I was in your shoes this time last year! I kept answering craigslist adds and going to look at hens/pullets, I got so sick of seeing birds that were far from healty, over priced, or not breeds I wanted or even remotely close to the breeds the people claimed they were. I did however answer an add for fresh eggs and strated visiting with the gal about her chickens as those were extremely healthy, I came home made an incubator and had her collect me 2 dozen unwashed unrefridgerated eggs, They hatched last January and are now laying, the picture of health and extremely friendly birds. She did lack one breed I wanted so I ordered an additional 10 Buff Orpingtons Pullets from Cackle Hatchery (the city/town small order special) in March, they are just starting to lay now and are BEAUTIFUL big fluffy birds and NO roos in the bunch!!. YOu can get as few as 5 Pullets from Cackle.
I have peace of mind knowing the nutritional history of my chickens as I vacninated for Mereks for those I hatched and had the hatchery do the Buffs. I have had NO illness or loss of ANY of the birds that I hatched or got from Cackle!