Am I nuts???

[Hholly]

I just got rid of my extra roosters. I have only 10 bantams left. (The coop is 10x10 inside, ans 10 x30 outside) Now, I'm thinking of ordering some female chicks from Meyer hatchery. It's October. It's getting colder, Am I nuts, or what??? Should I wait for spring? I have the equipment to set up a brooder in the house. But it will still be winter when they are big enough to go out to the coop.

Any thoughts??? Talk me down?
TIA!

 

[junebuggena]

On this site, the answer is always going to be "Of course you should get some chicks." We are chicken addicts, we enable.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So I'm going to go against all others and say you should wait until spring, there's not enough time for them to grow and feather before winter, and integrating into a flock that's bored and cold and crabby will be harder, besides if I have to wait, everyone should wait.

 

[chickenMamee]

I have chicks that are two weeks old. I have them in a brooder outside. They have already feathered out a lot! In another week or two I'm moving them into a coop. I live in the south and it's been pretty dang chilly at night but since they've been outside all of this time I think they will be fine in a coop with a warming light. Go ahead and get those babies!

 

[Hholly]

I have chicks that are two weeks old. I have them in a brooder outside. They have already feathered out a lot! In another week or two I'm moving them into a coop. I live in the south and it's been pretty dang chilly at night but since they've been outside all of this time I think they will be fine in a coop with a warming light. Go ahead and get those babies!

Lol! Thanks! I just might.

 

[azygous]

Go ahead and get the chicks. And you do not have to brood them indoors, either. In fact, if you set up a chick pen in your coop, or even in your run, if it's enclosed, you can use the heating pad system of brooding, and your chicks will feather out much quicker than indoors, and will be much more cold hardy as we move into deep winter.

Check out Blooie's thread "Mama heating pad for the brooder".

I brooded two sets of chicks recently using this system, and I will never go back to indoor brooding.

 

[Hholly]

Ah, that's very intriguing! Tou're really helping me to decide. I will look into this outdoor brooding. Thanks!

I'm thinking of 5 speckled Sussex, and 5 EE females.

 

[Hholly]

On this site, the answer is always going to be "Of course you should get some chicks." We are chicken addicts, we enable.

Lol! That's why I asked y'all. :-D

 

[Jerucapofisrael]

I have chicks that are two weeks old. I have them in a brooder outside. They have already feathered out a lot! In another week or two I'm moving them into a coop. I live in the south and it's been pretty dang chilly at night but since they've been outside all of this time I think they will be fine in a coop with a warming light. Go ahead and get those babies!

 

[Jerucapofisrael]

Hello, I am really new here, live in Central Fl and bought 6 chicks 2 weeks ago also.I made a ' brooder'out of a large plastic container with the bedding from the store and water and feeder containers in my bathroom. They already have grown a lot,have feathers and try to fly to top of container with lid fully opened. My question is, I already have a hen house/ chicken coop for them and you mentioned you have an outside brooder- so if I put the warming light in outside coop, its OK to put them outside now? I forgot to ask at Rural King how old they were so do you think they were already a few weeks old when I bought them at the store? I appreciate any and all advice, thanks!