Is it ever too late to order chicks?? (Wrong season or something?)

[LittleDarlings]

I was just wondering if there was a "season" for getting chicks. I probably won't be getting mine until late summer/early fall. I didn't know if you can order more in winter or if it would too cold for the little ones? I know they are usually pretty highly hatched in Spring. I live in GA, so it stays warm for quiet awhile towards the end of the year. I've been reading a lot on here but not anything about how late in the year people are hatching. I just don't want chick-cicles

Thanks!!

 

[Mattemma]

I think you would be OK in your area.I am guessing it does have to do with the colder temps and getting your indoor chicks outside and used to the weather.

 

[LittleDarlings]

Thanks! That's what I was hoping. But here's another aspect I just thought of. I'm getting layers and I want them to actually hatch out some of the eggs. Does that change anything? I read that hens generally don't produce a lot during the winter months, so I should be ok? I'm thinking of ordering them in Sept. I read it takes 4-6 months for them to start laying (depending on the type), so that would be around Jan. or Feb. Those are our 2 coldest months. Because of the temps and shorter days will it prolong their noon-laying ways until it's warmer?

I'm kinda chain-thinking. As I find out something it's triggering a question I hadn't thought of yet

Thanks for all the help!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Early to mid-September is a great time for chicks. The cooler weather often means a brooding lamp at night, but the warm days mean they thrive without stress. Chicks grow so fast that by Christmas, they are virtually full sized. They winter over very, very well because they are young, active and have high metabolisms. They seldom suffer from any issues even during zero weather. I actually like doing this. By late January, being young pullets, their laying kicks in right when your older hens are sometimes slacking a bit. I wouldn't worry too much about them going broody until they are older, say, the next summer. If they go broody at all.

Shipping a box of day olds in early September is also usually safer. The heat of June-August is awful on shipped chicks and there are far too many losses reported here. Often, it isn't the hatchery's fault, but the P.O. only offers so much "special treatment". Hot trucks, etc.

Go for it. Schedule an order of chicks for early September. You won't be disappointed. Many hatcheries stop shipping from October thru January because of the cold and the resting of their parent stock.

 

[CarolJ]

I've got two orders already placed for Sept. 20 and Sept. 27. Seven chicks in one order and 5 chicks in the other one. I couldn't get all the breeds I wanted in the same week - so I spread it over two weeks. I'm in middle TN, and it's usually pretty mild through November/December. So that'll give them enough time to get past the brooder period and be in the coop by the time cold weather gets here. Then I figure they'll be laying by spring.

 

[Judy]

I agree, Sept is a great month in Ga, if you can find chicks then. The only real problem for us with off season chicks is finding them. If they will be shipped, fall or spring is much better. And it's best not to try to hatch those first small pullet eggs, anyway.

 

[debid]

My folks got their chicks in early August. They started them indoors so the heat wasn't a problem. However, their pullets delayed the start of laying until the following spring (presumably because of the cold and short days). When they finally did start, there weren't any little pullet eggs -- they went straight to large and XL. Just so you know, though, that there is a possibility that you won't see any eggs from them until spring.

 

[ozark_chickies]

We decided September was the cut off for us getting or hatching any chicks. I want mine to be fully feathered before the cold temps of November .

 

[LittleDarlings]

Thanks so much!! I can definitely see the wisdom brought in this discussion! <3

 

[SimpleSonflower]

I'm expecting 6 new chicks the first week in August and I live in a very warm part of California. I'm hoping it's not too hot for them during shipping