HOOSIERS Only - INDIANA - Ru1?

[bluebird]

33 degrees out....here comes the snow

 

[teach1rusl]

Sorry 'bout your snow. We've only had rain down here. We're heading for another cold spree this week, but no snow.

Hello and welcome Tiff!

 

[chseeads]

We had no precipitation today. It was just a pretty day out. Yay.

 

[hiker125]

Guess What? I heard birds singing this AM!

I know that it is too early to be spring, but it was a lovely sound to hear.

I have started a bunch of plants indoors, got my bee hive and frames built and painted and ordered new chicks. Me and teach1rusl are splitting an order from MPC. Can't wait until spring. I am pretending that no more snowy, wet weather is headed our way.

Stay safe and warm those of you further north.

Welcome Tiff812!

 

[tiff812]

Hello all Hoosiers! I am a newbie, actually not even that because I don't have chickens yet! I have several questions that I think it would be best to ask those who live in the same area. I am in the Terre Haute area. First off I plan to get day old chicks. I want them for eggs. Given our climate I am trying to figure out when I should get them so that by the time they are ready to be out of their brooder it will be of good conditions for them outside. i was kind of thinking I should get them mid April and I could raise them inside or in the heated garage for 6 weeks in a brooder. by then it would be the first of June and outdoor temps would be very pleasant for a chick of 6 weeks. Sound okay to you? Other question, I only want somewhere between 6 and 8 chicks. since I only want them for laying I don't really want a rooster. That eliminates most hatchery's because I don't want a lot of "filler chicks" that will most likely be roosters. I don't want to eat them and I could give them away but not sure If I could find that many takers and dont really want to take the chance of being stuck with them. I contacted my local feed store and while they do take chick orders there is a minumum of 25 and its straight run. So that doesn't work. I called TSC and they don't have any info yet on their Chick days this year. So what is your experience with TSC or even Rural King in the past? Do they sell chicks in store that are already sexed and with a low minimum? Or what are my other options of finding chicks? I could probably find some people locally but they wouldn't be sexed unless of course they were sex links. Any idea what breeds TSC or Rural King will have? Or what their set up in the store is? Thanks for any info I'm really excited but getting nervous I won't be able to find any chicks that work for me! And I am anxious and can't wait until the chick days get here!!!

 

[chseeads]

As to the time frame, getting them in April as you said would probably work out pretty good and have decent weather when you want to move them out. I think your plan there sounds fine.

As far as minimum orders from a hatchery, there are some places you can order through that will small quantities, such as My Pet Chicken. I think a few others are doing that some now, if you search around a bit....

Another option you might consider is seeing if you could find anyone that would like to go in on an order with you and you could order 25 or whatever and split them up when you get them. Not always the easiest to find somebody to do that when you need it, but you never know...somebody on here in the vicinity might even be interested. And I have seen people post on Craigslist before to find somebody that might want to split an order too actually.

As for the stores like TSC, Rural King, and Orscheln and such, while they may have various breeds and it varies by store, it seems like they usually will have some of the common typical breeds like barred rocks and Rhode Island Reds and "Ameracaunas" (Easter Eggers), and usually have pullets. And you can generally get however many you want. I think maybe I've seen minimums marked before but if so, yes they're small amounts.

 

[pbirdhaven]

I've had decent luck with chicks for eggs from Orscheln (or however you spell it!) and there is no minimum. They usually get different breeds in weekly or biweekly and are sexed. However, a pen of pullets means that there is something like a 98% chance of them all being pullets--I ended up with a trio of white rocks from the pullet pen.
If you get sex-linked chicks, such as golden comets (great layers, gentle personality), they will be pullets.
Good luck!

 

[tiff812]

Thanks so much for calming my anxiousness!

That makes me feel better, there is hope of finding chicks of smaller quantities! I have never heard of Orcsheln? But if there is one in Bloomington I am not too far from there. I will look into it. Thanks so much!

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Maybe we will finally get rid of all this ice !!

SAT High: 35° Low: 20°
Partly Cloudy
Partly cloudy

SUN High: 42° Low: 25°
Mostly Cloudy
Partly cloudy, warm

MON High: 44° Low: 28°
Mostly Cloudy
Mostly cloudy

 

[bockbock2008]

tiff - I know Rural king has a 25 chick minimum and they do sell sexed chicks. When i only want a few of a certain kind they have, go in on a Saturday morning and hang out by the chicks. Eavesdrop on conversations and you can usually find someone else who doesn't want 25 then you approach them and try to work something out. Yes, I am a chick stalker

Tractor supply has a lower minimum but their chicks are priced a little higher. I've gotten chicks from both and had no problems. I have also waited until they have been there for a few weeks and they need to get them out so they can get more in, this is at Rural king, and have gotten them for 25 cents each. I bought 80 last year for that price and just resold them. If you come to Evansville, I'll split an order with ya!