DH and I went to Pratt's after Myron's class yesterday and spent about an hour browsing the animals for sale. All of the chickens they have, other than the chicks, were pecked on, heat stressed, missing feathers, etc. I am now wondering if this is a good place to buy from or not. Any experiences you would like to share -- good, bad, or indifferent?I thought it would be a good idea to buy from an AZ place because the birds would already be acclimated to the heat, but now I am not so sure...McMurray hatchery still is looking good, even if I have to take a sick day to be home to get the chicks.
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I got my first chickens as a rescue. They were in bad shape. Two bantam leghorns. One had trouble walking from deep holes in her back, another had large scabs of missing flesh on her head. But a few weeks of spoiling them and you would not believe the difference. If you get perfect chicks or rescue slightly wonky ones, it doesn't matter. Just focus on breed and personality. The eggs were delicious. You will love them, they will love you. You never forget rescue birds. I hope to get silkies next. I would never get a black rock or black star (cross) because I briefly had one, she was a canabalistic horror show.
I ended up getting 4 RIR's from Pratt's last Friday -- they were about a week old, all pullets. I still haven't finished the coop and run, but they are too small to go out anyway and are in a rabbit cage on our living room floor. DH named them Mary Ann, Ginger, Lovey, and Tawny (Tawny is after a friend he teams up with on World of Warcraft).
Chickens are better than television!!
They get quite outraged when I cover the cage with a blanket at about 930 pm -- they apparently think that if we are up (even in another room) they should also be up! Our cat is fascinated, she will sit near the cage and watch for hours -- I don't think she necessarily thinks they're food, she's a purely indoor cat, but the entertainment value is there for her too.
I purchased two chickens from Pratt's in Glendale back in May. They were just a few days old and they are doing great. They are a Barred Rock and a Rhode Island Red. I haven't had issues with either and they seem to be in perfect health. At that same time I also purchased two chicks from a place called the Feed Lot in Phoenix that advertised on Craigslist. I purchased a Brown Leghorn and a Americauna. These were just a few days old as well and all these chickens live together. I have had no issues. I really liked the people I dealt with at The Feed Lot. Seemed to care more about their animals than Pratt's, but I haven't had issues either way.
I'm so glad I didn't buy the chickens when I was there yesterday!
DH and I had decided we wanted New Hampshire reds, but no one around here sells them that we've found. So then we decided that since RIR's do well here, we'd get some of those instead. For whatever reason, I've had my heart set on a couple of barred rocks too, I just really like the way they look. They DO have the barred rocks at the Stock Shop but they have the 'production reds' instead of NHR or RIR. I did do a little research on them, and they're a cross between a white leghorn and I think a RIR, and they tend to be very flighty/not very personable. So, those are out.
I'll call the other places another poster mentioned, and see if I can get more local pullets. And McMurray hatchery is STILL the only place that will let me order just 4 chicks.
I love my barred rock!!! (Pearl) She is so beautiful and personable. At one point, I decided I had too many and gave 3 to my neighbor down the street (carrying them over). She was there a couple of days, then she flew over the 6 foot chicken yard fence, their 4 foot yard fence, walked down the street to my house, and flew over my four foot fence. Is that smart or what? Obviously that gained her permanent status as a pet. And what a good layer! But when her laying days are over she will still be cherished.
i get some of my chicks from gordons feeds on broadway and about 4th ave. out of the 24 chicks i have bought from them i have only lost one. they usually run fron 2.00 - 3.00 each. i have also bought chicks from the feed store on on buckeye road about 75th ave they run about 2.00 each but wont have any more till november. all i've bought from both places have been in good condition
I just bought two Americaunas and two "Production Reds" from Pratts. They were both about two weeks old when I got them. I have had terrible cannibalism problems with the Reds. I look one Red back that was the worst and replaced her with another Red that was just as bad (will take it back tomorrow). I would not recommend this breed, they are disgtusting! I think I should have gotten all Americaunas or another breed. They were good about taking back the little cannibal, though.
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nancy
Chickens are better than television!!
They get quite outraged when I cover the cage with a blanket at about 930 pm -- they apparently think that if we are up (even in another room) they should also be up! Our cat is fascinated, she will sit near the cage and watch for hours -- I don't think she necessarily thinks they're food, she's a purely indoor cat, but the entertainment value is there for her too.
DH and I had decided we wanted New Hampshire reds, but no one around here sells them that we've found. So then we decided that since RIR's do well here, we'd get some of those instead. For whatever reason, I've had my heart set on a couple of barred rocks too, I just really like the way they look. They DO have the barred rocks at the Stock Shop but they have the 'production reds' instead of NHR or RIR. I did do a little research on them, and they're a cross between a white leghorn and I think a RIR, and they tend to be very flighty/not very personable. So, those are out.
I'll call the other places another poster mentioned, and see if I can get more local pullets. And McMurray hatchery is STILL the only place that will let me order just 4 chicks.
I got her from Gordon's but maybe 3 years ago.
Nancy
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