Where do you get your baby chicks?

[deepbluesea]

I know Cackle has a three chick option, though they charge an extra $20 small-order fee. I've only ever bought week old or older pullets from individuals and from a breeder in VA who's a vet. That said, I have day-olds coming sometime tomorrow or Wed from Meyer, so I'll let you know how that turns out!

 

[mrskenmore]

Thank you Deepbluesea- I am sure your experience will be a good one! Who was the breeder in VA that you bought from and how was that experience?

 

[aart]

One of the hardest learning curves with keeping chickens is that they can die.
It's not like a dog or cat where you can take it to the vet, and they are just not as long lived. They have been domesticated as livestock(food) not as pets. It's one of the biggest bones I have with the whole 'backyard chickens' thing. I got chickens for the eggs, and I knew going in they would be for meat too. You can't hatch replacement layers without doing something with the ~50% males that will hatch. Small(<6) 'flocks' are tough to manage, they still need adequate space and you need extra, separate but adjacent, space to add birds. It can get complicated, and overwhelming, quickly. Romance meets Reality. Sorry for the 'jaded' rant.

 

[igorsMistress]

I bought my first chicks from a feed store, so hatchery birds.
The next I purchased from locals. Some of these are hatchery mixes, others are descended from well known breeder lines.
Given a choice, I'll go with locals in the future, people I've met here that I know take care of their animals and love them even if they are food in the long run. The birds are larger and more robust, although they don't lay as many eggs.
Finding someone here could be an option if anyone is close.

 

[Folly's place]

On the other hand, buying from local folks (and I sell birds too!) can bring in diseases that never go away, like Marek's disease, or something like Mycoplasma gallisepticum, that requires flock depopulation to eliminate. I'd be incredibly careful about local birds; paranoia about biosecurity is a good thing!
I've really liked my birds from Cackle, and have about thirty of them this year! Many will move elsewhere (local sales!) but some are staying.
As aart said, having three, or six, or eight birds is hard, become some early deaths are going to happen, and with one of each breed, there's nobody to compare with. 'Chicken math' can be a very good thing!
Mary

 

[mrskenmore]

Thank you Igosmistress- If I could find a breeder on the East Coast (I am willing to travel) with options for some autosexed breeds I would go that route.

Hi Aart,

Your rant is not jaded at all- it is probably the most true chicken statement I have read in awhile.. I wish I could have 20 chickens, my house, neighborhood and suburbs are just not set up for it. I am probably going to get 3-4 chicks this go around to get the flock up to a healthy +6 numbers... I agree that most of my problems stem for my limited flock size. Everytime I lose just one I am not operating with enough stock sadly. I owe it to my girls to beef up the numbers a bit so that when (not if) things happen the flock won't suffer as much. Right now they have been through a lot in the past year with losing a flock leader- having a rooster and then not and also losing the BO this week.. I am going to take some time to really think about my next purchase for sure.

Thanks!

 

[Shorty22366]

I order from My Pet Chicken. All my babies came in healthy and gorgeous. I am going to start raising my own now. I just had one of my silkies hatch

our first baby.

 

[mrskenmore]

On the other hand, buying from local folks (and I sell birds too!) can bring in diseases that never go away, like Marek's disease, or something like Mycoplasma gallisepticum, that requires flock depopulation to eliminate. I'd be incredibly careful about local birds; paranoia about biosecurity is a good thing!
I've really liked my birds from Cackle, and have about thirty of them this year! Many will move elsewhere (local sales!) but some are staying.
As aart said, having three, or six, or eight birds is hard, become some early deaths are going to happen, and with one of each breed, there's nobody to compare with. 'Chicken math' can be a very good thing!
Mary

You are so right Mary,

My little flock right now is safe from biosecurity as long as I keep it that way! Getting chicks that are healthy and quarantined for months until they meet is a good thing. Even with the older birds you run the risk of mites or lice on the property even if you separate them for the 30+ days... not something I want to introduce.

So another question to all of you chicken raisers out there... what is your percentage of survival rate? I am doing horrible with 6 chickens (3 alive, 2 died and 1 roo) or is this normal and just magnified because of my lower quantites?

Maybe people lose chickens all the time and I am just new to this?

 

[mrskenmore]

So cute Shorty!

Thanks for sharing! How old is the silkie you bred? What other breeds have you gotten from My Pet Chicken? My Pet Chicken is a re seller for other hatcheries correct?

Glad to hear you had a good experience!

 

[deepbluesea]

The VA breeder is Thundercreekfarm.com. Very nice, very knowledgeable and the birds I've gotten from her, with one exception, have been healthy and mellow. I've gotten bielefelder, marans, cream crested legbars and isbars. I tried to get spitzhaubens and more marans this spring/summer and she had a problem with the Spitz--said they weren't doing well with her brooder set-up. Shipping is steep, so if you can pick up that will save you big $$.

I have nine currently and will be getting six more this week. My new coop is about halfway finished and the plan is to finish this week if the rain holds off.