Late Season Chicks in Seattle

[kuken]

We are new to raising chickens and have a few questions. We are planning on starting with chicks, but due to existing vacation plans we won't be able to add the chicks until mid June. I know that is a little late. We found a mail order source for chicks (my pet chicken). Is June too late to start in Seattle? The cold weather usually holds off until Oct-Nov, so I'm guessing they should be fine. Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?
Thanks from a newbie.

 

[silkiechicken]

You can do chicks year round really. All they need is heat till 6 weeks old in our area and they are good to go. Shoot, I raised a bunch of chicks hatched out in September, and took out their light in November and they made it though winter just fine without heat in just a ply wood house at night.

Just go for it when you're ready!

 

[Illia]

They'll be fine. I live just west of you in Forks and you gotta remember - Winter doesn't really exist except only recently.

A lot of my adult flock were born in July, and survived just fine - Even through our freakish 14 degree coldsnap last December. I even have Araucanas, Olive Eggers, Ameraucanas, and Marans I'm planning to hatch out this August.

 

[gryeyes]

I bought my first chicks last October, and had to find a local feed store still selling chicks. It meant I had to keep them in the house in the brooder a few weeks longer (12 as opposed to 8) and I still put a heat lamp in the coop for them because it was winter.

But they have all grown up fine. I *was* smarter this this spring, though, and got my chicks the second week of chick season at the feed store. They're already outside.

It can be done in the fall and winter - if you're willing to keep 'em indoors longer and/or supply supplemental heat in the coop when you put them outside, there's no reason to put off getting your chicks until next spring!

June is a fine time, as far as I'm concerned.

And they'll be feathered enough for winter, and then ready to lay by February or so, when everybody else is still getting their chicks. (You may even be getting YOUR second batch of chicks by then!)

 

[Tailfeathers]

I'd agree with what most everyone said on here but would add one caveat. You need to make sure that the chicks stay DRY!

Of course much of what you're asking depends on the age of the chicks themselves. You indicated that you're new to chickens but I don't wish to offend so I'll just offer for you to email me if you'd like with specific questions and I'll do my best to reply.

I'm guessing that you've been on here enough to know some basics. Like you don't want to just throw a bunch of day-old, or even week old, chicks out in a pen in the yard. For example, I lost a bunch of juvenile birds last year when I got caught in September by that unexpected storm that brought not only rain but wind and temps that dropped down to freezing a couple of nights. I did what I could to get by until the weekend when I could really devote myself to the task but I still lost a bunch of chicks to hypothermia.

One other things I'll add for what it's worth is to look at getting older chicks. You didn't mention what breeds you're interested in but I'll probably have chicks of various ages - including newly hatched - when you're ready for some. Send me a personal email if you'd like to discuss that more off the thread.

God Bless,

 

[kuken]

Thank you everyone for the advice. One of the reasons we are waiting until later in the year is so we will have the time to take care of the little ones. (that and I need to build the coop/run)

.

Tailfeathers, thank you for the offer, I will send you an email when we get closer.

Cheers.