Couple questions about getting chicks this spring.....

[Scoop]

Sorry, I've not ordered from either of those hatheries. I keep my chicks in an old galvanized tub, it's the double sized, in the basement with a heat light. I had them in my mud room one year and the smell and dust was

. I clean the tub out every day religiously and it will still smell a bit. After they are out of the tub and in a coop, I clean the basement of all the dust, etc.

 

[Keri78]

1st - who is better Hoover's Hatchery or McMurray's?

I went with ideal-hatchery.com They are based out of Texas...sweet sweet people! They let me change my order like a million times and were just as sweet and nice everytime I called! They even refunded me money for one baby that dies a couple days in! I LOVED it b/c I could choose the breeds, the sexes, and order just a few. They have a $25 order minimum NOT 25 CHICKS!!! I highly recommend them!

2nd - where do I keep them? The barn has barn cats and it's not heated, the house has Golden Retrievers......do I just wait for mid-june to get them or how do you keep them safe? Can I use a dog kennel, but then how do you get a heat lamp in a kennel?

They need to be kept in a brooder(I used a rubbermaid tote with hay in it) for the first 8 weeks at least! They need to have a heat lamp over them at all times and be kept at 95degrees. I've heard people use their bathrooms, closets, whereever in their homes. And yes,like someone else mentioned already, they will try to hop out so you will have to put a piece of chicken wire or something on top of the tote to keep them in. I had Hubby build me a "chicken tractor" for when they were old enough to go outside but too young to be left alone. From there once they were old enough(not exactly sure when that happened) I moved them to the barn and now just allow them to free range during the day and at night they march right back to the barn to go to "bed" and I just lock them up...in the morning I let them out again. I keep a big rubber bucket of water out there for them and another bucket of feed and they are really self sufficient little critters! I'm attaching some pics for ya! HAVE FUN!!! You will LOVE it! Do your research on what breeds your getting and be prepared! Oh yeah...and

Blessings,Keri

 

[RAWR]

Quote:
McMurray definatly
and i would keep them in the garage with a heat lamp, rubbermaid tubs work wonders as brooders

 

[greenpeeps]

I haven't orderd from a hatchery yet. The idea of some of the shipping costs just kills me. My local feed store placed a huge order from Myers, so that's were my 29 chicks are coming from. Just orderd them yesterday. But if I did place an order form a hatchery it would be one that is close to me. I think that would be less stress on the chicks. Just a thought.