How to aquire my flock

[porkchop48]

So my chicken choices have been decided

finally. I did not think it was every going to happen.

I am going with a mixed flock of

RIR, Barred rocks, Chantecler ( if I can find any),Delaware,
Orpington,and Welsummer.

Now I am not sure if I will have all of them but those are the breeds I want to stick with.

My question is am I better to order from a hatchery and get them all at once and as youngins? or get them as older birds as I can find them available?

 

[Opa]

Ordering from a hatchery can get you the breeds you want but it will be 6 months before you have eggs. If you watch for locally advertised birds you can get birds that are laying but it will take longer to assemble your rainbow flock.

 

[Judy]

If you get older birds you will have integration and quarantine issues. The chances of bringing a disease onto your property are almost nil if you go with hatchery stock. Also, if you want them to be tame, this is MUCH easier to do if you start with chicks.

If you already have your coop, you can brood them there this time of year. Run an extension cord for a few weeks; then they won't need it any more.

This is an article telling what is involved in mixing chickens from different sources. Unless you can get all your older chickens from one source, so they are already living together, this will give you an idea what you will be dealing with:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[porkchop48]

Thank you both.

I will check out the link now.