Hatcheries

[Sunshine]

So I was originally planning on buying a mixed breed batch of already laying hens from a local lady I've purchased from before.

However. Now we are getting close to the end of our coop build and I'm thinking I'd like to get started pullets. All the same breed. And next spring add another batch of started pullets in another breed. I read somewhere ( may have been this forum) that in this way you can tell the age of the chickens by rotating the breeds. So culling at 3-4 years. Replacing with pullets of the same breed.

Has anyone had any experience with any hatchery?

I've priced several and the avg price for 6 pullets 16-20 weeks with shipping is about $375. But one Hatchery, Meyer hatchery has them for much cheaper. At $185 with shipping included. All the same vaccine etc as the others. ( Murray McMurray, cackle and one other I can't remember.)

Any thoughts as I start my flock?

 

[Amish Heart]

I like Cackle. Check them out online, or they have a paper catalog, too.

 

[Peanut]

I've only ordered day old chicks one time. I believe it was from Meyer. Since then I just get chicks from tractor supply. I can buy any number of chicks I want. They also have my favorite breed, ISA browns. I have a good setup for raising day old chicks so never buy started pullets. Wish I could help more.

 

[Terri9630]

I use Whelp. I've never checked to see if they have grown birds, I only buy chicks.

 

[Sunshine]

I like Cackle. Check them out online, or they have a paper catalog, too.

I did look at cackle. But they were twice as much as Meyer.

 

[Sunshine]

I don't have anywhere to keep chicks. And I like the idea of almost grown chickens so I'm willing to pay extra . Honestly I was planning on spending $20 per chicken on full grown hens locally. I just wonder why Meyer is half the price of everyone else.

 

[Meerkat]

We always bought biddies from Ideal Poultry. It is in Texas. They also have pullets.
We have never medicated our chicks. We use non medicated only and feed organic no fillers feed. We haven't had chickens for going on 3 years now but plan to buy some soon.
Our free ranged so they got plenty of protein and laid large brown eggs.

 

[Meerkat]

I've only ordered day old chicks one time. I believe it was from Meyer. Since then I just get chicks from tractor supply. I can buy any number of chicks I want. They also have my favorite breed, ISA browns. I have a good setup for raising day old chicks so never buy started pullets. Wish I could help more.

Peanut thats what we have done most of the time. I found another place that sells pullets that have not been medicated but can't remember who it was.

 

[Sunshine]

We always bought biddies from Ideal Poultry. It is in Texas. They also have pullets.
We have never medicated our chicks. We use non medicated only and feed organic no fillers feed. We haven't had chickens for going on 3 years now but plan to buy some soon.
Our free ranged so they got plenty of protein and laid large brown eggs.

Do you get the merrek vaccine or however it's spelled?

 

[Meerkat]

Do you get the merrek vaccine or however it's spelled?

No just give them vinegar in their water sometimes. Don't know if it will become law but we have never given any of our foul any kind of chemicals or shots. Always had real healthy birds. But I know that can change with time. Once we put Diamacious ' spl ' earth on them when a couple were scratching .

 

[Sunshine]

I use DE everywhere. That stuff is the best.

Just found a local ish place I can get 6 started pullets for $55. So Ill call then tomorrow and see if they will have any available in the next few weeks.

 

[Meerkat]

I use DE everywhere. That stuff is the best.

Just found a local ish place I can get 6 started pullets for $55. So Ill call then tomorrow and see if they will have any available in the next few weeks.

Good for you, local is good. Not bad price either.

 

[Sonya_6]

Do you get the merrek vaccine or however it's spelled?

Since these are your first birds I would get it if you were ordering chicks but I don't see why they would vaccinate older pullets. The Marek's vaccine has to be given to newly hatched chicks, and then the chicks have to be kept from exposure to Marek's for 2 solid weeks until the vaccine kicks in.

16 week old pullets raised at a hatchery should have already had the vaccine, ask before you order.

I have Marek's in my flock. Just so folks understand, it is a herpes virus. Whole flocks are exposed via dander from a carrier and once the flock has it then new chicks/birds will also become infected. Depending on the strain most birds never show symptoms, while others do (same with people, they say 90% of people with herpes never realize they have it either).

Just like herpes in people, high levels of stress trigger a flair up, so young birds that are being integrated into a flock, or birds that are picked on, injured, terrified by predators, etc...are at high risk for acute symptoms which are almost always eventually fatal. It ranges from partial paralysis to multiple tumors depending on the exact type of Mareks and it is really an awful thing to witness.

I have lost some birds to it but now only buy newly hatched chicks and have them raised by a broody to prevent integration stress. In addition I asked my vet for a Valtrex script (a human herpes drug) and if any of my birds is sick or injured I dose them with that for a couple of days as it prevents herpes outbreaks before they start. Since I started doing those two things I haven't had a bird come down with marek's in 2+ years.

