Where to get chicks/pullets in Bay Area?

[eggywegg]

Hello BYC Friends, I am a newbie to this forum as well as to backyard chickens. My partner and I have just finished our backyard chicken coop, an incredible exercise in collaboration that is very worth doing. We were going to get pullets from TruNorth farm in Contra Costa, but it appears they are no longer doing chickens. I have done some hunting on craigslist looking for pullets or chicks with not much luck. I also checked out mypetchicken.com, but they aren't shipping any of the varieties we're looking for until March....too long to wait for our new hen friends. I've heard good things about Toby's feed barn in Point Reyes. Anyone have some wisdom for a newcomer looking for pullets or chicks? We're pretty easy on varieties. Ideals would be Red Stars, Easter Eggers/Araucanas, Marans, Wyandottes or Buff Oprington. Looking for about 6 in a variety of brown, white and colorful. We live in Oakland but will travel about an hour or so if necessary.
Any wisdom would be much appreciated. thanks!

 

[clio]

Quote:

Pls. refer to the topic "Bay Area BYCers" ... there's lots of us, and many of us have the resources you are looking for!

Many feed stores don't bring their chicks in until March. Western Farm Supply in Santa Rosa is one very reliable source. They have a chick room, etc., but won't be getting their chicks in until March through October.

 

[jenesis536]

I just picked up 4 buff orps and 4 easter eggers from Half Moon Bay Feed & Fuel yesterday. I was hoping to get some barred rocks but they sold out before I got there. They also had some RIRs, white leghorns and spreckled sussex. The ee's are about half week old and the bo's were 1-1/2 weeks.

We got 6 chicks from there in October... one ended up becoming a roo so we had to replace him... with 8 chicks. I know I'll have to rehome some of them at some point, but we'll grow them out a bit and pick the ones we want and figure that out later. Somehow I've managed to not only get my hubby to allow me to get chicks after all of these years... spend 3 months building me a coop and pen, to turn around and get 8 more and get him to build me another coop. So excited!

Some place in Alamo and one in Livermore also frequently post they are selling chicks, too... but call - I almost drive to Alamo for some but called and they didn't have all of the breeds they were advertising.

 

[C&C Chickens]

Two weeks ago we got two chicks from El Sobrante Feed and Supply, they may still have a few left. Another source is Woolly Egg Farm in Mill Valley. BioFuel Oasis says they are getting some chicks in February, so give them a call if the these other sources don't work out. Good luck!

 

[Sinfonian]

I was going to suggest feed stores as well. That's where we're getting ours since mail order requires minimum 25 orders. Not good for backyarders like me. I must say that I'm surprised someplace as warm as SF waits until March to get birds. That's when WE get them here in the PNW. Insane. Call around, I'm sure some feed stores get them earlier there. GL and I'm jealous you already have your coop built. We're building ours in another month or so due to the cold and rain.

 

[annaraven]

just sayin

sry, cat helping type

 

[eggface]

We got 10 chicks from Alamo Feed & Grain last march and the 6 that the neighbors pit-bull didn't eat are doing great. We got RIR's (dead), Turkens (dead), Brahmas, Plymouth Rocks, Buff Orpingtons and a bantam japanese (I think) rooster. I'd call them up before you go, but we had a good experience w/ the guys there and have real nice chickens laying lots of eggs now. I wanna get some more soon so drop a line if you find another good spot near the bay!

 

[CookieB]

DO NOT BUY chicks at Mike's Feed and Seed in San Leandro. They sold me 3 chicks and said there is a 10% chance one could be a rooster. Two out of 3 were roosters - that is 66% ROOSTERS -- so I ended up with one lonely chick. Mike's took no responsibility, even though they said "those were really bad odds." no money back. no replacement chicks. somehow it was all my fault they didn't do their "sexing" job very well. . .