You made the decision to start a flock of your own. Congrats! Now you need to figure out which, chickens or chicks, works the best for your family. There are pros and cons to each and we're going to break them down for you.
Chicken Pros
Instant eggs if the timing is right and the planets align. There are several factors that keep a chicken from laying. Age, Molting, Health, and Time of the Year are the most common.
Gender is easily identifiable if you have done your research, bought from a reputable breeder or hatchery, or just brought along a seasoned chicken owner.
Equipment for raising chicks is one cost your will avoid. Until you decide you need more chickens, which is inevitable.
Chicken Cons
Sickness in chickens can easily go undetected and there are many chicken related diseases that are as incurable as they are invisible. Your poultry friendly veterinarian can run tests to rule these out.
Age is another factor that be difficult to determine and there are no tests to determine how old your hen is.
You can expect to pay a hefty price for full grown, egg laying hen. It can take, on average, 6 months before a chick has matured to laying age. That's a lot of feed, time, and care and most breeders will not part with a hen unless they are well compensated.
The availability of chickens versus chicks is really low. You can find chicks at most feeds almost year round, but finding hens can be a needle in a hay stack.
Moving on to chicks. Not everyone has the time, space, and patience to raise chicks. Here are a few examples of the hurdles and joys you can expect when choosing this route.
Chick Pros
Price. Chicks can be really easy on the wallet. Most breeds chosen for their egg laying, or even meat, will be just a few dollars. You will have more flexibility in choosing multiple breeds. But, if you are looking for something fancy and considering showing them, the price can rocket astronomically.
Bonding with chicks is really easy. They are instinctively drawn to whoever is feeding them. Just like humans.
It's a baby. Babies are cute. There's no bigger pro than this.
Chick Cons
Equipment for raising chicks isn't cheap. You will need heaters, as well as small dishes, among other things depending on what level of chicken crazy you are.
Gender ID is impossible for the layman unless you have purchased chicks that can be identified by color or markings. Never buy chicks until you have a plan for the 7 roosters you will inevitably end up with.
Chicks are fragile and need a fairly specific environment for growth.
You will need to set aside a descent amount of time for upkeep and feeding. The number one killer of chicks is a messy, unventilated broody. Chicks poop a lot and they poop on everything. Dishes will have to be cleaned daily as well as their bedding. They also let off an obscene amount of dander so, depending on where you keep them, that area will have to be cleaned a lot, too.
Whichever route you choose chickens can be a valuable asset to your families table and peach of mind, delivering eggs and laughter for many years. If you have a pro or a con I missed, let everyone know. If you have any question, please comment or send me a message.
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