2014 Hatchery Chick Orders

[Searsmom]

We are on the same page!

We spent yesterday setting up for the 2 and 3 week old chicks to move outside, they spent the night out in their new pen and did great. Then, we had another cold front come in and they are back in tonight, until probably Thursday...then we bought 8 new chicks and 2 ducks at TSC today BEFORE we decided to move the other guys back in and have another order coming next week on Wednesday...its getting a little overwhelming here, by our own doing. This is our first time with ducks and I'm wishing we wouldn't have gotten them and its only been 6 hours!

Our TSC hasn't gotten any meat birds in yet which is probably just as well since our packing peanut roosters from Ideal are getting HUGE.

Oh, I did the same thing with ducks. Got two, went back two days later and there were only 2 left, they looked lonely. So 4 ducks with the 4 chicks in the tub in the living room. OH MY! Cleaned that thing out almost every day and at least every other. Not doing that again. The ducks will have to start outside this spring.

 

[SlipsWife]

Only 2 ducks? Darn my TSC has a minimum duck order of 24! I want ducks, but parents wont let me get ducks

I believe if you order ducks through our local TSC you have to order 24 or 25 but if you are buying the ones they get in with their chicks you only have to get 2 at a time. My husband was always against ducks and then for some reason today said to go ahead and get 2 (probably because he didn't want any more chicks with more coming next week! lol). They are cute in store but once I started reading up on brooding them, which I should have done BEFORE buying them, its a lot of work. At least they eat the same and have the same requirements as the chicks to start out with.

 

[SlipsWife]

Oh, I did the same thing with ducks. Got two, went back two days later and there were only 2 left, they looked lonely. So 4 ducks with the 4 chicks in the tub in the living room. OH MY! Cleaned that thing out almost every day and at least every other. Not doing that again. The ducks will have to start outside this spring.

I never read up on duck care because my husband kept saying no ducks, ever...now I wish I would have because I probably would have said no today!

 

[Searsmom]

I never read up on duck care because my husband kept saying no ducks, ever...now I wish I would have because I probably would have said no today!

It passes. Just keep reminding yourself. What I ended up doing - and still had to clean a lot though not as much as before - was get a rubber bowl, about 15", bend some welded wire over/around the top of it and put their waterer on top of that. I filled in about 2" of litter on the floor so the little ones couldn't get up and under (somehow - they would find a way) and get scratched. I had to empty that bowl at least once a day but it was better than hauling wet litter every day.

 

[clankeyes]

Wow !!!! These are BIG numbers !!!! I'm getting my feet wet and I am getting 1 or 2 Maran's and Americana and a Buff O. and ??? for a total of 5 at the most.. I ordered from the local feed store. I called today and checked in.. Sometime next month I was told. The place they order from don't have any Maran's yet.

 

[wendychicklawyr]

I like to refer to mine as the xtreeme mixed flock ..I'm selling eggs so I wanted variety ..wyandottes, polish, brahma, cochin, legbar and leghorn, Ancona, penedesenca, welsummer, all the Marans, ameraucana and Ee, barnevelder, orphinton, olive egger,Dominique , dorking and fauvacana ..did I miss any breeds? Lol
Plus I'm into rare heritage breeds oh yeah a buckeye too

 

[wendychicklawyr]

This is Valerie ..she's a Delawre ..I'm naming her that because Valerie bertinelli is from Delaware ..yes I'm naming all 72! Lol

 

[tcmstalcup]

where on Ideal's site are the Barnevelders? i looked in the brown egg layer sectiom and didn't see them there

go to brown egg layers and then to dark egg layers from there or just call them. They are great on phone service

 

[SlipsWife]

It passes. Just keep reminding yourself. What I ended up doing - and still had to clean a lot though not as much as before - was get a rubber bowl, about 15", bend some welded wire over/around the top of it and put their waterer on top of that. I filled in about 2" of litter on the floor so the little ones couldn't get up and under (somehow - they would find a way) and get scratched. I had to empty that bowl at least once a day but it was better than hauling wet litter every day.

Thank you, we will give that a try!

 

[Gingersnap722]

Geez wendy, 72 and you're naming all of them?? Including our 12 adult hens that we have had for a year, we're up to 39. However, that will change in a few months when I order more. I might even catch up to you!