I finally talked myself into ordering our first chicks!
After reading some good reviews on Ideal Poultry, I decided to go with them, they seem to be a bit more expensive than some other places, but from what I have read they have good costumer service and live rates.
I am also ordering 5 turkeys to raise up to eat and 10 meat chickens! I am going to try to free-range them and keep them a little longer (depending on growth rate) than the recommended 6-8 weeks. I am going to try 5 cornish rocks and 5 black broilers to see which ones we like more and am hoping that one of the black broiler roos might stay "small" enough to use as a rooster so we can hatch our own cross-bred meat chickens.
I also ordered the EcoGlow 50 brooder after reading so many excellent reviews. I still have to pick up a chick feeder and waterer. I would like to train them on chicken nipples, but will do that once they are out of the brooding pen.
I wanted a variety of breeds to add to my hen flock, so I am planning on ordering two pullets of 10 different breeds. I hope that isn't a mistake, but I am so excited about having the different colored eggs and a variety of colorful hens! Anyone with experience ordering, raising and keeping such a variety of chickens?
Also does anyone have a good and economical place to order chicken supplies? I always prefer personal recommendations to google searches
I will post pictures when we get the chicks and our set-up, but it will not be for a while. Ideals next ship dates are the end of June and the end of July, and some of the breeds I wanted may not be available until the July ship date. But that will give me alot of time to get everything ready for the new fluff-balls!
After reading some good reviews on Ideal Poultry, I decided to go with them, they seem to be a bit more expensive than some other places, but from what I have read they have good costumer service and live rates.
I am also ordering 5 turkeys to raise up to eat and 10 meat chickens! I am going to try to free-range them and keep them a little longer (depending on growth rate) than the recommended 6-8 weeks. I am going to try 5 cornish rocks and 5 black broilers to see which ones we like more and am hoping that one of the black broiler roos might stay "small" enough to use as a rooster so we can hatch our own cross-bred meat chickens.
I also ordered the EcoGlow 50 brooder after reading so many excellent reviews. I still have to pick up a chick feeder and waterer. I would like to train them on chicken nipples, but will do that once they are out of the brooding pen.
I wanted a variety of breeds to add to my hen flock, so I am planning on ordering two pullets of 10 different breeds. I hope that isn't a mistake, but I am so excited about having the different colored eggs and a variety of colorful hens! Anyone with experience ordering, raising and keeping such a variety of chickens?
Also does anyone have a good and economical place to order chicken supplies? I always prefer personal recommendations to google searches
I will post pictures when we get the chicks and our set-up, but it will not be for a while. Ideals next ship dates are the end of June and the end of July, and some of the breeds I wanted may not be available until the July ship date. But that will give me alot of time to get everything ready for the new fluff-balls!
