Countdown to Baby Chicks 2023 edition

[Iluveggers]

I got em!

they didn't make it on the truck from the distribution center to my little local post office, so I had to make the drive to the big city to get them before work.

everyone survived transit!

after a little fiddling with the height of the heat light to get them comfy I went to work. my partner sent me a few videos confirming that I got it right lol

they are eating and drinking and seem happy

10 Americanas from hoovers. there is a bit of variation in fluff color which I am very happy about.

Oh they look so cute & cozy in there!

 

[impr3]

I have an incubator in my Amazon cart. I am thinking that would be the way to go. We have lost,umm, three, so that is not very much room. I am enamored with frizzle chickens. I have one, Flippy, and me thinks he needs a friend and a mate (so that's two there). Of course, the frizzle thingy ain't guaranteed. I'd sure hate to be hatching trying to get more frizzle and wind up with all smooth. A frizzle brahma would be the bees knees.

So, yeah, there will be more, just no plans to "order" at this point.

I strongly recommend against mating a frizzle to a frizzle. The description below is borrowed from the Meyer Hatchery website so I don't have to type out a full explanation myself .

The gene responsible for frizzling is dominant, meaning that it “covers up” the normal feathering gene. A chicken with a frizzle presentation will have a frizzle gene and a normal gene, one from each parent. A cross of two frizzled birds should result in the following:

• 25% of the chicks will have two genes for normal feathering
• 25% of the chicks will have a double frizzle gene and will have "frazzled" feathering
• 50% of the chicks will have a frizzle gene and a normal gene and will be frizzled

The problem with frizzling happens when two frizzle chickens are mated. Their offspring may have a chance of receiving two copies of the frizzle gene, and chicks with a double copy have feathers that are fragile and break very easily, which isn’t very pretty to look at and isn’t safe or healthy for the chick to grow up completely naked.

Therefore, to help ensure we don’t produce these “double copy” frizzled chicks, half of the parents are normally feathered, and the other half are frizzled. That cross should produce the following:

• 50% of the chicks have one frizzle and one normal gene and frizzled feathering
• 50% of the chicks have two normal genes and normal feathering

That’s why it’s important to not breed two frizzles together to avoid producing the double copy chicks.

https://meyerhatchery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019286651

 

[Tremogg]

Due to last years situation (hubby got sick and we had to rehome our whole flock of Bielefelder's) we ordered from Cackle again this year. We are expecting 5 Barred Rocks (4 hens 1 rooster), 5 Rhode Island red hens and 6 easter eggers. We ordered all bantams and are expecting them to hatch 03/27/2023.

Quick Update.....I had to cancel my order for chicks this year. Last year it was due to my husbands medical crisis and this year it is due to my health. Im thinking Chickens are just not in the cards for us now or in the future. SOOOO im gonna live vicariously through all of you!

 

[Iluveggers]

Quick Update.....I had to cancel my order for chicks this year. Last year it was due to my husbands medical crisis and this year it is due to my health. Im thinking Chickens are just not in the cards for us now or in the future. SOOOO im gonna live vicariously through all of you!

I’m sorry! I hope you are ok!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I strongly recommend against mating a frizzle to a frizzle. The description below is borrowed from the Meyer Hatchery website so I don't have to type out a full explanation myself .

The gene responsible for frizzling is dominant, meaning that it “covers up” the normal feathering gene. A chicken with a frizzle presentation will have a frizzle gene and a normal gene, one from each parent. A cross of two frizzled birds should result in the following:

• 25% of the chicks will have two genes for normal feathering
• 25% of the chicks will have a double frizzle gene and will have "frazzled" feathering
• 50% of the chicks will have a frizzle gene and a normal gene and will be frizzled

The problem with frizzling happens when two frizzle chickens are mated. Their offspring may have a chance of receiving two copies of the frizzle gene, and chicks with a double copy have feathers that are fragile and break very easily, which isn’t very pretty to look at and isn’t safe or healthy for the chick to grow up completely naked.

Therefore, to help ensure we don’t produce these “double copy” frizzled chicks, half of the parents are normally feathered, and the other half are frizzled. That cross should produce the following:

• 50% of the chicks have one frizzle and one normal gene and frizzled feathering
• 50% of the chicks have two normal genes and normal feathering

That’s why it’s important to not breed two frizzles together to avoid producing the double copy chicks.

https://meyerhatchery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019286651

In addition to brittle feathering, double-frizzle-gene 'frazzles' also have enlargement of the heart, rapid heartbeat, and malformation of adrenal and thyroid glands, all likely caused by the higher metabolism that these birds have and generally leading to shortened lifespans compared to even single-frizzle-gene birds. It's really, really not great to breed two frizzles together.

Quick Update.....I had to cancel my order for chicks this year. Last year it was due to my husbands medical crisis and this year it is due to my health. Im thinking Chickens are just not in the cards for us now or in the future. SOOOO im gonna live vicariously through all of you!

Terribly sorry to hear that! I know it's not the same, but I'm sure there will be many pictures to come for you to enjoy even if you aren't able to get chicks of your own.

 

[LovingMyChicks]

This was my favorite thread last year! Once you place a 2023 order, post the details! We can pass the time together! Once you get your new babies, let us know and post pics!

Where did you order from?

What did you order?

When will they hatch/how many weeks or months left?


I know it’s early…but I put 2 orders in for June next year already! I will live vicariously through all of you who get chicks long before that. School lets out here in June, so we get them when the kids (and teacher parents) can spend all day doting on them!

I ordered mine in November of 22. I ordered the Hungryman Special, New Hampshire Reds, and Welsummers for Feb. 2023 through Cackle Hatchery

 

[igorsMistress]

I got em!

they didn't make it on the truck from the distribution center to my little local post office, so I had to make the drive to the big city to get them before work.

everyone survived transit!

after a little fiddling with the height of the heat light to get them comfy I went to work. my partner sent me a few videos confirming that I got it right lol

they are eating and drinking and seem happy

10 Americanas from hoovers. there is a bit of variation in fluff color which I am very happy about.

Yay, so glad they all made it! Did you order any particular colors?

 

[igorsMistress]

Quick Update.....I had to cancel my order for chicks this year. Last year it was due to my husbands medical crisis and this year it is due to my health. Im thinking Chickens are just not in the cards for us now or in the future. SOOOO im gonna live vicariously through all of you!

That’s too bad! I hope you can get back to keeping them soon.

 

[Tremogg]

I’m sorry! I hope you are ok!

Thank you1 I will be fine just don't have a lot of energy to take care of chickens though.

 

[Tremogg]

Yay, so glad they all made it! Did you order any particular colors?

so darn cute!!