which is cheaper???Which route would you go??

I would go with chicks, but I don't think I can back it up with numbers. Some people who track expenses more accurately than I do might have more insight.

 

I would go with chicks too for a number of reasons

1) Better selection of breeds (pullets are very hard to find where I live)

2) Economics: Of course people aren't going to raise chicks for free! So pullet prices will generally reflect the cost of feed, medication, and other overhead, plus LABOR.

So basically, if you have some free time, want a broader selections of breeds and want to save money.. go for the chicks!!

If you are in a hurry, don't care much about breed, and don't want to spend time and energy raising chicks.. get the pullets.

 

That seems to be a lot of birds to find ready to lay.

You might find a 4-Her or FFA student who wishes to raise them from chick to point of lay for you. It is a good project for them, and you may still be able to request the breeds you want. This might be a good way to get pullets only on breeds that are typically sold straight run, as the kids can butcher the cockerels.

I know my kids would love to get into the business of raising chicks to point of lay on a contract basis, where they know the sale will take place at the end. They love the fuzzy butts.

Even so, do not expect to get them for a song. Feed, electricity, equipment, etc. are expenses the kids will have to pay too.

 

keep in mind many pullets ready to lay from hatcheries come debeaked so ask first before you buy

 

Quote:RIR and BSL are good economical choices.

Gail Damerow's, Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens:

"Each commercial strain lightweight pullet will eat about 15 pounds of feed before she starts laying at about 20 weeks of age. Heavier pullets take a few weeks longer to reach laying age, during which they eat as much as double the feed."

These are about the costs I would expect, personally:

15 lb + .35(starter feed/lb) = 5.25 + 2.00(chick cost) = $7.25/pullet to point-of-lay

That would probably be the best case scenario. The farther they get from that 20 weeks, the higher and faster the feed costs rise. They aren't eating just a tiny bit each day when they are at that age.

Now, you need to ask yourself, "What would point-of-lay pullets cost me to buy?"

Steve

 

Buying at point of lay also can bring in it's own issues other than economics...like possible diseases that could wipe out your entire flock.Day old's or hatching your own really minimizes that threat.

 

Point of lay has the advantage of "knowing" you have pullets and no surprise roos in the bunch. But then you have flock integration issues (health, pecking order, etc), higher cost of animal, etc. And you miss out on all the fun baby stages!

 

I only have done it from chick stage, but would prefer that. Possible diseases, and also behavior issues are first things that come to mind. For instance, I had tiny roosts in their box from day one, and they used them. Mine need no ladders in their coop. They hop up to the 24" ht roost, then on up to the 48" ones. Ditto for nesting boxes.

Also, I have fed mine tons of living greens and also fruit and veggie scraps from day one. I never needed calcium added until at 16 weeks when I saw the first egg. From then on, I added calcium to their food. Until then, I trusted in the raw fresh greens to give them their calcium needs. I also now recycle the shells into their food . I have 24 healthy pullets. One is a runt and a cripple tho with a limp, probably due to a mid-air collision with another bird (they are spastic).