Questions for ordering chicks for the first time.

[anchutka]

Go to www.purelypoultry.com they sale minimum 5 chicks.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Thanks everyone! We had hoped for a couple of different breeds, so My Pet Chicken with a minimum of 3 will allow us to get 2 different breeds. I hadn't realized there were breeders and hatcheries and that they were different LOL. For all our research over the years we never got to the ordering part, so this is all new to us.

Another question - what do you think of this combination - buckeyes and rhode island reds? If this isn't good, what would go well with the buckeyes? We are not looking to show these birds, or breed them (no roosters allowed here), we just wanted to help an endangered breed along, especially since we are from Ohio and the buckeyes are so pretty. Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[al6517]

Here is a link to some very good Buckeye breeders in your area, Ordering from a hatchery is not helping an endangered breed if that is your goal as you stated. If you want just a few hen's, why not get some nice ones with true heritage lines you can be proud of. I still don't understand why you are still considering ordering Hatchery mutt's, I just feel IMO that you will be much happier going the breeder route.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=271644

 

[my4buffaloes]

I am certainly not trying to offend anyone by choosing to go with a hatchery rather than a breeder. Unfortunately the breeders I have looked at require a min of 25 and/or are sold out. I read through at least 50 pages of the thread you linked here (thank you, very interesting!) and while it definitely confirmed my wanting Buckeyes, I only found 1 link to a breeder and you need to order 25. We have no room for 25 chicks, so that isn't an option for us. I wish we could find a good breeder, but it isn't looking like it. Therefore a hatchery will have to suffice. This is our first experience owning chickens and i definitely want to get good chickens, but am not really understanding why a hatchery (one that is highly recommended here on Backyard Chickens) is so bad. Confused I guess.

 

[gryeyes]

On BYC, there are two very ..... outspoken..... sides to opinions of chicken breed quality and/or "usefulness." Many members are firmly in the "breeders" camp and many others are perfectly happy with hatchery birds. I have some breeder birds I hatched from eggs purchased from breeders, and the quality IS different. However, I have more hatchery than breeder birds (and I let my flock cross breed - horrors!) and they're all great chickens. And ducks. My dominant Roo is a hatchery EE and he's GORGEOUS.

Here's a White Leghorn rooster I hatched from Trader Joe's refridgerated eggs - not EVEN a breeder or hatchery!

Those are just two examples of non-breeder stock. It depends entirely on what you want to raise.

 

[colebarnhart]

Have you thought about trying hatching eggs for sale on BYC site or ebay. Since you don't want that many it might be a cheaper option. Or you could go the hatchery route and get 25 and sell the extra on craigslist and make a profit and get your chix for free, plus extra money for a few bags of feed. From my experience the sites that require a 25 min order, have very cheap shipping and cheaper prices for the chix and vaccinations and give extras, however, the ones that don't will charge you around $40+ for shipping and twice as much for the chix and vacc's. I bought 7 chix from "chickens for backyards" and for the same price I got 25 + 2 extra from "Murry Mcmurry hatchery". Not sure if either of those places sell the breed you're looking for, but just an idea to not let the 25 min scare you.

 

[my4buffaloes]

gryeyes - your rooster is gorgeous! That is interesting that the quality would be so different, will have to look into it more.

colebarnhart - I did look at ebay, and there is one set of eggs for sale. We don't really have the equipment to hatch them ourselves though. Will have to look into that more as well. could be really fun for the kids to go that route.

 

[greenbottle27]

Gryeyes - thank you very much for your support on this thread because I am in a similar boat as my4buffaloes. I cannot get 2 chicks and do not want or can handle 25 or 5 for that matter chicks. During my lifetime I have had a few "Mutt" pets and they were just as loving as my "purebreads". I love people who are passionate about their calling, but .....

I, persoanlly, would rather spend the extra money and get the 2 chicks I want than struggle with rehoming 25 chicks. I have squalbbled more money on less. And to make a couple bucks to buy a bag of feed? No disrespect, but that isn't worth my time. I looked into hatching my own until I realized in my Citygirlness that you can't sex and egg

The last thing I need is finding out I have all little boys. Now, if I was retired and didn't have anything else to do, I would totally be on board. I would take my chances. Hopefully someday I'll be in that postion, but this chapter of my life, not so much.

Luckily I have the option of the Maryland swap meet this weekend. In thinking down the road, it might be best for us to wait until vacation season is over. In short, I personally need to weigh my pros and cons - and see what works best for me and my family pack. I want what is best for my peeps, obviously.

Anyone that has breeder info for NJ/DE/Baltimore, MD/Philly area, please feel free to share.... Barred/Ops/Aust

 

[al6517]

Quote:
I am sorry you were not getting the results you wanted and I have found and bought some buckeyes from those very same folks in very small trio's and quad's. Alot of folks do get started with hatchery birds and that may be the best option. As your knowledge and addiction LOL progresses then perhaps your choices and options will go in a different direction. An awful lot of us now have a totaly different flock than what we first started with as we learn and grow our intrest change, and to be honest that is the fun of it all. Shoot you will be hatching and breeding your own stock in 3 yrs and be lovin every minute of it.

Good luck and best wishes however you choose is right for you, we all ( BYCer's) will still be at your side to help every step of the way.

 

[polishchickens111]

My Pet Chicken. It has Buckeyes and a minimum order of 3-5, depending on where you live.