The Balcom Clan
In the Brooder
- Sep 21, 2015
- 17
- 8
- 22
We've been looking forward to starting our own backyard flock for over 6 months now and it's finally time! Unfortunately, it's not the ideal season, but not impossible. We aren't exactly sure how to navigate this site and can tell it will be a wealth of knowledge! I am not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'd appreciate suggestions on where to get started - namely where to get our chicks.
I have looked on Craigslist for chicks but most people who have gotten back to me have one breed of chicks or older chicks. We can only have 5-6 birds (my husband wants a duck so that counts for one of them!) and we'd like to have some variety if possible. Our only criteria is that they're good with kids and good layers. (I don't know enough after that to have an opinion about much else!)
We want to hand raise them, hence the desire for chicks and being "ornamental" or producing fancy colors of eggs isn't all that important. Fun, but not a deciding factor.. It was suggested to me tonight to go to Wilco in Gig Harbor because they have such a wide variety of chicks all the same age. (which is another issue with getting them from different people, they're all different ages) I don't know what I don't know and don't know if I should stay away from feed store animals? Are they just as good as someone's back yard chicks?
The same gal also suggested that I post "wanted" ads online to see if someone has chicks they'd be willing to part with. So, maybe that is partly what this post is for. Looking for suggestions on where to get chicks and/or if someone on here has some?
Thanks in advance! Looking forward to gleaning a ton of knowledge from y'all!!
I have looked on Craigslist for chicks but most people who have gotten back to me have one breed of chicks or older chicks. We can only have 5-6 birds (my husband wants a duck so that counts for one of them!) and we'd like to have some variety if possible. Our only criteria is that they're good with kids and good layers. (I don't know enough after that to have an opinion about much else!)
We want to hand raise them, hence the desire for chicks and being "ornamental" or producing fancy colors of eggs isn't all that important. Fun, but not a deciding factor.. It was suggested to me tonight to go to Wilco in Gig Harbor because they have such a wide variety of chicks all the same age. (which is another issue with getting them from different people, they're all different ages) I don't know what I don't know and don't know if I should stay away from feed store animals? Are they just as good as someone's back yard chicks?
The same gal also suggested that I post "wanted" ads online to see if someone has chicks they'd be willing to part with. So, maybe that is partly what this post is for. Looking for suggestions on where to get chicks and/or if someone on here has some?
Thanks in advance! Looking forward to gleaning a ton of knowledge from y'all!!
