Colorado

[Ashdoes]

Ordering chicks in the mail is how a lot of people start out, so it usually goes pretty well. Local is easier simply because they don't have to be shipped, but you also won't know males from females for a little while. Integrating isn't too difficult, but goes easier if you have a separate place for the younger crowd. It also helps if you have at least three in the new group, they'll tend to stick together.
Looking at breed is important too. Your Polish are pretty laid back, and can tend to be picked on...so your next breed should also be laid back, so they aren't mean to the older birds. Although, all younger birds are picked on at first, which is why it's nice to have a separate area for a little while.

 

[Percheron chick]

So, since I've successfully (so far) integrated fully grown chickens into my family & daily routine, I'm thinking of adding a few more in the spring. I've been reading the articles in the Learning Center, but I wanted to get a consensus on the difficulty of raising chicks and adding them to an already existing flock. Is this something a total newb to poultry could handle relatively well? I'm also curious about buying chicks and having them mailed to me. Is it better to find a local seller than to have chicks mailed through the USPS? The only reasons I'm considering ordering them is because I can pick the breeds I've been researching and get them ordered on payday with a delivery date of next May. Has anyone had any bad experiences with ordering chicks? I mean, my brain automatically goes to the horror show of opening up your packaged chicks and finding nothing but dead bodies.

Just wanted to survey the experiences of everyone here before putting any money down on anything.

I've never had problem adding chicks to my flock but I always add more than there are adult hens and I give them an area where they can get away from the bossy hens and eat in peace. They also spend very little time confined inside the coop together.

I've never bought chicks direct from the hatchery. You will have the highest mortality rate in the first 72 hours. If you buy from the feed store, the ones that were going to die probably have already so you don't incur that loss. If you are only looking at 5-10 chicks, you will get nicked on shipping so it might work out to $6-8 a chick with no loss. You lose 2 now they are $10 chicks.

I know Jax and NoCo feeder supply will special order chicks for you. Jax gets their chicks from Cackle and feeder supply get their's from Privett (Ranch-Way too). I would check the Denver feed stores because I have no clue what their polices are. Feeder Supply usually has a chicken workshop mid March. They order in hundreds of chicks and have some good specials.

If you do order chicks, get 25. That will cover any losses and you can easily sell the extras on CL. You can get $15-25 each for pullets depending upon age in the spring.

 

[trsturself]

So, since I've successfully (so far) integrated fully grown chickens into my family & daily routine, I'm thinking of adding a few more in the spring. I've been reading the articles in the Learning Center, but I wanted to get a consensus on the difficulty of raising chicks and adding them to an already existing flock. Is this something a total newb to poultry could handle relatively well? I'm also curious about buying chicks and having them mailed to me. Is it better to find a local seller than to have chicks mailed through the USPS? The only reasons I'm considering ordering them is because I can pick the breeds I've been researching and get them ordered on payday with a delivery date of next May. Has anyone had any bad experiences with ordering chicks? I mean, my brain automatically goes to the horror show of opening up your packaged chicks and finding nothing but dead bodies.

Just wanted to survey the experiences of everyone here before putting any money down on anything.

Cool, sent you a PM......

Should have also added Bresse and Heritage RIR to my list. Seems it is getting longer and longer!

Is always hard integrating new chickens. Some people put them on the roost at night, and watch them throughout the day to make sure no one is getting picked on. With smaller chicks, putting them in their own wire enclosure inside the run works. All chickens are different, so is hard to say for sure how your outcome will be.

I've never had problem adding chicks to my flock but I always add more than there are adult hens and I give them an area where they can get away from the bossy hens and eat in peace. They also spend very little time confined inside the coop together.

I've never bought chicks direct from the hatchery. You will have the highest mortality rate in the first 72 hours. If you buy from the feed store, the ones that were going to die probably have already so you don't incur that loss. If you are only looking at 5-10 chicks, you will get nicked on shipping so it might work out to $6-8 a chick with no loss. You lose 2 now they are $10 chicks.

I know Jax and NoCo feeder supply will special order chicks for you. Jax gets their chicks from Cackle and feeder supply get their's from Privett (Ranch-Way too). I would check the Denver feed stores because I have no clue what their polices are. Feeder Supply usually has a chicken workshop mid March. They order in hundreds of chicks and have some good specials.

If you do order chicks, get 25. That will cover any losses and you can easily sell the extras on CL. You can get $15-25 each for pullets depending upon age in the spring.

