Forget diamonds, I want a COOP!

[WickeeChickee]

In regard to chicks vs. pullets, I'm slightly confused. I assumed pullets referred to juveniles who were more feather than fuzz, thereby allowing you to put them in a coop straight off and skip the brooder stage. However, when I went to the farm store yesterday the owner showed me some barred rock "pullets" who were only 9 days old. ??? I'm not finding much availability of older birds locally, just chicks. I am really leaning more toward getting older birds simply because I dont have a good place to put a brooder, although I know the kids would love fuzzy little peeping chicks. Only problem is I dont really like the idea of a mail order flock but I cant find older pullets around here so far... life and death decisions, I know!

 

[1muttsfan]

Pullet simply means a female chicken less than a year old. You are looking for started pullets, that are older, or point-of-lay pullets, that are ready to start within a few weeks. Personally, I love to raise chicks and don't mind the 5 month wait until the eggs arrive.

 

[WickeeChickee]

Ahha! Thanks for your knowledgable input! My 3 year old saw the 9 day old cuties at the store yesterday so I may be finding room in the house for chicks yet! There might be a space right next to my hubby's side of the bed ...

 

[memechick]

This thread is too funny!! As for chicks vs pullets ..... I would have loved to have started with chicks but I heard too many stories of people ending up with too many roosters. I played it safe and got pullets ..... all girls. Good luck and I hope you keep posting here with your updates.

 

[liz9910]

hahaha you're funny! Show him how much a ready built coop costs and I think he'll jump on board!

 

[thasista]

Hi from Kentucky

 

[sumi]

9 days old is a good age. I actually have some 9 day old chicks myself at the moment that I hatched last week. They are over that "fragile" stage by now i.e. a little tougher and yet small enough to tame.
I'm thinking you already made your mind up about these fluff balls, which will also give you time to build a coop for them. But you will need a brooder. There are some designs in the coops tab.
For future reference, if you see POL pullets for sale, that means point-of-lay and they pullets will be 16-18 weeks old, depending on what the seller considers POL.

 

[WickeeChickee]

Thanks, sumi! After much shameless use of feminine wiles last night on my part, I.did finally manage to pester the poor guy into sketching out a preliminary, rough plan for a small chicken coop! Pathetic how hearing him say, " we'll just frame it up" made my heart go all a-flutter! Today I'm going to research brooders. In y'all's opinions, is there a way of effectively turning the coop into a brooder by confining them into one protected space with a heat lamp? Or is that a huge no-no and they definitely need to be indoors? Hubby balked a bit at my idea of turning the kids' bathroom into a temporary chick nursery...

 

[sumi]

You could combine the coop and brooder. The most important thing is keeping the little ones warm. So if you can get the coop build and warm it up enough for the fluffy butts it can work. There are plans for coops here: Coops So if you see one there that you like...

 

[1muttsfan]

Yes, it would probably be easy for a Talented Carpenter to box off a corner for a brooder. I would do that myself if my coop was not already crammed full of chickens.