Ordering chicks in high summer, okay or bad idea?

[SeaChick]

Here in Maine everyone gets chicks between late March and June. We're building a new coop right now and re-starting our flock. I realized that the hatcheries ship all year, so I could start this year rather than wait until next spring.

In so many ways, this makes a TON of sense in my climate. If I get baby chicks this summer, I can brood them right in the coop (with heat lamp of course) since the outside temp is about what it would be inside my house in April. So: no dusty room in my house, yay! Plus, I'll get eggs early next year rather than waiting until October!

So now I'm thinking: why doesn't everyone do it this way? Is there a reason this is not a good idea? is shipping in hot weather much more stressful than in very cold weather? What do you guys think?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I would not be that concerned about shipping. In extreme weather, heat or cold, it's a little easier for something to go wrong, but if they are handled properly (most times they are) it's usually not a problem. You'll find more complaints on here of shipping around postal holidays. Things get more confusing then. Or when freak weather hits, a blizzard, flood, a ridiculous heat wave, or tornado for example.

I brood mine in the coop, also with a heat lamp, whether the outside temperature is below freezing or in the heat of the summer. It doesn't matter what the outside temperature is, what matters is the temperature where the chicks are. To me the biggest challenge in brooding outside is the temperature swings. I've had ambient temperatures go from below freezing to above 70 F in 36 hours. The brooder has to be able to accommodate that. My brooder is big enough and well enough ventilated so the far end can cool off in hot weather and the heated end stays toasty on the coldest days.

I don't see anything wrong with your plan. When I was in Arkansas where we had four seasons I'd hatch chicks in February or August so I had a steady supply of meat for my freezer. Or get shipped chicks if I wanted to introduce a new bloodline. I did fairly late one summer when dogs wiped out most of my flock.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Usual reason people don't get chicks in the summer is that they won't mature fast enough to start laying until the next year. I'm sure heat could be a factor too.