Where to buy my first chicks

Unless you buy from a reputable breeder or hatchery, I would suggest that you be able to see the flocks that your chicks come from so you can at least assess their health, maybe check your local trader or classifieds to find farms near you. You definitely want to get chicks from healthy, well kept chickens.

Good luck in your search!!

 

I didn't know you could buy at farmers market. I was going to see if I can sell at ours. If you can see chicks and look them over real good I see no problem buying them there.

 

I would try and just get your starter chicks from the feed store. Feed store will usually get their chicks from a hatchery and at least here, often do not let people play with the chicks (so less chance of getting diseases from people's home stocks).Shipping chicks from a hatchery can be too stressful for a newbie and "breeder" can be a totally wide range of people now that chickens are so popular. Many farms will not let outsiders on their property for biosecurity reasons too. Farmers markets, depending on where you are, can also be a huge range of "quality" per se... but so can feed stores when it comes down to it.

 

Good luck. If you absolutely cannot have a rooster, get a sexlinked breed. Else, there is at least a 10% risk of boys.

 

I don't know what Michigan's laws are or codes for sale but some states require certs of testing or have chickens testing available at the swap/fair. Look into what's offered at the farmers market, ask the seller questions as to if flock is disease tested and how often. It could be a good and safe way to go.

But sex links from the local feed store is also an awesome way to start out. Will be great layers, hearty and guaranteed females. I'm partial to the black sex link from back when we got our first flock from a feed store. Huge eggs and was my best layer, very friendly too.

 

I am buying my first chicks from Meyer Hatchery but only because it is close to where I live and I can pick them up. I think the answer to your question depends on several things, the most important of them being, what are you getting chickens for? If you are getting them for eggs, then starting out with farmers market/feed store chickens is probably fine. If it is for showing/fair/breeding then the 'farmers market/feed store' chickens are probably not what you are after and you would be better off with a breeder.

What are you looking to do with the chickens?