Pullets vs Chicks - Need advice please

[happymom99]

Hello. We will be getting our first chickens soon and I would really like them to be friendly and comfortable with our family. I'm not expecting them to hop into our laps or anything, but be comfortable with us and maybe even some will eat out of our hands or at least come near when we have treats. I have heard that the best chance of getting chickens like this is to raise them from chicks. I know chicks are so so sooooo cute, but the truth is I'd rather just get pullets. As luck would have it, there is someone nearby who has pullets for sale and he has the exact 5 breeds that I want.


If we do get the pullets, it will be in about 3 weeks so they will all be between 7 and 11 weeks old.

Experienced chicken keepers, if we get pullets that are that age instead of chicks will we have lost the chance to bond with them and get them comfortable with us?

For that age gap will I be able to put them all in the coop together or will some be too little to be left alone with the others?

These pullets are 1.5 hour drive away. Any suggestions on how I would transport them in my minivan?

Thank you so much,
CJ

 

[Fred's Hens]

Flame proof suit on here, but "bonding" is not anything I care too much about. My hens bond just fine, to a fault really. The come running, but mostly it is about my "role" as the rooster and about food, being honest. I allow my chickens to be chickens. I don't need nor desire them to be dogs or cats or anything else. I work with and in harmony with their natural instincts. I really like chickens.

I believe you'll have opportunities to raise some chicks one day, if you wish. But, if you wish to start with pullets, buy them from someone who has cared for them, as you would have, and they will be warm and friendly. Those who have purchased our pullets remark how friendly they really are. I dislike hatchery, commercial pullets as they will have had their beaks trimmed.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Are they guranteed as pullets? b/c not knowing the breed, I'd still say that is fairly young to be able to sex them. But the beauty of it is, they are still young enough. When I first started out with chickens, I got older birds. I kept them in a coop for the first little bit to get acquainted, and they did become friendly. Then I let them freerange.

Make sure yo get a guarantee so that you can bring them back if they are cockerals. And yes, young birds of varying ages can be kept together.

As far as trasnporting them goes, they wil be fine in a box.

 

[happymom99]

Quote:
Yes, they're guaranteed. If a roo does sneak in I can bring him back. Thanks for the infor about being able to keep them together. That is a a relief. They will be three different ages and the thought of trying to keep them all separate seemed far more challenging than just getting chicks.

As far as transporting them in a box... Do you mean in a cardboard box? Do I put them all in together or do they each get their own box? Do I just close up the lid on them? Will they be freaking out and squawking and stuff?

Thanks,
CJ

 

[happymom99]

Fred's Hens :

Flame proof suit on here, but "bonding" is not anything I care too much about. My hens bond just fine, to a fault really. The come running, but mostly it is about my "role" as the rooster and about food, being honest. I allow my chickens to be chickens. I don't need nor desire them to be dogs or cats or anything else. I work with and in harmony with their natural instincts. I really like chickens.

I believe you'll have opportunities to raise some chicks one day, if you wish. But, if you wish to start with pullets, buy them from someone who has cared for them, as you would have, and they will be warm and friendly. Those who have purchased our pullets remark how friendly they really are. I dislike hatchery, commercial pullets as they will have had their beaks trimmed.

I've already got a dog and a cat so I certainly don't need (or even want) the chickens to be that friendly. I just don't want them pecking any of us or anything like that.

I will be getting them from a family who raises chickens as a hobby. They add to their flock by getting chicks in 25s from Ideal or McMurray and they keep some and sell some. As for getting their beak trimmed, thankfully that will not be the case with these. That sounds awful.

Thanks for the tips!

CJ​

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Yes, they're guaranteed. If a roo does sneak in I can bring him back. Thanks for the infor about being able to keep them together. That is a a relief. They will be three different ages and the thought of trying to keep them all separate seemed far more challenging than just getting chicks.

As far as transporting them in a box... Do you mean in a cardboard box? Do I put them all in together or do they each get their own box? Do I just close up the lid on them? Will they be freaking out and squawking and stuff?

Thanks,
CJ

If you use boxes , lot of air holes, they will overheat in boxes . if they are not leghorns most pullet will tame down in a few weeks, once they know you are bring them the feed, just let the feeder run out the first few days ,throw them little feed , they will keep getting near you until they eat out of your hands

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I bought pullets and they are some of the friendlier chickens in my flock. They come up for treats, and come to see what we have when we have BBQ's. They don't like to be pet, but they get close. I'm sure if I were to try more bribing, they would be happy to let me pet them too... I just don't.

Size mixing is easiest when they are close to the same size, and if they have plenty of room to get away from each other until they are used to each other.

When I drove my chickens home, I put them into one of my spare dog kennels with straw in the bottom. They did fine!