Probably more info than people needed to know but Marek's is extremely common in some areas. It is carried by infected dander so it can blow in on the wind, be picked up on your clothing at a feed store, etc... I live in Middle GA and the state vet in our area says virtually ALL of the established flocks around here are infected whether they realize it or not.

 

[Amish Heart]

I sell pullets for $15 a piece, and laying hens for $20 a piece, chicks for $5. If you find them locally, that's great! I don't know why Meyers is cheaper.

 

[Sunshine]

Since these are your first birds I would get it if you were ordering chicks but I don't see why they would vaccinate older pullets. The Marek's vaccine has to be given to newly hatched chicks, and then the chicks have to be kept from exposure to Marek's for 2 solid weeks until the vaccine kicks in.

16 week old pullets raised at a hatchery should have already had the vaccine, ask before you order.

I have Marek's in my flock. Just so folks understand, it is a herpes virus. Whole flocks are exposed via dander from a carrier and once the flock has it then new chicks/birds will also become infected. Depending on the strain most birds never show symptoms, while others do (same with people, they say 90% of people with herpes never realize they have it either).

Just like herpes in people, high levels of stress trigger a flair up, so young birds that are being integrated into a flock, or birds that are picked on, injured, terrified by predators, etc...are at high risk for acute symptoms which are almost always eventually fatal. It ranges from partial paralysis to multiple tumors depending on the exact type of Mareks and it is really an awful thing to witness.

I have lost some birds to it but now only buy newly hatched chicks and have them raised by a broody to prevent integration stress. In addition I asked my vet for a Valtrex script (a human herpes drug) and if any of my birds is sick or injured I dose them with that for a couple of days as it prevents herpes outbreaks before they start. Since I started doing those two things I haven't had a bird come down with marek's in 2+ years.

Probably more info than people needed to know but Marek's is extremely common in some areas. It is carried by infected dander so it can blow in on the wind, be picked up on your clothing at a feed store, etc... I live in Middle GA and the state vet in our area says virtually ALL of the established flocks around here are infected whether they realize it or not.

The birds from the hatcheries do come.vaccinated. I was just asking if "unmedicated" chicks meant one didn't vaccinate. The info page on one of the hatcheries said they vaccinate then feed unmedicated food. So I assume medicated food has some sort of protection like the vaccine?

These aren't my first chickens. I had some hens a few years ago when we lived out here before we moved into town. They were actually stolen by a neighbor. Now that we are back permanently we will have a bigger flock. Thankfully that neighbor is gone and so it the house. It's just an empty lot across the street now.

I had only owned fully grown hens before.

 

[Sunshine]

And thank you for all that info. I really appreciate it!!

 

[Sunshine]

Yay I'm getting so excited!

 

[Sonya_6]

The birds from the hatcheries do come.vaccinated. I was just asking if "unmedicated" chicks meant one didn't vaccinate. The info page on one of the hatcheries said they vaccinate then feed unmedicated food. So I assume medicated food has some sort of protection like the vaccine?

Medicated chick feed contains Amprollium for Coccidiosis. Cocci is a parasite and it can give chicks severe diarrhea which can be fatal. I think all chickens have it (from the hen?) but brooder raised chicks are more susceptible to getting sick from it.

If the chicks were vaccinated to prevent Coccidiosis then a medicated feed will nullify their vaccination immunity for some reason. At 16 weeks it likely isn't a concern either way.

As far as food, you might want to just give them game bird feed until they start laying, layer pellets have too much calcium for birds that aren't laying. You can feed it to layers too if you give them oyster shell on the side so you won't have to switch/waste food (my whole flock including tiny chicks is fed game bird as their main feed).

 

[Sonya_6]

Okay I tried to find out more about this "unmedicated" chick business (I never heard that term before). I don't know for sure but I think it may be used to tell people whether the should use medicated or non-medicated chick food based on vaccine status, or they are advertising it for commercial buyers that need to worry about organic egg/meat certification.

One question I would ask (other than if they were vaccinated) is whether these older pullets have been outside. If they were raised completely indoors then you need to know that, and earlier I said I thought all chicks were exposed to coccidia but other sources say only those that come in contact with soil, so 16 week old pullets that are stressed from shipping and exposed to soil/coccidia for the first time may be more at risk for it.

 

[Sunshine]

Hm interesting.

Makes more sense now this hatchery that I think we are going with .they sell pullets at 7-10 weeks. They say that that is( in their opinion) the least stressful age for the chicks to be moved . They will adjust better to their coops and owners than a 16-20 week or already laying hens.

They also said at this age they are feathered enough to go straight to the coop.

I'm still researching though we are several weeks from being ready.

