Hi all, I,d love to get your opinion. I live in Southern Wisconsin and I currently have three 13 week old pullets. But recently I've had the urge to get a few more chicks. My question for those of you with experience is, is this a good idea at this time of year? Would the chicks be mature enough to handle the cold Wisconsin winter? Should I just hold my horses and wait until February or March? Thanks for your input.
I live up in northern Wisconsin (Mercer), and bought a dozen Red Stars at the end of last September. I do have a well-insulated coop, but it's not heated. There were also seventeen Buff Orps in a separate pen in the coop, and that was way-too-many chickens respiring in there. The Reds started laying the first week of January, at fifteen weeks old, and have been laying like champs all year.
I am going to be watching this also, as I have also been thinking about ordering a 'few' more But our winters can be brutal...
Hi, I'm from Wales. Our temperatures are significantly higher than yours, but we had a terrible winter last year, coldest for many years with severe ice, snow and frost. I had juvenile Brahmas. I threw a couple of old blankets over their coops at night and allowed them to pack themselves together quite tight. They did very nicely, all survived and actually thrived. If you are wanting new chicks choose those which can withstand low temperatures, Sandie
How about getting enough that will bond and huddle together if it becomes necessary? I have four age groups, they've bonded accordingly and hang out together no matter what the temps are. From my four-month experience, I've learned to have a bit more than I need because of predators, molting, etc.
I've got 7 eggs in an incubator, due to hatch August 6th (if all goes well). So I would say no, not too late to get a few chicks. My first batch o' chicks were purchased from a feed store on Oct 1st, 2009. Then I added some the next week, and some more the following week, so I was brooding chicks in the bathroom until after the first of the year. The later you get chicks, the longer you'll have to provide supplemental heat, because it will be colder outside than the youngsters will be able to survive on their own. No biggie - an extension cord, the heat lamp, and secure hook to hang it in the coop if you want to get them out of your brooder...
I hatch year round. While our temps aren't quite as low in the winter, I think you may just have to keep a brooder lamp on them a bit longer if it turns cold suddenly. Otherwise, I think they'll adapt. I had some babies in the ice storm last year, and some juvie's in the coop at the time, and they all did great in 5 degree weather with just a heat lamp and each other. Chickens are more hardy than we often give them credit for.
If you've been waiting MORE than 3 years, your too late. Because, chickens can ONLY lay for 3 years. But I do believe that they can still have chicks during they're whole laying years. Good Luck!
It was a Sunday evening when you posted so yes it was too late...to call a hatchery to order if you wanted to call but they are all open today Or,your local breeders should be out of bed by now as well..if not wake them up and tell them you want chicks! We hatch 12 months out of the year only taking a few weeks off around Christmas time because I'm busy and can't keep track of it...my babies live in my basement so it doesn't matter the outside weather though
I'd recommend looking for local sources of started birds. We are a 4-H family with a smallish flock (30 birds or so). Somehow, we always have an extra 10-15 birds by the end of summer. Heck if you lived near me, I'd give you our extra half dozen Showgirl chicks... Don't need 'em! Need an excellent home for them, though. Unless you are fine with keeping chicks in the house for weeks and then keeping a lamp on them outside for more weeks, started birds are the way to go. IMHO.
