Good morning newbie family in Merriam KS

[Dani4Hedgies]

Hello,
My name is Dani and my family hubby Travis and 14yr old son Patrick after our next door neighbor got chicks in the Spring last year and after talking with her all year we have decided to try our hand at raising a flock. Have some questions about best time to get chicks? Our neighbor decided to convert her garage into her chicken coop so gave us her 6 chicken coop that had been used for just a few months. So have the coop and our local feed store has told us they are getting chicks in a couple days believe they are going to be Easter Eggers some bluffs and Reds and I think curbons, what i was wondering if late fall is the best time for a beginner family to start their flock or if Spring is? Current weather is 70 to 80 for the next week then we drop down to 60-70. Thank you for your help
Dani

 

[turtlesgalore]

welcome

 

[3riverschick]

Hello,
My name is Dani and my family hubby Travis and 14yr old son Patrick after our next door neighbor got chicks in the Spring last year and after talking with her all year we have decided to try our hand at raising a flock. Have some questions about best time to get chicks? Our neighbor decided to convert her garage into her chicken coop so gave us her 6 chicken coop that had been used for just a few months. So have the coop and our local feed store has told us they are getting chicks in a couple days believe they are going to be Easter Eggers some bluffs and Reds and I think curbons, what i was wondering if late fall is the best time for a beginner family to start their flock or if Spring is? Current weather is 70 to 80 for the next week then we drop down to 60-70. Thank you for your help
Dani

Hi,
Let's see what we can do to help

 

[3riverschick]

have you decided what breeds of chicken you want? pets, eggs or meat?
Best,
karen

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Karen,
Definitely pets/egg layers between my family on the South Beach Diet and breeding sugar gliders we go through a lot of eggs

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,

If I was new to chickens and wanted to start a flock now, I would start with started birds. It's going to be cold now before chicks will get their full feathers. And you do not want to be raising them in the house because the shed chick down gets on everything as a fine dust. Yuck! And it costs to use heat this time of year. The upside to this is that in the Fall, breeders who have been raising Spring-Hatched chicks ( always the best winter layers when grown) are downsizing their flocks for overwintering. For a bit more money you can purchase started birds who already have their feathers and can keep warm. Plus they will be Spring hatched for best winter laying ability and come online for laying eggs so you can hatch eggs with the rest of us next Spring...redeeming months of time when deciding to start late in the year. The extra money the started birds will cost is much less than what it will cost you to raise your own chicks to this age . Plus the birds will have been culled for quality at least once by the breeder and you know what you are buying, not just buying "potential".

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Karen,
Hmm where would I find starter chickens?

 

[3riverschick]

Karen,
Hmm where would I find starter chickens?

well first you need to find an egg layer you like which is not flighty so it can also be a pet. Some of the top egg layers like Leghorns can be flighty and don't make the best pets.
what color do you want? large or bantam size? Like lots of color in the chickens? looking for what color eggs? do you want a rooster? you can have eggs without one.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Karen,
I really like the colorful and rare breeds I know I want some EE some Corbins speckled and Top Hats. Was thinking to go with MCMURRAY mixed colorful and rare hens only which I could get delivered end of Jan. I was just trying to decide which is easier starting with chicken now. Worry about losing them due to weather or just go with the rare mixed pullets in Jan but even then we normally have snow here through March so ya just not sure which would be easiest as a first time chicken mommy.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

On Eggs I think different colors and sizes would be fun and nope no rooster can't have them in Merriam due to city rules. Also can rooster be studded or do they have to be part of the flock? Cause i would love when my girls are a good year and half old should I have a determined sitter let her go ahead and hatch and raise a clutch.