Total newbie with question on aquiring chicks...

[Tigertrea]

I am seriously considering starting raising my own chickens. I have one basic question. How to go about getting chicks? I have seen some ads in my area for chicks. The problem is they are all for unsexed chicks. I don't know if getting unsexed chicks is a good idea. What do I do with roos? I don't want to keep any yet. So I just buy a few more chicks then I think I want then cull the roos? If yes, when?

Could you help me please? How did you start? What was your biggest mistake with your first chicks?

 

[Kaitie09]

Why don't you look into pullets( young birds), or full grown hens? That way you can be sure to get hens, and you don't have to wait 4-6 months for them to start laying. If you do get unsexed chicks, you can sell or give away the roos, but just be warned that most people will eat them.

 

[missydcpc]

Check your local farm/feed/pet store (not petsmart). Ours in town gets their birds from ideal on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I actually want roos, so was disappointed to find they are ONLY ordering in pullets.

 

[Tigertrea]

I have no problem putting them in my freezer. We do plan on, eventually, having both meat and egg birds.

 

[bnjrob]

The larger hatcheries, usually places you will have to have chicks shipped from, often have the ability to sell you chicks that have already been sexed.

Kaitie09's suggestion is a great one, especially if you want to just start small, since many times you have to order a minimum of 25 chicks to have them shipped to you from some of the largery hatcheries.

 

[Kaitie09]

I have no problem putting them in my freezer. We do plan on, eventually, having both meat and egg birds.

Well then, go ahead and get unsexed chicks from a feed store, and just butcher the roos.