Starter chickens for new homestead! Hatchery vs Breeder

[Future Homesteader]

Good morning! I'm wondering if I should order from a hatchery (there is one close enough for me to drive, so no mail ordering), or if I should seek out a breeder? I'm thinking the easy way is the hatchery because I can get whatever I want in one trip, or two. I want to know what your experience is with health and quality from a hatchery vs how to find a good breeder to work with. I don't mind paying for good quality and health! I sometimes have trust issues dealing with past breeders (not chickens), so a bit gun-shy with breeders. My #1 fear is getting started with sick chicks.

Thank you!

 

[Yardmom]

To the best of my knowledge health issues are no more likely from a hatchery than a breeder. The hatchery may even be on stricter regulations. (Death with newly hatched hatchery birds is often related to shipping) The biggest difference between hatchery birds and a reputable breeder may be how close the birds are to the breed standard if that is what the breeder is going for.

 

[NatJ]

Personal experience:
--Hatcheries were a good choice for me.
--I've never dealt with a breeder.

I just wanted healthy chickens, in a variety of colors, to be pets that produce eggs. Hatcheries have provided that for me on a number of occasions. I have tended to order extras, raise them for the first month or two, then choose my favorites and eat the rest. That meant I ate the mis-sexed oops bird, the bully, the victim, the escape artist, and a few others. I kept the prettiest pullets with nice temperaments.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

I have never bought any chickens from a breeder, only either ordered them from a hatchery or bought from feed stores that had gotten them from hatcheries. Thus far have done ok. No diseased birds, and typically lose very few chicks, sometimes none, sometimes 1 maybe 2 out of groups of 15-30.
Currently am expecting an order to come in next week.

 

[Future Homesteader]

The biggest difference between hatchery birds and a reputable breeder may be how close the birds are to the breed standard if that is what the breeder is going for.

This is what I was thinking. Thank you.

 

[Future Homesteader]

I have tended to order extras, raise them for the first month or two, then choose my favorites and eat the rest. That meant I ate the mis-sexed oops bird, the bully, the victim, the escape artist, and a few others. I kept the prettiest pullets with nice temperaments.

This right here is something I did not think of! But completely makes sense to me. Thank you!

 

[Future Homesteader]

I have never bought any chickens from a breeder, only either ordered them from a hatchery or bought from feed stores that had gotten them from hatcheries.

I'm not against feed stores, per say, however, I don't feel qualified to choose correctly (breed, sex) myself yet, and I've heard so many say they just got a mix of whatever and didn't really know the difference. Sometimes staff doesn't know or misleads unintentionally. We had chickens about 10 years ago for about a year. Got a mixed batch from our local TSC. They were great for eggs and seemed very healthy. This time around I want to get into some specific breeds. I just don't trust myself yet LOL

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

I'm not against feed stores, per say, however, I don't feel qualified to choose correctly (breed, sex) myself yet, and I've heard so many say they just got a mix of whatever and didn't really know the difference. Sometimes staff doesn't know or misleads unintentionally. We had chickens about 10 years ago for about a year. Got a mixed batch from our local TSC. They were great for eggs and seemed very healthy. This time around I want to get into some specific breeds. I just don't trust myself yet LOL

Yes, completely understand. A couple times, I bought chicks at our local Southern States Co op, They knew what they had and had some experience with them.
I’ve also gotten chicks at both Tractor Supply and Rural King. As for those two places the chicks have done good for the most part, but it just depends on the employees as individuals as to what they know about breeds and when different batches of chicks get low and get consolidated it’s easy to not get what you think you are in those places. I will say that from what I have seen our Rural King is better at keeping them straight than Tractor Supply, but again it’s just the luck of the draw employee wise.
I have ordered some, but have literally agonized over exactly what I want. I’ve changed my online order a couple times, as some other breeds have come available for that week.
I think New Hampshires have become my favorite breed, so I have to have some of them. Have never never had Rhode Island Reds before so would like to try them, but then found out those are a production strain that they say won’t breed true, so then I think well I may be just as well off to get some Amberlinks or ISA Browns. The struggle is real.
Australorps became available so I’ve had them a couple times, and like having some black chickens along with the red ones. So added them as well as a few Black Minorcas.
Then a couple Black Australorp roosters.

 

[3KillerBs]

I've gotten healthy, vigorous birds from both Welp and Ideal. Hatcheries make their money and stay in business by providing healthy birds to large numbers of people (bearing in mind that there are always a few oddballs in any batch -- they're live animals, not machines (and you get the occasional assembled-on-Monday-morning lemon in machines too)).

I've never dealt with a private breeder.

The thing with a private breeder is that you *may* get birds that are closer to the breed's SOP -- IF the breeder in question shows birds and those birds do well at the shows.

Or you may not if the breeder isn't breeding for show.

But you *may* get birds who are pre-adapted to your climate since they're raised locally. Or, maybe not, if the breeder doesn't deliberately select for hardiness.

I have tended to order extras, raise them for the first month or two, then choose my favorites and eat the rest. That meant I ate the mis-sexed oops bird, the bully, the victim, the escape artist, and a few others.

I've been doing this -- ordering twice as many as I want and selling the rest as started or POL pullets. I paid for this year's chicks with last year's sales.

 

[PandaGirl]

I have never used a breeder. I used Murry McMurry and I thought they did a great job. Also, no losses. The thing I like about the idea of a breeder is that I ordered Orpingtons thinking I could breed and butcher them. Well, They are not super big like I read online. Turns out, because meat is not important to the hatchery they take the good layers not the big one to be there eggs providers until they do get smaller. That was the only downside to the hatcherys, and with the breeders ten time the cost . . . . . .