My mail order chick experience didn't turn out so well. I used the small order program with heat packs and overnight shipping but everything got delayed and only 3 of my 5 chicks survived - so far.
I mail ordered in the first place to ensure I get only pullets because I will get in trouble with the HOA if I get roosters.
I am not doing the mail order thing again though.
So I am down to 3 chicks.
I would eventually like to have 4 or 5 hens.
What would be the least traumatic (for my current chicks) way to end up with that many chickens (hens)?
I saw somebody locally advertise for chicks (guess sexed - not professionally sexed of course LOL) and she even has true Ameraucaunas (blue, white, black and splash).
She will have more eggs hatching in the next few days so the age difference between my chicks and hers would be about 1 week (mine would be older than hers).
She also has older chicks (5 weeks old - 4 weeks older & 2 weeks old - 1 week older than mine).
What would be the gentlest way to increase my flock?
Should I look for more chicks now while mine are little too?
Should I wait until mine are a few weeks older?
Should I get more when mine are completely grown?
Would it be possible to guess the sex better when the birds are in the 5 week range?
At this point finding the least traumatic way to increase my flock takes priority over sexing accuracy.
I am hoping it might be easier to find a home for a pure bred rooster anyway if the sexing didn't turn out correct?
I was going to wait but I read through the forum and it sounded like people generally thought younger chicks would adapt better to new additions.
How about adding some similarly aged birds when mine are ready to move from the brooder to the coop?
What are your thoughts on this?
I mail ordered in the first place to ensure I get only pullets because I will get in trouble with the HOA if I get roosters.
I am not doing the mail order thing again though.
So I am down to 3 chicks.

I would eventually like to have 4 or 5 hens.
What would be the least traumatic (for my current chicks) way to end up with that many chickens (hens)?
I saw somebody locally advertise for chicks (guess sexed - not professionally sexed of course LOL) and she even has true Ameraucaunas (blue, white, black and splash).
She will have more eggs hatching in the next few days so the age difference between my chicks and hers would be about 1 week (mine would be older than hers).
She also has older chicks (5 weeks old - 4 weeks older & 2 weeks old - 1 week older than mine).
What would be the gentlest way to increase my flock?
Should I look for more chicks now while mine are little too?
Should I wait until mine are a few weeks older?
Should I get more when mine are completely grown?
Would it be possible to guess the sex better when the birds are in the 5 week range?
At this point finding the least traumatic way to increase my flock takes priority over sexing accuracy.
I am hoping it might be easier to find a home for a pure bred rooster anyway if the sexing didn't turn out correct?
I was going to wait but I read through the forum and it sounded like people generally thought younger chicks would adapt better to new additions.
How about adding some similarly aged birds when mine are ready to move from the brooder to the coop?
What are your thoughts on this?
Last edited: