Just realized I have to buy 6 chicks, uh oh. What to do with spares?

[chickengeorgeto]

I agree with the idea of raising them up to about 6 weeks old. If you happen to get a chick that falls ill you'll still have a couple extra...

In the world of chicken raising there is never such a thing as "extra" chickens. You will most likely need then all before it all said and done.

 

[cstronks]

I would also hang on to them for both health and gender reasons. You may have a rooster in the batch. Also, you may be able to expand the size of the run down the road, so that could potentially increase your total number of birds to 5 or 6, unless the hen house is very small.

 

[ClovisMan]

I thought extra chickens were called dinner???

 

[donrae]

With your additional run you'll be fine, but I'd never try to keep 4 birds in that coop as it sets, that would just be asking for problems. Manufactures have a way different standard of population density than I do.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

We ordered a small coop that holds four chickens max according to it's description, but I want to keep three, so they will have some room to groove, and hopefully be happy. I read (I think on here somewhere) TSC sells them in batches of 6+ only. I understand why, and that's fine. We can definitely buy and brood 6 babies. I just don't have anyplace to keep them when grown. I wish I would have known about the 6 thing before buying the small coop. I feel like such an idiot. What would you do with the "spares"? I wish I knew of someplace to buy just 3 or 4. I am in NY between Buffalo and Rochester. I don't know of anyplace other than TSC to get chicks, or of any way to even give them away if we do have the spares. There is a chance one of our neighbors might want them. But we didn't ask yet. Would you go ahead with the 6 if you didn't have homes for two or three lined up? Not sure what to do. We already spent about $300 on chicken stuff. I am hoping to maybe find someone shopping in the store who would split a box of 6, but then part of me wants to keep them till they get bigger in case we get a rooster by accident. What would you guys do in my shoes?

What kind of chickens did you get? Some chickens take up more space than others. I have a small coop (I've always had at least three coops since I have had up to twenty at a time in the past) that I've had for years that claimed could only hold four to six. At times, I've counted more than a dozen hens cram into it while leaving the other coops either empty or with just one or two hens.

Having such a small coop doesn't have to be a deal breaker for you right now. For one thing, hate to say it, but with this being your first time with chicks you will likely lose one or two which won't leave the spares. If they all survive to maturity you could always put them up on craigslist as point of lay hens later on. For now, I'd suggest you keep them all and enjoy them. Besides, so few of us can stop with just three chickens.

You may find yourself getting more coops later on.

 

[Peggy O]

Thanks!
We didn't get the chicks yet. I want to have everything set up just right before we even go. Still conducting experiments in our brooder area. I like Barred Rocks (pretty!) and Rhode Island Reds. Our neighbor has reds and some white ones (not sure what those are called). We'll get whatever TSC has the day we go, as long as they have some cold hardy types. We're not too picky. I like regular looking ones I guess?

Brooder question- Are "Stealite" brand tubs OK? They have a strong smell to them when new. Chicks are so tiny. I didn't buy one today due to that weird smell. I thought the heat lamp may make the smell leech out worse. I had planned to set a large tub inside a dog crate, and use zip ties to attach the top of the dog crate, so I can easily take it off to clean (Probably easier than going through the door) I am also covering the tub with chicken wire inside the crate. The dog crate is to ensure that my cat cannot get IN, and the chicken wire top inside of it is to keep the chicks in the tub. I have split the room so my cat has no access to the chicken end, but there is always a slim chance fatty might scale the baby gate. She never has though. We have it divided now, so I have a week or two to make sure she stays on her side. If she does not I will just move her things out of the laundry room and into he kitchen temporarily. It's an L shaped room, so she won't be able to even see the chicks with the gate where it is. I wish I could come up with a metal or wood box that would fit in the crate. That plasticy smell is so odd.

So far I have the dog crate on an old coffee table, 250watt infared heat lamp hung on a chain from the ceiling, can be clipped to the crate as a backup (I don't trust that clip 100%). I can get 90-95 on the thermometer. Do I have to do anything else? My chicken book is coming in the mail tomorrow (for dummies). So I am just looking at ideas on line till then. We also bought the little water and food things you screw to canning jars.

 

[ctibbitts]

When I first started out I bought a metal wash tub at TSC and used that as my brooder for 6 chicks. You can use it later to put used bedding in when you clean the coop. Flake pine bedding, a heat lamp and the food and waterers are all you need. Buy some of that Save-A-Chick powder. One of each. They have saved a few chicks lives for me.

 

[Peggy O]

I agree with the idea of raising them up to about 6 weeks old. If you happen to get a chick that falls ill you'll still have a couple extra to choose from. People are always looking for younger birds on Craigslist at about the same time you need to put yours in their coop. By selling the three extra chicks later you could end up paying for all the chicks you bought. I live by Jamestown in Bemus Point and I own a breeding and hatching farm. In our area of WNY a lot of people wait to get their chicks for a couple of more weeks and that's the perfect time to sell your started chicks. Also, when they are chicks they usually do better with some friends to sleep by to keep warm with, and raising 6 chicks is just as easy as 3.

Oh hey I just noticed your location. My uncle sells tractor stuff in Stow. Small world. I'm from Amherst, but we moved out here kind of near Wyoming (NY) last year.

 

[ctibbitts]

That's funny because my wife and I lived in Amherst about 10 years ago. Nice place, bad taxes! Have fun with your new chicks!

 

[Nambroth]

Welcome, from another WNY-er!
Just be aware that TSC chicks are not vaccinated, if that is important to you.
TSC is also known for not being very, how shall we say, careful, in correctly labeling their chicks. It might be worth it to learn what the chicks you want look like! They also have been known to sell 'sexed pullets' when they are actually straight run. The more info you have when you walk into the store, the better off you will be in picking chicks.