As for feed, I don't plan on feeding pellets or the baby chick feed. I'm hoping they can be mostly free range and I can have supplement feed ( again still researching) what about the oyster shell on hand as well as feed.

What are your thoughts about cracked corn. I'm not sure about it. O know our feed stores layer mix has that and pellets in it. But they will make me a mixture of whatever I want.

 

[Sonya_6]

As for feed, I don't plan on feeding pellets or the baby chick feed. I'm hoping they can be mostly free range and I can have supplement feed ( again still researching) what about the oyster shell on hand as well as feed.

What are your thoughts about cracked corn. I'm not sure about it. O know our feed stores layer mix has that and pellets in it. But they will make me a mixture of whatever I want.

Just realize you can't starve a profit out of a laying hen. If they aren't eating well your egg production will be very poor. I would always have a good basic feed available to them 24/7, if they free range and the "eating is good" with lots of bugs/plants/fruit in the yard they will eat much less of their base feed, but at other times they will depend on it almost entirely for calories such as in winter.

If you want to save money on feed look into fermenting it, they say it makes the feed go much much further.

Because we have hot weather much of the year I only give them corn in the winter (in addition to their regular feed). Supposedly giving them corn before bedtime helps keep them warm since it is digested slowly all night long. The other 9 months out of the year I usually give them feed wheat as a treat/scratch (which they seem to like more than corn anyway). Cost wise I pay about $15 for a 50 lb bag of game bird feed and $12 for a bag of wheat or corn, and my 11 birds go through 50 lbs in 7-8 weeks so there isn't much of a cost difference. If I fermented it would probably last longer.

I don't know about your environment but if you are planning to free range most of the day you will likely suffer losses due to predation unless you have a fenced property and trees to provide protection from above.

 

[Meerkat]

Since these are your first birds I would get it if you were ordering chicks but I don't see why they would vaccinate older pullets. The Marek's vaccine has to be given to newly hatched chicks, and then the chicks have to be kept from exposure to Marek's for 2 solid weeks until the vaccine kicks in.

16 week old pullets raised at a hatchery should have already had the vaccine, ask before you order.

I have Marek's in my flock. Just so folks understand, it is a herpes virus. Whole flocks are exposed via dander from a carrier and once the flock has it then new chicks/birds will also become infected. Depending on the strain most birds never show symptoms, while others do (same with people, they say 90% of people with herpes never realize they have it either).

Just like herpes in people, high levels of stress trigger a flair up, so young birds that are being integrated into a flock, or birds that are picked on, injured, terrified by predators, etc...are at high risk for acute symptoms which are almost always eventually fatal. It ranges from partial paralysis to multiple tumors depending on the exact type of Mareks and it is really an awful thing to witness.

I have lost some birds to it but now only buy newly hatched chicks and have them raised by a broody to prevent integration stress. In addition I asked my vet for a Valtrex script (a human herpes drug) and if any of my birds is sick or injured I dose them with that for a couple of days as it prevents herpes outbreaks before they start. Since I started doing those two things I haven't had a bird come down with marek's in 2+ years.

Probably more info than people needed to know but Marek's is extremely common in some areas. It is carried by infected dander so it can blow in on the wind, be picked up on your clothing at a feed store, etc... I live in Middle GA and the state vet in our area says virtually ALL of the established flocks around here are infected whether they realize it or not.

over 20 years of raising chickens and ours never had anything wrong with them, and we never would buy one if it were vaccinated. But things change and most people do give shots without any problems.. But unless things change we do like the old timers do and just use natural remedies.

 

[Sonya_6]

over 20 years of raising chickens and ours never had anything wrong with them, and we never would buy one if it were vaccinated. But things change and most people do give shots without any problems.. But unless things change we do like the old timers do and just use natural remedies.

Yeah I agree. Some of my birds came from show breeders (older retired show hens) and they are all about breeding for natural resistance. Unlike chickens kept for meat/eggs and culled/replaced if there is an illness the show people do NOT cull as they have decades of work invested in their birds.

The resistance to culling is actually much more like the "old time farmers" than the modern attitude that chickens/livestock are disposable and easily replaced at the first sign of illness. In the old days losing all of one's livestock was a disaster and could even be life threatening, so they would do everything possible to save them which meant the survivors would produce stronger/more resistant offspring. These days we do the exact opposite, a few birds get sick and many people will kill the entire flock, including all of the healthy/resistant birds. There is a reason chickens will die in droves from diseases that rarely kill wild birds, and it is because humans have intentionally made them weak in order to save a buck.

But anyway from what I have seen the show lines are much more disease resistant. I don't think most of them vaccinate for anything other than maybe fowl pox (which isn't usually fatal but can last for months and makes the birds miserable plus horrible looking).

