Is September too late to get chicks in the midwest?

[BJ]

I live in Indiana. I had to do a re-order on chicks because my first batch from a local hatchery turned out to be all roosters (even though I ordered pullets). This time I ordered through MyPetChicken and I have a feeling I won't get them until September. It starts to get cold around here by the end of September. That would give the chicks just 4 - 5 weeks by the time they would be turned out into the coop and into the cold. Thoughs...suggestions please?

Should I cancel my order until Spring??

 

[BearSwampChick]

That's a good question. It usually takes 8 weeks for them to feather out fully. I'd like to know the answer, too.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

It really depends on the coop you have. Can you put a heat lamp out there? Is it draft free? Do you have older chickens you will be integrating with at that time?

 

[ChickenToes]

I plan on hatching some eggs this fall, sometime in September probably. I'll keep them in the brooder for a few weeks, then they'll go into the coop with the other birds. If I'm worried about it being too cold for them, I plan on building a makeshift pen for them in the basement until they're fully feathered.

 

[BJ]

I have a small coop...appropriate for 4-5 full size chickens. It is equipped with heat lamps. The run is open, though, and I would expect that they would want to come into the run during the day, where they would catch the chill and the cold fall breeze. I could definitely brood them in our garage for 4 to 5 weeks, but by that time, they will be driving me crazy and probably escaping and pooing all over the garage, so I would definely want to get them out to the coop.

We have one lonely bantam currently who would welcome their company. The breed I am getting is buff orpington.

So...what do y'all think?

 

[ChickenToes]

After brooding them for a few weeks, you can move them into the coop and keep them confined in there for a few weeks until they are more fully feathered. Some people like to do this anyway so their chickens understand that the coop is 'home.'

 

[Gracie_Chickie]

I live in Indiana and we got our chickens last September 18th. I moved them to the coop at approx 8 weeks.
Orpingtons are cold hardy and should do fine. My only problem the whole winter was that my RIR roo got a little frostbite on one of his comb tips. That was in zero weather in February. I brooded them in a large dog crate lined with cardboard in the garage.