To me a pullet is a larger than chick bird. Is that not a standard or are pullets included in chicks?
What is a pullet?
pul·let (pʊl'ĭt) pronunciation
n.
A young domestic hen, usually one that is less than one year old.
[Middle English pulet, from Old French polet, diminutive of poul, cock, and poule, hen, both from Latin pullus, young fowl, young animal, chicken.]
So when a site like 'Ideal Poultry' sells me a pullet I get a real one for only 2.53? Cool.
I guess we'll both find out since I ordered both pullet and straight run from Ideal...lol
~Julie =0)
Wait. No, Sofer, you're getting day-old baby chicks and will need the heat light and stuff for them. The list says "pullet" simply because that's the term used when they're distinguishing between the straight run (unsexed), male, and female chicks. I don't know why they don't use "cockerel" for "male," or why they don't simply use "female," but they always use "pullet," even though the chick doesn't really become a pullet for a few months. (And in the case of three of my "pullets," they never did, as they turned out to be cockerels. Grrr. )
I don't know if Ideal sells half-grown or full-grown birds.
I'm expecting all of mine will be day old chicks. I'm hoping they do well on the sexing but in most cases ordered straight run.
I think I saw older birds on eggbid.com but I've never bought that way before.
~Julie
Thats what I thought. I could not see how they could feed a chick, take the loss, and sell me a 4 to 6month old bird for 2.53. Now it makes sense. I can get chicks here and don't have to worry about shipping loss. I just wanted 3 pullets so I could by pass the pain of chick loss. My DW will have trouble with that. Oh well.
Steve you know that they will probably be supplementing your order - you will probably get a total of more then 3 female chicks, they need to ship a certain quantity (usually 25) to insure they stay warm enough. I could be wrong but I have been researching, and that seems fairly standard. Let me know how it goes with Ideal, I plan on ordering from them down the road..........
Right, MQN; that's why I have to share orders with friends/neighbors. 25 is a lot!
Oh then I'm out. I only want to have 3 chicks and the only way I can do that is to go to my Big R store locally. I hope they have the chicks I want. I hope they have Wellsommers.
Just found a place online My Pet Chicken that sells as few as three, I have emailed them asking how they are able to do this, will let you know.........
The ones that sell just a few do sell full-size pullets. They usually sell them WITH a chicken tractor, though!
Here is their reply:
Thanks for writing My Pet Chicken. We've partnered with a company that
has devised a new method of shipping chicks that includes a heating
element, so 25 chick minimums is a thing of the past! Our new minimum
is in fact 3, so if you want just 4-6 you're in the clear. We have
over 50 breeds to choose from, so hopefully you'll find what you're
looking for.
They do have Red Star Starter Pullet for $50. But you can buy just 3 chicks.......I asked specifically about chicks not pullets......fast response time to emailed @ 10:44 response back was @ 11:04 way to Traci in Customer Service...........
Thanks MQN. On the hunt for pullets. Hope they have some.
try meyer hatchery.
someone on here recommended it, and I got the catalogue. they have both chicks and some 17 week old pullet availability. They will ship less than 25, with a heating pad. I'm going to get about 10, but you can get less.
www.meyerhatchery.com
this is where I am going to order. I am going to order some aracaunas, silkies and cuckoo marans. they seem to have a great selection and come with the thumbs up of people here on the forum. I'm very excited for spring here in NH.
i'd also ask at the feed stores locally to see if there is anyone around you who raises chickens who would sell you three, if you aren't picky on the breed.
I got my babies today. 4 Barred Rock pullets. They were stuck on a truck for 5 days in Iowa with the big snow storm. So hopefully they will be OK. They are eating and I put some karo syrup in the water. Do all chicks walk with ataxia (drunkeness)?
Oh dear. Well, if anyone can pull them through, you can. Good luck!
They are running around and happy as a chick on a fat worm now. They are eating like crazy and went nuts over some wax worms I had left over from ice fishing. I have laughed a lot today watching their antics. This is fun!
Oh, that's great news! I always worry about the little things sitting on some postal truck. Aren't they a hoot when they chase the one with the worm? I laughed myself sick last time we had chicks...
LUV the worm story.............how cute is that! :-) Glad your little ones are doing ok!
So where did you end up buying from?
sofer ~ my favorite part is how in a couple of days, you won't be able to leave them for more than a couple of hours without coming back and seeing a new feather growing in. it is so amazing how quickly they grow! it starts with wing feathers, then along the spine and chest...it is rediculous how fast they grow up! If you keep handling them a lot, they will be very friendly gals, which is always fun.
Barred rocks are my favorite in terms of personality. I have one called Pandora, who will sit on my shoulder, if I let her. She is a big 7 pound gal, now, so the charm is wearing off. LOL!
I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to be a chicken mama again. It is a long time until spring here in NH. I'm hoping to get mine at hte end of April.
Yes they have started their wing feathers and are so active now. They played tug of war with each worm and fell on their bottoms when the worm snapped. Then they would attack the site again looking for more. As soon as one would find it off it went running until it smacked into the cardboard wall. They seem to be pairing up cause they sleep leaning against each other in pairs.
MQN I got them from our local ranch store here in town. When I went to get them they were starting to die so the chick manager and I syringe fed karo syrup and water to the downers and they picked right up. She didn't know what to do and planned on all of them dying. So we shall see. Syrup water for a day and some wax worms and everybody should be fat and happy.
Another happy ending - karo syrup - good to know, heard about the mixing a white sugar solution, but since I only buy white sugar in the summer for the hummingbirds, thats good know for when I order in the spring (I always have corn syrup). They are sooooo adorable I can not wait .........
Nadine
Sofer, can you explain the karo syrup thing in a little more detail? This is something I want to have in my toolbelt, too, for when my chicks arrive in the spring. Also, how do you get it down the chick's throats? Is there a good trick to it? I find it very hard to get anything liquid into adult chickens ( unless they WANT to eat it, of course)
To start them with karo syrup I dilute it 1/2 and 1/2 with water it is sticky so you can get the beak wet and then they clean it off. Many of them will let you syringe small volumes to their mouth. Quite easy. Also I put a tablespoon of it in the water so they drink the "gatoraide" energy drink and get eating. Once that is happening they rapidly recover. Corn syrup does not have sucrose in it and it is digestable in animal guts. It delivers in 10 minutes a blast of glucose to their systems.