 

[Meerkat]

Yeah I agree. Some of my birds came from show breeders (older retired show hens) and they are all about breeding for natural resistance. Unlike chickens kept for meat/eggs and culled/replaced if there is an illness the show people do NOT cull as they have decades of work invested in their birds.

The resistance to culling is actually much more like the "old time farmers" than the modern attitude that chickens/livestock are disposable and easily replaced at the first sign of illness. In the old days losing all of one's livestock was a disaster and could even be life threatening, so they would do everything possible to save them which meant the survivors would produce stronger/more resistant offspring. These days we do the exact opposite, a few birds get sick and many people will kill the entire flock, including all of the healthy/resistant birds which ensures the breeds/lines keep getting weaker and more susceptible to disease.

But anyway from what I have seen the show lines are much more disease resistant. I don't think most of them vaccinate for much other than maybe fowl pox (which isn't usually fatal but can last for months and makes the birds miserable plus horrible looking).

We have a chicken hospital in case one needs to be quarranteened [ darn I need spell check] .
we didn't allow people to go to the chicken pen ' especially if they had chickens ' except grandkids. Ours fee ranged all day in fenced 1/2 acre yard and put up at night. Our dogs protected them day and night.

 

[Sunshine]

For now they will have a 12x6 coop and a 625sq ft fenced in run. But once our privacy fence is finished our whole property will be fenced in and then I will let them have the run of the whole area. There are alot of trees and we haven't had any issue with predators before when we had chickens. But I know it can happen and probably will. I'm not really interested in profit. Or saving money over feed. My main objective is the health and happiness of the hens. So I thought they'd be happiest free ranging with a feed there to supplement of they are still hungry. I may sell eggs. I know I'll have tons. I do eat alot of eggs because im on keto. But DH doesn't unless I put them in cake or brownies. Lol.

I'll probably be giving alot of them away.

I'm starting out with only 6. But by end of year 3 I'd like to be up to 18.

 

[Meerkat]

For now they will have a 12x6 coop and a 625sq ft fenced in run. But once our privacy fence is finished our whole property will be fenced in and then I will let them have the run of the whole area. There are alot of trees and we haven't had any issue with predators before when we had chickens. But I know it can happen and probably will. I'm not really interested in profit. Or saving money over feed. My main objective is the health and happiness of the hens. So I thought they'd be happiest free ranging with a feed there to supplement of they are still hungry. I may sell eggs. I know I'll have tons. I do eat alot of eggs because im on keto. But DH doesn't unless I put them in cake or brownies. Lol.

I'll probably be giving alot of them away.

I'm starting out with only 6. But by end of year 3 I'd like to be up to 18.

Sounds like a good plan. I'm sure they will be fine if you have trees. Chickens are not stupid they know how to survive.

 

[Sonya_6]

For now they will have a 12x6 coop and a 625sq ft fenced in run. But once our privacy fence is finished our whole property will be fenced in and then I will let them have the run of the whole area. There are alot of trees and we haven't had any issue with predators before when we had chickens.

If you are putting up a privacy fence and have trees they should be fine.

And you are smart to start off with 6 and add a few each year. That will keep the egg supply steady and the yearly addition of pullets should provide winter eggs each year too.

Just a thought but if you plan to cull older layers then getting the same breed for each batch is a good idea as you won't be able to tell most of them apart and won't bond with them as much. But if you want them for fun/entertainment as well as eggs then having a mix of compatible breeds is nicer since then you can tell them apart and enjoy each birds personality and antics, and they are all different. Though getting compatible breeds is important so the softer birds aren't bullied.

It makes them far more amusing to watch and much easier to relate to them as well as notice and treat illness or other issues. I have two buffs, an old hen that can't see well enough to jump up to the roosts in low light, she stares at me or will come up to the kitchen door for help if she can't roost on her own, and likes to be lifted up/down from the roost platform. The other is a young one that is chipper and agile and doesn't like to be picked up. They look so much alike I frequently reach down and grab the wrong bird which annoys all of us.

 

[Amish Heart]

Well, I didn't bond with the nasty Rhode Island Red Rooster that got my hatchet yesterday. He was served today.

 

[Sunshine]

I was devastated when my pet chickens were stolen. Almost decided not to have any more because I didn't think I could handle losing anymore.

I'm going to try to not bond with these. But who knows what will happen . I may end up being the crazy chicken lady lol

 

[Sonya_6]

I was devastated when my pet chickens were stolen. Almost decided not to have any more because I didn't think I could handle losing anymore.

I'm going to try to not bond with these. But who knows what will happen . I may end up being the crazy chicken lady lol

Someone stole your chickens out of the coop? Do you live in a diverse neighborhood where they steal them to eat them?

If that story was posted on here somewhere I would like to read it. And you probably will be a crazy chicken lady, they are more addictive than potato chips.