New (future) chick mom

[feathermaid]

Hatcheries are a great place to buy chicks but I personally haven't ordered any for myself because usually the minimum is more that I want and I'm also not willing to pay $30+ for shipping. I like to get my chicks (only 3 at a time) from my local feed stores, that way I can see them in person first, and their chicks still all come from the same hatcheries. They don't usually stock the "specialty" breeds but they do have an excellent assortment of the most popular kinds. Call ahead and find out what breeds are arriving on what days and plan to pick them out the day they arrive. I have 3 farm stores near me, and several more locally but a longer drive.

If you only want girls for the eggs, then make sure to get sexed pullets. Straight run or "special deals" will always be mostly cockerels. I've also heard countless stories of people buying point-of-lay pullets from craigslist sellers that turned out being a high percentage of roosters... or they've ended up having mites or some other illness. Not all sellers are shady, just be mindful of who you buy from.

Before you bring home any chicks, get all your supplies ready and your brooder set up.
These articles/threads helped me so much:
Kick The Heat Lamp: Better, Safer And Healthier Options To Heat Your Brooder
Mama Heating Pad
Pseudo Brooder Heater ‘Plate’

What really makes your eggs look colorful is having different contrasting colors. Even different shades of brown and white are still really pretty together. I like having a mixed flock for that exact reason. The best heat tolerant breeds typically have large combs and lean bodies, but depending on the space and location you can offer, you may be fine with many dual purpose breeds. Will you free range? You'll want to research individual breeds because some do great in confinement while others don't and may start some serious squabbles if they don't have enough room.

If I were you, the breeds I'd look into are...

• Welsummer- darker brown eggs
• Easter Egger (often sold as Ameraucana)- have super cute fluffy cheeks and beards instead of wattles, come in almost unlimited feather colors and usually lay light green or blue eggs
• Blue Andalusion- beautiful shades of silvery gray, lay white eggs
• Barred Rock- black & white barred feather pattern, sweet and friendly, lay brown eggs
• Deleware- mostly white feathers, lay brown eggs
• by no means are those the only ones, they just seem like they would do well in your climate and have a variety of feather and egg colors.

Wyandottes I think are becoming my favorite and the gold or silver laced are so beautiful. My blue girl is super sweet and talks quietly to me all the time and she has super fluffy pantaloons and an adorable little pea comb. I just wonder if that breed might have a bit of a tough time getting through such hot summers.

As a new chicken owner, don't worry about getting really fancy breeds until you get a bit more experience and know what to expect. Regular old farm store chicks are just as endearing and they make great teachers too!

Also, a few more articles to help you make sure your coop is in good working order:
How Much Room Do Chickens Need
Chicken Coop Ventilation - Go Out There And Cut More Holes In Your Coop!
Predator Proofing

Best wishes starting your new chicken adventure!

 

[adstowe]

Meyer hatchery has low minimums (I want to say 4) if you wait till like April. The shipping isn’t cheap, but they put heat pads in the box on small orders rather than random male chicks for body heat like some hatcheries do. Just figured it was worth pointing out.

 

[adstowe]

Not mine. Just a google picture, but various egg colors are the best

 

[Littlehouseonhansen]

Ok so... I was talking to a local farmer, and he was saying that I shouldn’t get chicks and just go for the hens who are already laying eggs. He said that chicks are very temperamental?

Wouldn’t it be a better bond though to start with chicks and raise them?

Oh! We built the coop!

 

[N F C]

Ok so... I was talking to a local farmer, and he was saying that I shouldn’t get chicks and just go for the hens who are already laying eggs. He said that chicks are very temperamental?

Wouldn’t it be a better bond though to start with chicks and raise them?

Oh! We built the coop!

Whether you start with chicks or point of lay girls is an individual preference. Some people don't want to wait for chicks to grow up, they want eggs asap. Some like to watch the chicks grow & develop (that's my preference, they are funny little things).

Your choice, just go with whatever you want!

 

[Ribh]

You can still bond with POL girls. It is about the time you spend with them & building trust. My girls will come to anybody who offers mealworms! I got them @ POL & they like to be where I am if I am working outside. Like people they have different personalities. Some are cuddlier than others.

 

[adstowe]

Chicks will take more effort and you'll be waiting 6ish months for eggs, but they are fun and it's really not THAT much work to take care of them. Plus you'll likely have a much wider selection of breeds to choose from. Check out one of the major hatcheries online and browse through the chicks they offer. As I've said I prefer Meyer, but others will have different opinions. Point of lay pullets are going to cost a lot more initially, but you don't have to feed a bunch of free loaders for 6 months. It's really a matter of preference.

 

[Littlehouseonhansen]

Thanks for the replies!!

Here is another question..... I am googling what to feed them and so far I’ve found : beans, garlic, onions, raw potatoes.... ???

What do you feed your chickens?

 

[N F C]

Thanks for the replies!!

Here is another question..... I am googling what to feed them and so far I’ve found : beans, garlic, onions, raw potatoes.... ???

What do you feed your chickens?

If you mean what do I feed my flock other than chicken feed, this article has been a real help to me:
Chicken Treat Chart—the Best Treats for Backyard Chickens

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here is another question..... I am googling what to feed them and so far I’ve found : beans, garlic, onions, raw potatoes.... ???

What do you feed your chickens?

That's more a list of what NOT to feed them!

The easiest thing to feed them is simply chicken feed, it contains all the nutrition they need with none of the guess work. There's many different formulations for different ages (i.e. chick, layer) and for dietary preference (i.e. organic, corn-free, plain old conventional).