New Member :) Hi Guys! I have questions

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PegJ

Chirping
Sep 15, 2021
31
101
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Dunnellon, FL 34433
I had chickens 40 years ago, but left the farm and haven't had them since :( . Things have changed a lot! Hubby and I retired to 5 acres in FL and we've built a nice big coop. Wanting to get a mixture of chicks to start off with, but want to make sure I have everything ready before I order them. Do I need to feed the medicated crumbles? I'm pretty sure we didn't have that when I had chickens before. Shoot, we didn't even have computers or Amazon! Now, I go online and there are so many hatcheries it boggles the mind. I think I've figured out what kind of hen's I want, but I can't find a hatchery that has all of them. Since I want around 20, I thought I'd order them all at once. Will it hurt to order from 2 hatcheries at the same time? One last question for this time :) How long does it take to get the chicks after you order them? Thanks!
 
PegJ said:
I had chickens 40 years ago, but left the farm and haven't had them since :( . Things have changed a lot! Hubby and I retired to 5 acres in FL and we've built a nice big coop. Wanting to get a mixture of chicks to start off with, but want to make sure I have everything ready before I order them. Do I need to feed the medicated crumbles? I'm pretty sure we didn't have that when I had chickens before. Shoot, we didn't even have computers or Amazon! Now, I go online and there are so many hatcheries it boggles the mind. I think I've figured out what kind of hen's I want, but I can't find a hatchery that has all of them. Since I want around 20, I thought I'd order them all at once. Will it hurt to order from 2 hatcheries at the same time? One last question for this time :) How long does it take to get the chicks after you order them? Thanks!
Click to expand...
It took about 2 weeks for my chicks to arrive if I remember correctly. I ordered from TSC, but only once. I feed medicated feed for 6 weeks and switch to nonmedicated from there are. Not everybody does that though.

Its okay to order from different hatcheries, but just remember that in a batch of 20, there will most likely be at least 2 cockerels. Most free chicks are cockerels. You will have to rehome some cockerels. What breeds are you getting? For pets or as livestock?


@BigBlueHen53 just got chicks though...
 
PegJ said:
I had chickens 40 years ago, but left the farm and haven't had them since :( . Things have changed a lot! Hubby and I retired to 5 acres in FL and we've built a nice big coop. Wanting to get a mixture of chicks to start off with, but want to make sure I have everything ready before I order them. Do I need to feed the medicated crumbles? I'm pretty sure we didn't have that when I had chickens before. Shoot, we didn't even have computers or Amazon! Now, I go online and there are so many hatcheries it boggles the mind. I think I've figured out what kind of hen's I want, but I can't find a hatchery that has all of them. Since I want around 20, I thought I'd order them all at once. Will it hurt to order from 2 hatcheries at the same time? One last question for this time :) How long does it take to get the chicks after you order them? Thanks!
Click to expand...
If you are getting your chicks from a hatchery then vaccinate them. This way you don’t feed medicated feed and you don’t have to worry about that. There is nothing wrong with ordering from two different hatcheries as long as they are coming around the same time so there is not too bad of an age difference. The hatcheries should say when your chicks will be hatching. Should say when they are available before you even order them. You wait until their hatch date and then about two days (depending on where you live) after that they should arrive.
 
cherrynberry said:
It took about 2 weeks for my chicks to arrive if I remember correctly. I ordered from TSC, but only once. I feed medicated feed for 6 weeks and switch to nonmedicated from there are. Not everybody does that though.

Its okay to order from different hatcheries, but just remember that in a batch of 20, there will most likely be at least 2 cockerels. Most free chicks are cockerels. You will have to rehome some cockerels. What breeds are you getting? For pets or as livestock?


@BigBlueHen53 just got chicks though...
Click to expand...
I'd like a couple of cream leghorns but they're really expensive. The cockerels are ok cause I have a seperate pen for meat birds, and that's what they'll be. I'm hoping to have just one rooster with the hens. We mostly want eggs... I remember how much better home grown are :) Otherwise, I'm looking a a couple of easter eggers, bramas, welsummers, and a couple of others that are really heat hardy and good foragers. It gets and stays really hot here in west central FL.
 
PegJ said:
I'd like a couple of cream leghorns but they're really expensive. The cockerels are ok cause I have a seperate pen for meat birds, and that's what they'll be. I'm hoping to have just one rooster with the hens. We mostly want eggs... I remember how much better home grown are :) Otherwise, I'm looking a a couple of easter eggers, bramas, welsummers, and a couple of others that are really heat hardy and good foragers. It gets and stays really hot here in west central FL.
Click to expand...
Cream leghorn?? Cream legbar?

My EEs like to forage quite well. But most chickens do.
 

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