Where to buy our first set of chicks?

Date sort Score sort
canaday413

canaday413

Chirping
Mar 21, 2015
67
8
71
My husband and I are on the search for our first set of chicks/pullets and we are torn on where to buy them. We have heard there is a chance you will get a rooster from TSC so we don't want to risk that, plus they don't really have a great selection of breeds. We have some friends that bought five pullets from someone on craigslist and they ended up with five roosters. Yikes. We found this hatchery nearby and were thinking they seem legitimate but SO expensive. We would like Ameraucanas because we have heard great things about their personality and we want our kids to have a great relationship with our new feather friends. :) What are your thoughts? We live in Middle Tennessee by the way. If you all know of anyone, please let us know.

http://bgky.craigslist.org/grd/4897900263.html

Thanks!!!
 
That hatchery seems really good. I would say if it's your first time getting chicks it might be a good idea to get them from a breeder or someone near by you. That way if you have any questions or need some help with them you can talk to them. Lavender Ameraucanas are so cute and I think your kids would love them! Good luck.
 
Thanks Wyandottegirl!! I thought they were pricy but I would rather pay the price and know I am getting a healthy baby. :)
 
Since most hatcheries only guarantee 90% accuracy on sexed orders (a few will go as high as 95%), the only way to be certain you don't get any roosters in a pullet order is to order sex linked chicks as they can be sexed by color from hatching. The upside of this is that the sex links are egg laying machines and will churn out more than 300 eggs per hen per year. I have especially been impressed by the Black Sex Links, which are hardy and friendly, and very persistent layers even in cold, winter weather.
 
I agree--if guaranteed pullets is a must, and cost is an issue--get sex links or auto-sexing birds. A few hatcheries have Legbars (Meyer for one), they are auto-sexing (dimorphic differences at hatch) and lay blue eggs; they are more expensive though. Most of my Black Sex Links have been nice birds (I had one from a farmyard breeding that was evil). Red Sex Links have an excellent reputation as well.

However, beware of people breeding sex-links to sex-links--they don't work that way.
 
I agree on the sex links. Our TSC has red sex links. That is the only variety they have that isn't straight run. And other feed stores around here usually have red, black, or amber sex links. Some colors of different breeds are easier to sex too. Like wellsummers have different 'eye liner'.

You could order online too. Meyer and Mt Healthy are both in Ohio so the shipping shouldn't take long.
https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=GBUS
http://www.mthealthy.com/page/1395107

Another option is checking around for started pullets that someone doesn't want anymore. Sometimes people sell/give away whole flocks on CL. Only problem there is they might be older and not laying as much.

The one you linked to looks good also. And that's really not a bad price for that breed/color. And it looks like you might be able to get started pullets too. It would cost you more but still not bad, about $30 a bird for exactly what you want (lavender ameraucana pullets).
 

Similar threads

KCGirl
    • Like
Would it work? Or set up and baby chicks
Replies
6
Views
259
KCGirl
KCGirl
C
Too many chicks?
2
Replies
16
Views
602
ChickChickCoffee
C
C Siena
    • Like
New chicks, they hatched! First time w incubator
Replies
4
Views
282
C Siena
C Siena
Atchurch
    • Like
Where to buy some pullets?
2
Replies
18
Views
2K
FunClucks
FunClucks
AinaWGSD
    • Like
Question about unhatched eggs
Replies
2
Views
918
Perris
Perris

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom