Need help ordering chicks. Update: Got em...Pics Added!

[Chicky Joy]

I'm going to try ordering a few chicks today. I have a lot of questions. We have 8 hens that we got in June. They were started pullets from a hatcher so they were vaccinated. What should we do about the baby chicks. I'm thinking I'll be ordering them from Meyer Hatchery. Will they be vaccinated or do they need to be?

Also, what are the necessities to have on hand before they arrive? Besides a heat lamp, feeder, waterer and a place for them to stay? What do I need to get for feed (starter?).
I have some other questions but I'll just start with these.

 

[Chicky Joy]

Another question that came to mind already...
At what age are they able to be moved outside?

and another one...

I'd like to keep them in the garage. The garage gets a bit warm during the day, is this alright since they need to be kept warm anyway? Any advice?

 

[Chickenaddict]

Quote:
Most hatcheries give you the option to buy the chicks vaccinated which means you need NON medicated chick starter. If you choose not to vaccinate then you could go with the medicated chick starter. I keep 10 chickens in my garage but they go outside during the day to free range. If you kept a fan on for air circulation i think they would be ok and maybe save a few bucks on keeping the heat lamp on during the day which is what i did. Garage could get a bit messy but at least the little ones are safe .

 

[Chicky Joy]

I would keep them in a large box or something similar inside the garage. There are too many places to wander off and get into trouble in our garage. My husband is working on putting a pool table together out there, I don't think he'd appreciate the free-roaming company

Is medicated feed as effective as a vaccination for preventing disease?

 

[LoneCowboy]

In the garage is fine but you have to watch the temp closer than you would normally. I had 100 chicks out in my garage and it would get up to the high 90's in there during the day. I'd just turn the heat lamp off for the day and turn it on at night. They also go through a lot of water so keep an eye on that.

Yes, keep them in a box of some sort.

It depends on the vaccinations your chicks get. Meyer doesn't give the Cocci vac, so you will need medicated feed. Well, you don't have to use medicated feed, but I'd reccommed it.

I'm not sure if they give the others or not, because I don't get my chicks vaccinated. But either way, you will have to request it or they won't get it.

 

[patandchickens]

Be aware that chicks produce vast quantities of fine, greasy white dust -- if you have tools or anything like that in your garage that you don't want smothered in chick dust (edited to add: this may well include a new pool table, esp. the fabric thereof), you may want to reconsider, at least past the first coupla weeks.

THe garage can be warm but remember they need access to cooler areas too, so if it gets up to like 90 F there during the day it might be a problem.

Regarding vaccinations and medicated feed: 1) There are several different vaccinations that one might get. Whether feed is medicated is only relevant for *coccidiosis* vaccination, specifically. If the chicks are vaccinated for Marek's or anything else besides coccidiosis, it does not matter at all whether they get medicated feed. (Well, I mean, it does not matter in terms of interfering with the vaccination). If you get them vaccinated for coccidiosis, though, the recommendation is to avoid medicated feed.

2) Medicated feed, in the sense relevant to the backyard chickenkeeper, only helps prevent coccidiosis, not any other disease.

3) far and away the best tactics for avoiding disease are to practice strict biosecurity and to keep the chickens uncrowded, well-ventilated, cool in summer, generally "happy", and in sanitary conditions. Not to say that medicated feed and/or vaccination may not also do some good, in particular circumstances, but they really aren't nearly such big issues.

Good luck and have fun ordering your chicks

,

Pat, with 10 peepy little broiler chicks pooing around in the brooder as of Friday.

 

[gritsar]

The only vaccination offered to me by the hatchery (Ideal) was for Marek's disease and I chose not to have mine vaccinated. I'm sorry but I don't see the connection between having them vaccinated, for Marek's disease and medicated feed. Medicated chick starter is medicated to prevent one thing....coccidiosis. The main drug it's medicated with is called amprolium and it doesn't prevent disease; it helps in the prevention of infestation with coccidiosis.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I personally don't use medicated feed and this years hatchlings aren't vaccinated but their parents were when i ordered them from Mcmurrays almost 2 years ago. I bought some brown/red cochins a few months ago that were about a week old and were on medicated feed and all their fuzz looked horrible feathers didn't come in like they were suppose to all are about 3 months old now and i still have a roo who has ALOT of fuzz left. The ones i hatched here were fed non medicated feed and molted with no problems and i didn't have one pasty butt. They are happy and healthy. I have nothing against medicated feed just prefer to have my chickens as close to organic as i can get.I think local feed mills should have vaccinations available, im pretty sure mine does. I kept mine in a home made indoors coop made out of plywood and 2 by 4's. I mentioned the mess because they kick up quite a bit of dust.

 

[Chicky Joy]

What are other good places to keep chicks before they are ready to go outside? When are they ready to go outside by the way? Does that age vary depending upon the outside temp?

 

[ChickenToes]

As long as you can keep them warm and in a draft-free place, they can go outside at any time. I put my ducklings outside in a fully insulated and draft-free coop from day one. However, the norm is 4 or 5 weeks old.