I have ordered chicks multiple times and won't do it again. I lost A LOT of them in that first 72 hours. I ordered 31 this spring and lost probably 7-8 of them if not more, I don't remember exactly. Let's just say we have learned not to get attached to a chick right away!
I will only do what Percheron says and go to local feed stores. Most of them will post what they are getting ahead of time and when so you know what is coming. Elizabeth and Kiowa country store post theirs online and take reservations so don't think you can go there and pick one up without a reservation. Later in the season it isn't an issue but some of the popular breeds go quick. Murdoch's posts theirs at the stores but they'll also email you a copy if you ask. Local breeders are good choices too especially if you are buying sex-link birds. Denver Urban Homesteading has a chicken swap the first sat of the month. We have sold our extra birds from our mail orders there as well as bought some. Be careful though, I've seen some breeders there that I definitely would not buy from!

As for integrating, as others have suggested, I have a "grow-out" pen inside the run. I put the young ones in there for a couple weeks during the day so they can all see each other before being able to access each other, then I open the door enough where the little ones can get out but the big ones can't get in so the little ones have their own food and water and a place to hide if needed. I do that for a week but usually they only use it for the first day or two. Then I start putting them to bed with the older girls and within a day or two they are one big flock. I haven't had any problems beyond the usual pecking order stuff.


Suncatcher - just to be clear, my BR pullets are not heritage. I picked them up at Big R. They look nice so far though.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Batten down the hatches, hutches and houses. Here comes the wind!

 

[Ashdoes]

I was surprised how quickly the wind picked up this morning. Nothing like the smack of ice cold air to take your breath away. Lol

 

[trsturself]

I have been watching the wind all day. At one point it was blowing the snow around so much you couldn't even see the barn. But it wasn't swirling it was just blowing horizontal.

 

[svenskavessla]

Hi everyone! I'm actually a New Mexican (*gasp*) but I'm only 30 minutes away so close enough I saw this ad on craigslist and thought someone might be interested?
https://denver.craigslist.org/grd/4776457271.html
He's a mottled orpington X ayam cemani cross. Needs a home before he becomes stew. Not mine- but I thought SOMEONE might want him!

 

[COChix]

I hate the wind more than the cold! North Boulder is windy!

On ordering chicks, that is how we started, ordered 25, plus a meal maker and two buff Orph roos. We lost one the day after shipment, but that was it. So we had good luck with ours, I have heard of people opening the box to a lot of dead chicks.

 

[suncatcher]

Windy here on the west side of Pikes Peak too, chickens are not interested in going out today, can't say I blame them! Still no eggs, I am seriously looking at solar christmas lights, but not sure they will be bright enough????????


I have ordered chicks via the mail also, I ordered 25 in March, had five arrive DOA, but the rest did OK, these were from Privett in NM. Have also ordered 7 from My Pet Chicken, all arrived in very good shape, these were ordered the end of August or September. So not sure if it is the time of year, or how far they have to travel, I do try to order from hatcheries close to Colorado, like Privett, Cackle, etc. The day I picked up mine, there was a box of chirping chicks from McMurry, they had to travel quite a ways, so who knows??????

Hope he finds a home!! Very unique CL ad!!!!

 

[Double Kindness]

He's actually my rooster his name is Nugget

he's very sweet and I even have 2 "haffie" pullets... they have a recessive fm gene, maybe breed with a silkie? He loves being petted. He will be going to freezer camp tonight by tonight or Saturday at the latest. I can't afford the crow reduction surgery on him, as 2 of my Am. white bresse are going for the procedure in December 2.

I have 2 incubators on my Christmas wish list, I am liking the janoel jn7-56 and jn5-60, but am open to something different to hatch out white bresse and ayam cemani. I'm adding 2 svart honas lines, 2 ayam cemani lines and another line of white bresse.

I will be selling my flock of ee's, polish, rc leghorn, ameracuna and my semi-quieted rooster Lenny that's a salmon favorelle x wellsummer x light brahma to make room for new lines. They all just started laying, Lenny is an incredibly sweet rooster. He takes excellent care of the hens.

I have a white star and br rooster that are great flock protectors and mousers, along with a production red, slw roo, 2 slw pullets and a br pullet if anyone is interested. Seriously, after Thanksgiving these extras except the pullets are ALL going to freezer camp, except Lenny and my laying flock. I also have 3 other ayam cemani roosters, and 1 ayam cemani rooster that has had the crow reduction surgery done that are available. These are from Mike Bean's non Smithsonian line, and are NOT the best quality of ac, but are good layers and very sweet tempered loving to cuddle and be petted. I have raised these from hatchlings, and I have pictures of the parents. They are from a local flock and should do ok in the cold weather.

If anyone wants ayam cemani, white bresse in the spring I should have hatching eggs by then, from gff line of ac as well as the non Smithsonian line I currently have. My bresse are also from gff lines.