First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[OilyChick]

(I apologize if this is off-topic but couldn't find a better place to post, and yeah, I'm newbie )


I have new chicks ordered but they won't ship out until July 6th. They will only be trucked about 4 hrs so I'm really hoping they are not heat stressed! I calculated that for the amount of eggs I needed each week I would need 10 good layers. Well....I ordered 12 full-size hens of various breeds so that if I "lost" some I would still have enough... and also got 2 types of Bantams for sweet littles for the granddaughters..3 each, for a total of 18 chickens!!!

I was thinking if I have to feed and check on them twice daily for 6+ months before I ever see my first egg, I might as well get the total amount I will need from the start. It would be really frustrating to put in all that work and only get a couple of eggs/day. Plus, I read somewhere that you should get all the chicks from same location so they are less likely to be sickly.

Somebody with experience PLEASE tell me I have not gone insane and ordered too many!!! LOL

 

[OilyChick]

I ordered mine from Ideal Poultry in Texas. Good customer service on the phone and they found some Americauna's even though the website said out of stock. They will add extra roos for "warmth" and cushioning but since I got 12 full size and 6 banties they said they would just add some extra straw to the box. I didn't want ANY roos so I was glad of that!

 

[OilyChick]

ooops! that reply about where I ordered my chicks was supposed to be a reply to a post by Chiefmaster30 on page 3 of this thread (is that the right term?)

I think I need to go back to forum school and learn more about posting

 

[mamatink7]

I really love the video of the heat cave. Awesome. My chicks are 5.5 weeks and are in the coop! I put them out last Friday night and they stayed. We had many field trips before that. The run fence is up, but not permanently connected to posts and the netting cover isn't up yet, so they only get run time when we're home. Since our coop is inside a large barn, it's darker than I'd like, so hubby hooked up the light in there so I can leave it on during the day. There's one window in the room between the coop and run--and they hang out in there a lot, but like the light on for the day. Here are some pics. I can't wait to finish the run. That is my oldest grand--3 in a few weeks. (I see now she's in my avatar photo too.) She loves the chicks. In the bottom photo she is giving them some grass she picked--sure they could use it. The grass is getting long in the run. We may have to cut it. Oh--on this forum--what's an ovation exactly?

if you want to give a thumbs up a comment (kind of like on FB)

 

[strohmster]

I'm new to the raising chicks also. I have 5 Easter Eggers and 4.White rocks will be getting 3 buff orpingtons this week. All are.about 4 weeks old.

 

[famerzellman]

Welcome to BYC

 

[strohmster]

Here are my chicks and my dog! Samson my dog love the outside time with the xhicks.

 

[collie1470]

The orpingtons at 7 weeks old, now refusing to pose as normal lol

 

[collie1470]

And the Silkies at 3 weeks old

 

[Jensownzoo]

(I apologize if this is off-topic but couldn't find a better place to post, and yeah, I'm newbie )


I have new chicks ordered but they won't ship out until July 6th. They will only be trucked about 4 hrs so I'm really hoping they are not heat stressed! I calculated that for the amount of eggs I needed each week I would need 10 good layers. Well....I ordered 12 full-size hens of various breeds so that if I "lost" some I would still have enough... and also got 2 types of Bantams for sweet littles for the granddaughters..3 each, for a total of 18 chickens!!! 

I was thinking if I have to feed and check on them twice daily for 6+ months before I ever see my first egg, I might as well get the total amount I will need from the start. It would be really frustrating to put in all that work and only get a couple of eggs/day. Plus, I read somewhere that you should get all the chicks from same location so they are less likely to be sickly. 

Somebody with experience PLEASE tell me I have not gone insane and ordered too many!!! LOL

I doubt you will ever lack for takers for extra eggs, so I don't think you're crazy!