Starting for the first time?

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Are you lookiing for a specific breed?

The problem with getting at feed store is that they usually dont have a great variety, they order thiers from hatcheries too. So if you want a specific breed, try any of the Hatcheries that sell chicks, since you say you want 25 meeting the minimum will be no problem(most require 20-25 minimum order or hit you with a less than minimum fee, and you pay outrageous price for a heating pad).

If your not real particular about breed, most hatcheries have an assortment pack. All brown layers, all white layers, rainbow pack where you get usuaully a minimum of 3-5 different breeds.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Have you tried hugging the leghorns on a daily basis?? Mine are quick to meet you at the door(to see if you have treats) and they are egg laying fools, when all else fails you can rely on getting a white egg each day.

 

[Jessika]

My leghorns are kinda like that too (flighty). I keep 3 in a mixed laying flock with Delaware, BuffOrp, Golden comets, BR, Aust, and SLW. I pet all of them but the leghorns don't seen to like it. They (leghorns) follow me around but they still keep their distance. I can grab one and pet it but mine clearly don't like to be touched a lot. And everyone starting laying in that flock over a month ago.... (bought as day olds in Feb) and I have yet to get a white egg. HMmmmm....

 

[JennsPeeps]

My 3 standard firls are feed store chicks. I got 1 of each b/c I didn't know what I'd want. It's also easy to tell them apart! They're about 3 months old now - 2 months to go for eggs. All are supposed to be about equal for egg production.

All 3 girls were handled extensively from the time they came home. Regardless, they've got very different personalities.

Barred Plymouth Rock (BR) - inquisitive, into everything, trying to be the boss of the flock (pecking order not quite set yet), eats everything and is an unabashed food thief (DBF calls her the yard shark), tolerates being picked up... if there's food

Rhode Island Red (RIR) - aloof and stand-offish, starting to be very talkative, lowest on pecking order, likes to eat but not nearly as food driven as the BR. Hates being picked up.

Black sex-linked, aka "Black Star" - this is one great little bird. Fantastic personality, sweet, likes to be picked up & loves to sit in a lap, peeps at me constantly, follows me around. She's 100% our favorite. Will definitely get more like her.

And I also have a black cochin bantam, which was a craigslist find. She's sweet, but not as sweet as if I'd raised her (I suspect). She's about 4 months old, feisty, constantly clucking, good "watch chicken" (clucks up a storm if something is amiss in the yard). Who knows what her laying habits will be like??

 

[SGM]

My feed store orders chicks too so they pass on the saves to us. They order a LOT of chicks so they get them at a discounted price so it is cheaper to buy from them when its a specific breed. Special breeds and bantams are cheaper to order myself than to go through the feed store.

 

[mikefromnh]

Hi -- We're just starting out ourselves! We ordered 25 RIR's online even though we only wanted six or so. After we got them we sold 18 of them quite easily with an add on craigslist and a sign at the end of the street. We got $5 each, so we ended up with 7 chicks and there supplies for pretty much free.

 

[TexasJoe]

Good question:

Many people order from (online) hatcheries because:

1) they want specific breeds( feedstores tend to get the same 1-3 breeds over and over)

2) Feedstores tend to be cheaper

3) Same day purchase at feed store, and doesn't require online payments and waiting up to a few months. (who wants to wait 2-3 months like I did? not me

).

And, it can be said that the variety of getting "random" chicks from a feedstore is more fun than trying to pick out what you THINK you want. I feel completely different about "Easter Eggers" after seeing dozens of ECSTATIC owners here on BYC with their darn photos

though, there are definitely exceptions to every rule. For example, Mt. Healthy offers 25 free chicks with every 50 purchased (just pay their CHEAP shipping rate for the freebies), and their prices are very competitive, and Murray McMurray hatchery sent me 2 extra birds with my order of 25. Shipping costs for those 2 companies are VERY cheap, too.