Raising Baby Chicks

[VeraBlum]

How do choose healthy baby chicks from, say, Rual King, or someplace like that? Is there a farm(?) in the area around Clarksville, KY that I can get chicks from?

 

[RollTideChicken]

When choosing a chick I always go for: active, alert, clear eyes, playful, and inquisitive. I want to see them sprinting from whomever is trying to get them. You do not want one that is just sitting there. A chicks health can turn on a dime so you want to start out with the most vigorous possible. As fir where to buy in your area, do you have a cooperative near or a TSC?

 

[RollTideChicken]

Oh and...

 

[debid]

Rural King is a decent source. They get large numbers of chicks from hatcheries which are tested routinely for disease and maintain sound hatching practices.

As a noob, I'd never suggest buying chicks from, say, a random Craigslist seller. It's all too common for the new folks to be deceived. At RK, you can get pullets (females) and avoid having to deal with half of your chicks being male. And, while labeling mistakes happen, odds are you will get what you expected to get.

Active and alert is good. I'd add to look at their fluffy butts. You want clean backsides, no poop and definitely no blood.

 

[VeraBlum]

I do not know what a cooperative or a TSC is....
Sorry I am really new to all this.

 

[debid]

I do not know what a cooperative or a TSC is....
Sorry I am really new to all this.

TSC is like Rural King. Different stores are more common in different areas. A cooperative is also a farm store. They are sometimes employee owned and usually a local choice rather than a big box store. All of these options will most likely be selling chicks produced at hatcheries. You can always ask where they get them. Don't be shy about asking questions, we all started off knowing nothing about chickens.