So many choices!! (hatcheries)

[ShrekDawg]

If you are planning on going to a show, it might be a good idea to pick up some chickens there. Especially if you are already prepared with housing and all other needs. If you buy at a show, you will be assured of getting the sex of bird you want, eggs will come sooner, and you won't have the heartbreak of recieving a box of dead chicks because the PO 'lost' your box of chicks.

P.s. if you decide to go with a delivery from a hatchery, order sexed chicks. If you buy straight run thinking you will get 50% male and 50% female, you will probably be disappointed. There are lots of stories on this site of folks ordering straight run chicks and actually receiving 20 cockerels and 5 pullets!

That's a good idea but I don't know, do they sell chicks there? I don't know if I want started birds. Even if it might be better for a beginner, I want the cute little baby chicks hahah That's very true though, I definitely wouldn't want that to happen D: I'll have to look around. I'm not sure I'd be ready though, I think it would be for my birthday at the end of March and we'd probably get them mid-April so if we went to the show mid-January, that only gives me like 2-3 weeks to get ready and I think I need more time haha good idea though

And oh yeah, I'd definitely get pullets! Had no intention of ordering straight run since we can't have roos so that'd be a disaster hahah thanks for the info though

 

[ShrekDawg]

I have news!

One, which I may have mentioned, is that I'll probably wind up getting less than 15, maybe only 8 or 10.

And, another thing, we talked to my uncle's neighbor's son at the New Year's party tonight (well, my dad asked) and he said the chickens are so easy, once they're big. the only thing you need to do is lock them up at night but they go in on their own, just gotta luck them up. and he said he has 50 and my dad was surprised and asked how many I wanted and we both sort of talked at the same time, I said 10 as he was saying 6 was a good number to start out with and compensated by adding "6-10" so that's good to know I was about right. and my mom pinky promised on the car we're gonna get them but we didn't mention it at the party, but I showed my dad the coop pictures, just to see if he thought he could build it, as a general inquiry, and he didn't seem opposed to it at all, unlike this past spring, and, as I said, even asked Ross (the guy) about his chickens so I'll take that as a good sign I basically just need a job or at least my license and effort towards a job and/or selling things on eBay and chickens can be all mine

 

[popsicle]

First off--I can't say distance really concerns me. If you really want to consider distance, you should look into distances to the nearest major airports and distribution centers. I'd guess most of the hatcheries are similar distances. Usually my chicks end up spending the most time sitting in the nearest distribution center waiting to get on the truck to go to my local PO. I've gotten phone calls from the distribution center asking if I wanted to come pick up poults that arrived right after the truck left.

I'd pick hatchery based on the specific breeds you want--and then do a little research into which hatchery has the best of what you want (best doesn't necessarily mean show quality, it may mean nicest personality, best laying, largest, etc). When it's all said and done, the prices are usually similar enough. I will say Cackle and Dunlop charge a premium for a few breeds that they have either just started breeding or have better stock than the other hatcheries (ie. Chanteclers, Saipan, etc). On average, the quality will likely be the same, with different hatcheries having better breeder flocks of some breeds than others. Ideal certainly has the largest variety.

 

[ShrekDawg]

First off--I can't say distance really concerns me. If you really want to consider distance, you should look into distances to the nearest major airports and distribution centers. I'd guess most of the hatcheries are similar distances. Usually my chicks end up spending the most time sitting in the nearest distribution center waiting to get on the truck to go to my local PO. I've gotten phone calls from the distribution center asking if I wanted to come pick up poults that arrived right after the truck left.

I'd pick hatchery based on the specific breeds you want--and then do a little research into which hatchery has the best of what you want (best doesn't necessarily mean show quality, it may mean nicest personality, best laying, largest, etc). When it's all said and done, the prices are usually similar enough. I will say Cackle and Dunlop charge a premium for a few breeds that they have either just started breeding or have better stock than the other hatcheries (ie. Chanteclers, Saipan, etc). On average, the quality will likely be the same, with different hatcheries having better breeder flocks of some breeds than others. Ideal certainly has the largest variety.

Thanks for the info

I'll have to do more research although I will say that Meyer isn't just because it's close, I like the look of them too. Both them and Ideal are currently at the top of my list but I'll have to do some more research into it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

anybody heard of this? https://www.purelypoultry.com/small-order-chickens-p-1132.html

 

[ShrekDawg]

Or just that hatchery in general?

 

[ShrekDawg]

My dad says we're not gonna get them from the mail, we're gonna go ask Ross (the friend at the store). Probably should have asked that right from the beginning xD this is fine by me, especially considering shipping is so much, but I just hope they have a decent variety and that we get the right gender. I'm sure we will though but still. Another thing though is I don't want to seem like a know-it-all or pretentious/picky and just list off breeds, even if it's only 1-3, lol soo I'll probably just say something like "I heard x (or x and x) was good but what do you think" and/or "what do you guys carry?", something like that. He's nice though and apparently he's the manager now instead of just working there so that's good

My dad also thinks he's such an expert though and I mean, he is, I'm sure, and knows what he's doing, but it's as if he's the ONLY expert/knowledgable person or you guys aren't or something lol

But yeah, I'm not bashing/hating on Ross, I like Ross and he's a good guy who knows what he's doing and obviously older, and therefore more knowledgeable, than me but he's not the only one aha

but without this getting too long, looks like we'll be getting them from the store, which is fine by me but I hope we get good breeds and gender. I'm sure we will though and I'll be happy either way.

The store is an Agway place too, btw


ETA: I forgot to mention that his big thing, and probably the main one, is he wants to support local businesses, especially ones you know people at. and why support some puppy mill someplace ya know? basically his exact words and he makes good points. Obviously it's chicks not puppies but they basically are mills but yeah. I can respect the local businesses thing

ETA 2: forgot something else, he's especially into the local business thing once I mentioned how much shipping is lol I can also agree on that. I mean, why pay $70 for $20 or $30 bucks worth of chicks plus $40 worth of shipping when you could just go pay the $20 for the birds?

 

[ShrekDawg]

not that there's anytihng wrong with hatcheries, just saying i can see his points

 

[keesmom]

Agway gets their chicks from hatcheries and not local breeders. People want sexed pullets. The vast majority of local breeders do not sex chicks.

 

[cowhlb]

My family has had chickens for as long as I can remember and we have always ordered from Murray McMurray. No, their chickens are not mean unless they are raised wrong. My rooster from them is as sweet as he can be. In my last order I got about 15 chicks. Not a single one was dead in the package. All in all, I'd say Murray McMurray is your best bet.