Welcome to BYCHi everyone, im completely new to this and dont have any chicks yet...yet, but am wondering why regret buying from hatcheries? what sort of heartache? I would prefer to buy locally but it seems there isnt much breed variety where I live.
There are some issues with buying directtly from a hatchery. They are hatched sexed packed and shipped within hours. Chicks can live up to three days without food or water.... They live off the egg yolk they have absorbed during the last stages of cracking their shells open to get out. All goes good and your post office does its job and you pick your chiks up at the post office the day they arrive. But if there are delays or storms or extreme heat or cold conditions there could be an issue.
IN my personal opinion.For beginning its easiest to get your chicks from the feed store. They will have already absorbed the potential losses dealing with the hatchery so you dont have to do it. Or to get your chicks from a breeder. Hatchery and feed store will guarantee the sex of your chicks to be 99 percent female. OFten times the Feed store will take back a male and sell it to someone who wants one. Not always though.
For instance I bought Guinea Keets from a breeder in Northern California.... I got 40 of the little buggers.... They came in a full box with Watermellon strapped to the sides of the container.... OMG Those keets had watermellon breath .... They had water melln Poos.... and every bit of the mellon was gone.
But I have bought at the feed store (feed stores buy from hatcheries):
Light Brahmas
Americanas Or Easter Eggers
Barred Rocks
Guinea Keets
I have seen lately in My local feed store
Brahmas
Marans
Silkeys
Americanas
Rode Island Red
Orphingtons
Astralorps
Wellsummers
I have also ordered a special order through the feed store..... Using their hatchery I ordered 25 Wellsummers specifying five males and 20 females. Wellsummers are great layers and you can sex them because boys and girls are somewhat marked differently. One little one didnt make it and I didnt have pay for it.
deb