What age of chicks to buy?

[Madi131]

I finally found someone local who sells Coturnix Quail chicks (seriously, how do y'all find them?!). They sell them at 1 week for $1, 2 weeks for $2, or 5 weeks old for $5/each. So now I'm wondering what's best. We're wanting them for eggs, planning to get about 6. Here's my pros of each as I understand it, but would love to hear anyone's opinions!

1-2 Weeks:
Pros: Cheaper, cuteness factor, they can get used to us handling them more often and might be easier to handle once grown

5 Weeks:
Pros: Can probably identify sex and not risk ending up with a bunch of males, hardier, don't have to buy a heat lamp and set up a brooder

What did you end up doing? I'm facing the same problem except the 5 week olds are only $2. Im thinking I might just go that route.

 

[annasurbanfarm]

What did you end up doing? I'm facing the same problem except the 5 week olds are only $2. Im thinking I might just go that route.

We’ve been delayed on building our quail hutch so we haven’t gotten any birds yet. I think we’ll go for the five week olds if they still have some when we’re ready to buy. I’m a little torn on it though, will have to see the birds in person to decide probably.

 

[mixedUPturk]

What did you end up doing? I'm facing the same problem except the 5 week olds are only $2. Im thinking I might just go that route.

At 2$ for 5 wk olds id jump, thats an exceptional deal! Idk where theyre getting their price ideas but i couldnt ever catch up with my feed bill at that rate.

 

[ManitobaQuail]

Yeah jeez two 5 week old hens here would be 45$

I got 2 that were 5 weeks old, they were nice birds, But i hatched 3 of their eggs and they turned into very sweet little birds, quite a bit nicer than the ones i got as older birds

But eitherway the eggs will taste the same

LOL Nova Scotia....dang. We sell our 8 wk old roos for $8 per bird (mostly to hunters) and $12 per hen for people who want to produce their own eggs. But $45 for two hens...wow

 

[Madi131]

At 2$ for 5 wk olds id jump, thats an exceptional deal! Idk where theyre getting their price ideas but i couldnt ever catch up with my feed bill at that rate.

We did! Got 8 of them. 6 are females 2 are males. Half are golden jumbo courtnix and the other half is just the normal brown jumbos.