New 'Chick' from Kentucky

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JamiAnnsChicks

JamiAnnsChicks

Hatching
7 Years
Mar 24, 2012
2
0
7
Beautiful Lake Cumberland, KY
My husband and I have been researching starting a new 'brood' ourselves for about a year. He wants to start with hens that are already laying. Does anyone have advise or thoughts toward the pros and cons of starting with chicks vs hens? I appreciate ALL advise..very novice here.. We so want to do this right. Thanks! I have really enjoyed looking through this sight.. everyone is so friendly and helpful!
 
Hi and welcome!!! Nice to see new members joining and am glad your taking the steps to Start having some farm fresh eggs, Me personally i would ALWAYS go with Chicks first! here are a few reasons

Chicks

*a better choice of what breeds you want...and there is Many to choose from do you want brown eggs? white? how about blue or green? Dark As chocolate...One of each?!


*the chicks grow up to know you and are Calm around you. which is a Good thing, its hard trying to Be around chickens that don't want to be around you.


* (Number on reason) Healthy!!..all to often when you buy Adult chickens there are Underlining problems with the birds. Due to a sickness you may or may not can see. (Coccidiosis is a big one) and Many diseases are highly Contagious so once one bird has it they all do)

Down side (You may get roosters in your Group of chickens, Get 2 or 3 more then you want if its from a Mixed run) you can sell the roosters for money when you can tell what they are.


Adult chickens

Almost always come with problems, Bad or poor layers, OLD birds or sick. you will have to pay a good price for Healthy chickens!

you will probably only get the "run of the mill" breeds nothing rare or new, just common. : /

its up to you what you choose, but know this if you live near a TSC, (tractor supply) they are selling LIVE CHICKS right now! till the end up the month, easy way to get good chicks and not pay shipping!
 
Welcome to BYC! I LOVE Lake Cumberland. Used to rent a houseboat there for a week every year, until I had children...and chickens
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I started with chicks and love the results. I got eggs all winter from them. My friend, on the other hand, started with laying hens and his stopped laying in the winter, probably because it was their second year? As it is, he has 6 and only gets 2 eggs a day. I think he must have been sold really old girls. Guess thats the problem, you can't tell, at least I couldn't, how old they are if you buy them grown.
 
Goldfinches..Houseboating is huge here!! Sorry you don't get to enjoy our lake anymore, but maybe one day you can return.

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!

I truly appreciate all the input. I believe the Chicks have won!

I don't have the coop built yet. Should I wait to get my chicks or could I get them now while I am building the coop? If I get them now how long will I have before they really need to be in the coop?

littlequail21... I think I want a variation of colors, but i also want sweet, friendly and fun temperments. We are primarily doing this for the eggs with the side benefit of pets.

If you don't want a full time rooster can you bring a roo in temporarily to take care of business or will that mess with the hnes too much, not being used to him?

This is the greatest site.. I have learned so much in such a short period of time.
 

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