My goodness you are a brave person! Most of the listings over here are far out of my price range. I'm hatching, because I cant get a hold of a silkie chick. All the hatcheries closed production in July, and nobody I know has any. I bought one back in April and she was the best bird I have ever had. She, and her younger RIR friend slept in our living room every night and went outside with the rest of the flock during the day. I don't think the other hens knew she was a chicken, because they completely ignored her and never looked twice at her. The red pullet would lead her around the yard and back to the front door every night. Unfortunately, we lost them both when a pair of dogs got in the yard while ours were penned up... All of our hens were raised with dogs and cats so they don't run. They got both of my babies as well as an old wyndotte belonging to my da-in-law and half plucked his big Brahma.
I found what looked to be a hatchery on Craigslist advertising day-old silkies about a hundred miles away. My da-in-law and I made a day trip to get them, but it turned out to be worse than a puppy mill. The guy lead us to a 8x8 foot shed that he had at least 15 half grown turkeys and 5 four-month-old silkies. It was the saddest thing you have ever seen. it looked like he had never replaced the wood shavings on the concrete floor and none of the birds had ever been outside or seen daylight! I wanted to rescue them so bad. They were the saddest looking birds I have ever seen and I wanted to rescue them, but I didn't want to give that man money and who knows was illnesses they could have brought onto our property. We call animal services after we left.
No peeping yet, but I think the fan might be muffling it. My cousin's flock just got attached by some mystery beast, so I know he wont part with any of his now. I've raised solo chicks before but I really wanted at least two babies from this hatch.
