Where to buy chickens?

[Barredhen]

Wasn't sure where to put this, just a thought.
Weve always bought ours from TSC or any farm store with chicks.
Is there a better or worse place to buy birds? Are they any healthier direct shipped from a hatchery vrs a store, vrs not hatchery/someone's farm bred chicks off from Facebook and Craigslist?
And what are the more hardy laying breeds?

 

[Wezdin]

TSC is infamous for labeling chicks wrong, and they definitely aren't show quality, but they will lay eggs for you, it all comes down to what you want.

 

[Barredhen]

TSC is infamous for labeling chicks wrong, and they definitely aren't show quality, but they will lay eggs for you, it all comes down to what you want.

Thanks!
I'm less concerned about "show" but asking more in terms of health, which id assume a show quality bird would be healthier like any well bred animal.
We've always bought from feed stores, keep them in very nice, clean living arrangements and keep ending up with weird illness and dead birds, I just wondered if it could possibly be the birds I keep buying are the same breeds from the same place.

 

[Wezdin]

The main sickness that can be vaccinated for is Mareks, and most hatcheries do that, they will usually state it when you order/buy chickens.

 

[meetthebubus]

What breeds do you get? I didnt like mine from Tsc I had better experiences from other local feed stores though.

I like Easter eggers and buff Orpingtons
I hear good things from people who ordered from my pet chicken

 

[alexa009]

"MyPetChicken" usually has nice quality breeds but I am sure you are well acquainted with their price being a little too steep. I've ordered baby chicks from "Chickens For Backyards" and they usually have a guarantee of live shipment. Not to mention that my little chicks are 2 years old now and very healthy and I also included the Mareks vaccination.

 

[BantyChooks]

I like feed stores. They have decent hatchery birds of many different breeds, and they are in general productive and healthy. I've since switched to breeding my own, but for a while I was getting birds from there every year. Leghorns in particular seem to be a solid choice no matter the source.

 

[Dancing With Chickens]

Wasn't sure where to put this, just a thought.
Weve always bought ours from TSC or any farm store with chicks.
Is there a better or worse place to buy birds? Are they any healthier direct shipped from a hatchery vrs a store, vrs not hatchery/someone's farm bred chicks off from Facebook and Craigslist?
And what are the more hardy laying breeds?

I always buy my chickens from hatcheries online because I trust how they breed their chickens, and in keeping their chickens disease free. I recommend Meyer and My Pet Chicken for chicks, that's where my flock is from.

 

[chickenlady25XD]

I use both Murray Mcmurray and TSC

 

[Killer Tomato]

When it comes time to try and get Marans again, I will go to a breeder. I've tried twice now from local feed stores, and have had NO luck. My first "Black Copper Marans" was a Jersey Giant. My second "Cuckoo Marans" probably is a Cuckoo, but she lays the lightest color eggs -- my RIR lays darker eggs than her. So..... I will go to someone with a solid breeding history to get what I want.

They were both nice hens, though.

For general layers, my Barred Rocks and Leghorns, bought from the feed store are great producers and very healthy. No health issues that I've found. My RIR has very thin-shelled eggs, and has had this since her first egg (no added oyster shells, or food changes have helped).

I hesitate to order chicks through the mail because the shipping costs are so expensive! Plus I worry about the "extra rooster" thing.