Buying Chickens
The Key To Buying Chickens - Be Prepared
Buying chickens is not all that difficult, with many options available. Of course if you're looking for a specific breed, you may or may not have some searching to do, but the point is, you can purchase chickens locally at a feed or farm store, on line, or by mail order. There are two things however that you definitely want to do before you even think about buying.
The first is, why do you want chickens in the first place, or for what purpose? Are you looking for a couple of pets, a source of eggs, or a source of meat for the table? Knowing this will steer you towards the breeds to be looking at. Second, and every bit as important if not more so, is learning about chickens and their care, if that is something you don't already know. If you suddenly find your order of 25 day old chicks has arrived and you don't know quite what you should be doing, you, and the chicks, may be in for a difficult time. Take some time to learn about how to raise chickens, what breeds best suit your needs, and how to be ready for them when they arrive. A college or university in your state, or even in another state, that has an agricultural extension service can provide helpful information, as can your local 4-H organization.
You'll want to buy from a reputable breeder. If you have a local farm or feed store that sells chicks annually to area farmers, chances are they get their stock from a reputable breeder. It won't hurt to ask. Better yet, if you know a chicken breeder, talk to them. If you want to get your chicks by mail order, and that remains a very popular of buying chickens, go on line and visit McMurray Hatchery. This is not a promotion, merely a statement of fact, as McMurray is an established and popular breeder with an excellent reputation.
You'll want to have a proper place for your flock to live, a coop and a pen for a start. As a minimum, your chickens need warmth, shelter, food, clean water and security. The size of the coop, or hen house if you prefer, will depend upon the number and size of the chickens you plan on. Small chickens, like the Bantam, will take up less room than a larger egg layer requires. Make certain that once outside, your chickens are well protected against predators, which can be anything from coyotes and raccoons, to the neighbor's dog, or your dog.
When buying chickens, you'll need to find out what type of food to get. Egg layers require a different diet. Also, the sex of the bird needs to be taken into account. If it's egg production you want, you don't need roosters, unless you're planning on more chicks. Even if you get a rooster, one is enough. Get two roosters in with some hens, and the roosters will spend a good deal of time fighting. Roosters are noisy enough as it is, and more aggressive than hens, so if you can get along without them, do so.
A few words about breeds. There are four classes to choose from. Popular meat and egg chickens in the American class include the Plymouth Rock, the Rhode Island Red and the Wyandotte. The Mediterranean Leghorns are very popular. They are a slightly smaller breed, used for egg production. The English class includes the Cornish and the Sussex. The latter breed not only is fine for both eggs and meat but is a popular show breed. Several Asian breeds, including the Cochin, are raised primarily for meat.
There are also a number of cross-breeds on the market worth looking into, and don't forget the Bantam. Its eggs are possibly smaller than you'd like for breakfast, but Bantams can be raised for meat or simply as a backyard pet, fun to have around. It needs to be stressed one more time to purchase your chicks from a reputable breeder, to ensure you will be getting healthy birds.