give you, post pictures of chickens on here and ask for help identifying.
Good luck

Side note, if you think that ordering different numbers of types would help then think again. I did that. 11 of this, 8 of that, 22 of that, 4 of these....
Then you place the order and then realize that it would not be that easy. Those 11, and that 4 may look very similar. Also that 8 and those 22 could be identical at day olds

 

[Ridgerunner]

Check with the hatchery and see if they will mark them. It could be as simple as a phone call.

Which breeds for you and which breeds for her? There are plenty of people on here that can tell you how hard it is to separate specific breeds as chicks. After all, you don't need to separate all the breeds, just yours from hers.

 

[Armageddon]

Not to mention...gettting "extra" chicks in your package, that'll throw the numbers off.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Just ask them to mark them. It may cost you a few bucks, but it'll save you alot of aggravation.
ETA: I had my roosters marked at the hatchery. Saved alot of guessing.

 

[Nascarwc88]

Ideal does mark them, if you ask. They are color coded.

 

[arherp]

Cackle does it for free - just write that you want marked birds on your invoice. They use magic marker dots on the chicks' head.