How do I decide between hatching fertile eggs and buying baby chicks?
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In almost every case, starting your laying flock with baby chicks will be easier and less expensive than hatching fertile eggs at home.
Don’t get us wrong — hatching at home can be a wonderful experience! But it comes with more risks and uncertainties than many beginners expect.
The Reality of Hatching Eggs
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Fertile eggs (from any source) are never guaranteed to hatch.
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Shipping is hard on eggs, and with shipped eggs, the average hatch rate is about 50%.
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That’s just the average — sometimes it’s higher, sometimes much lower. You could do everything perfectly and still end up with zero chicks.
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On top of that, about half of the chicks will be male, on average. Again, that’s an average — your results could swing heavily one way or the other.
A Personal Lesson Learned
When I first started, I chose fertile eggs. I ordered 18, expecting about 9 to hatch, half of them females — so I figured I’d end up with four or five hens.
What happened?
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8 out of 18 hatched — close to the average.
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But 7 of the 8 were roosters.
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I ended up with one hen… and a coop full of crowing!
With chicks, I could have been virtually guaranteed the females I wanted, or at least gotten a refund if something went wrong. Extra hens are easy to rehome — extra roosters, not so much.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a beginner looking for a reliable laying flock, start with baby chicks.
Choose fertile eggs only if:
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You want a breed or color you can’t find as chicks
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You’re looking for multiple roosters to choose from
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You want the experience of hatching — and are ready to accept any outcome
Be prepared: you might get a great hatch… or end up like I did, with one hen (or none) for all your time, effort, and money.
