Where do you get your baby chicks?

[starrmar006]

I just hatch my chicks because I think its cool to pair my Black Copper Maran with other hens from my flock like easter eggers or Welsummers, but the only thing is my rooster LOVES to make little roosters, this year I hatched 10 chicks and now that they are about a month old we can easily see if they are boys or girls and... we got 7 roosters and 3 hens.

 

[Shezadandy]

I just hatch my chicks because I think its cool to pair my Black Copper Maran with other hens from my flock like easter eggers or Welsummers, but the only thing is my rooster LOVES to make little roosters, this year I hatched 10 chicks and now that they are about a month old we can easily see if they are boys or girls and... we got 7 roosters and 3 hens.

Actually it's your HENS that like to make roosters. Chickens are "backwards" from us. Males are our equivalent of "XX" (ZZ) and females are our equivalent of "XY" (ZW). Therefore, it's the female that determines the sex of the chick- because the rooster can only pass along an "X" (Z) -- the hen passes along either an "X" (Z) to make a little rooster or a "Y" (W) to make a little hen.

 

[starrmar006]

Actually it's your HENS that like to make roosters. Chickens are "backwards" from us. Males are our equivalent of "XX" (ZZ) and females are our equivalent of "XY" (ZW). Therefore, it's the female that determines the sex of the chick- because the rooster can only pass along an "X" (Z) -- the hen passes along either an "X" (Z) to make a little rooster or a "Y" (W) to make a little hen.

ohhhhhhhhhhh I didn't know that

 

[Shezadandy]

ohhhhhhhhhhh I didn't know that

I was just as surprised as you are!

Eventually the numbers will even out if you keep hatching eggs. I've had 2 pullets, 6 cockerels in one hatch .... another gave me ONE pullet, 5 cockerels. Usually though, over time, it evens out, and most hatches are split pretty evenly. Til they're not!!

 

[sheetmetaltom]

had no idea that marecks was a big issue here on long island. dont know to many other chicken owners, so that might be why. that said, i got my first chicks out of agway. then cackle and this past winter out of hoover hatchery. i ordered 2 ee roosters along with 4 ee girls, so that i can try to hatch my own chicks this time. right now i have 4 hens sitting on eggs. i have my fingers crossed that they are fertile, 2 clutches should be hatching now if there good, the others in about 8/9 days. my flock is a total mixture,plus 3 ducks. 1 of which went broody and spent a month sitting on 10 infertile chicken eggs. if i get any chicks ill let you know.

 

[Ra_]

I bought my Serama from a private breeder who was selling out & moving back North.
I got my Dixie Rainbow & Barred Rock from Tractor Supply Company in Dunnellon, FL
The birds I got from TSC turned out better than I expected.
I bought straight run Barred Rock and managed to pick 5 pullets & 1 roo.

 

[All Ball]

I've gotten my chickens either as pullets or fertile eggs from local "breeders" - meaning either people who call themselves breeders but are pretty new at it, and some of their breeds were probably hatchery stock, or people who have a lot of chickens and sell fertile eggs. Out of my first 3, a wyandotte got EYP @ 2 years (guessing hatchery stock there); but the EE and BCM (breeds she cared about) are still healthy and laying strong at 5 years old. I started with pullets in order to avoid roosters. When I decided to get fertile eggs (my BCM is a broody and raised the chicks wonderfully), I went for an unusual breed, CLBs, in hopes it would be easier to find takers for the roos. Since the woman I got them from breeds for eggs, I don't expect they'll have great longevity - 1 of 4 CL girls, who was ridiculously productive, just died of ovarian cancer. The other 3 are 3 years old and laying well.

I will go to local folks in the future, though I will try to hunt down high-quality breeders, as my top priority is healthy, long-lived heritage breeds, vs. high egg production in a flock cycled over every 2-3 years.

Based on my very limited experience, I'd heartily recommend EEs - they may have hybrid vigor - and BCMs. Auto-sexing varieties like CLBs allow you to get a day-old chick that is assuredly female.

 

[sheetmetaltom]

so i had 2 chicks hatch today, my 1st ones they are 1/2 buff orpington, 1/2 EE having prob uploading pics. when i figure it out ill post them

 

[sheetmetaltom]

 

[sheetmetaltom]