anyone order chicks online?

[nybirdman]

I have founnd their prices to be quite high,check your local feed supply store...a lot of them have chicks in the spring,then you don't have to worry about shipping.

 

[sal64]

i get mine from chicks, gamebirds and poultry supplies at Strombergs Chicks & Gamebirds Unlimited cheaper than mcmurray.

 

[Stimw]

I was wandering through local TSC a couple years ago, two employees were looking into a large wash tub full of baby chicks. I ask, are you naming them? I just got dumb looks from them! I thought it was really funny, my friends laugh when I tell them about it. ?????

 

[RichZ]

I've ordered chicks from Murray McMurray several times, and never had an issue. They send you a few extra chicks, plus a surprise exotic chick. In my experience, they've all arrived in good shape. You can get breeds from them that you can't get anyplace else. I don't think they ship during cold weather. One time I got several roosters in the batch that was supposed to be all females. I called them, and they gave me credit for my next order, no questions asked. Murray McMurray is a pleasure to deal with.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Japanese are primarily the only ones who can "sex" baby poults correctly. They spend about a year studying in Japan to learn how to do it. Their accuracy rate is about 97-98%.
In my high school days, I worked at a turkey hatchery and it always amazed me how those guys worked. We would hatch out 20,000 birds and they would have them "sexed" in just a few hours, innoculated etc. and on their way to delivery. Just for fun one day, one of the sexers gave me a 5 minute course in sexing turkeys--with the results coming in at about less than 10%!

Dirty Jobs: the art of Chicken Sexing • VideoSift: Online Video *Quality Control

 

[SuperDuty335]

I've ordered from McMurray several times with good results. However, it is common to lose a few upon arrival. I would suggest ordering when the weather is mild (spring/fall). New born chicks only have a ~3 day supply of nutrients from the egg so they will be hungry when they arrive.

 

[schmism]

we ordered from McMurray also, although over the phone not the internet.

all 25 of our chicks showed up fine. our free rare breed turned out to be a roo who wasnt all that friendly and ended up becoming coyote food a couple of months ago.

 

[F350]

I've ordered barnyard poultry and gamefowl (chicks & adult fowl) from various sources and have never had significant issues. The Post Office seems to treat them with care.

 

[chrisdvorak]

i think i am going to get the chicks in the spring now hearing what you fellows have said and turn an old 50 gallon tank into a brooder for them also has anyone used portable electric poultry fencing? i have laying hens already and will put the chicks in with them when they get old enough, i think it comes in 164 ft rolls and if anyone has used them please let me know

 

[wampum]

I have founnd their prices to be quite high,check your local feed supply store...a lot of them have chicks in the spring,then you don't have to worry about shipping.

Early last summer we set up at the local flea market in Rogers Ohio. There was an oriental couple selling chicks. If PETA would have been there they would have went nuts. They had thousands,had them labeled and was selling 25 for I believe 12 to 15 dollars,stacked in boxes 6 foot high in about a 15x15 area. It was a good day for us because we had about ten bird cages,sold them all,they even bought our dog cages to put them in. Those were some cheap chicks,I just wonder if people got what they paid for. I buy my chicks sexed,so that I get all hens even to butcher. Cornish cross hens go 6 to 8 pounds and are cheaper then cocks. Cocks in cornish cost more and weigh more,making them hard to can.I think the Mrs. put up 28 quarts and we froze 8 birds for roasting and frying. The feed store is usually straight run,that is okay,if you buy a good egg and meat bread. These latest hens called Red Brand are just about the nicest easy going hen I have ever had,they are like pets and love to range. Watched one catch a mouse the other day and did battle with about 10 others to keep it. They do not get excited when I go get the eggs,they are good layers and are very calm laying large brown eggs.