New to Chickens and incredibly excited!

[farmprojects13]

Hello -

I do not yet have chickens but am hoping to finally get them this spring. I have been interested in getting them for some time and we're FINALLY going to do it! Unfortunately we commute 40 minutes each way, leaving at 6:30 am and sometimes not getting back until 5:30 or 6:00pm so I don't think we can start with chicks this year. So we'll be looking for a small starter group of chickens in April or so - young and maybe not laying yet - maybe a Silkie or two ( I have a 16 month old) a few buff orpingtons, and maybe an Australorp or two - is this a reasonable thing to look for or am I better off starting with chicks even though I'm not home - any advice would be wonderful - thank you and I look forward to learning so much from all of you!

 

[Kevin565]

 

[coonhoundmama87]

 

[kidcody]

from Washington State glad you joined us!
Great choices in chickens!

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[S&N Livestock]

from Ohio

 

[gryeyes]

Welcome from California!

I hatched chicks a week ago and I also am gone for 13 hours a day. (But I'm an old hand at hatching..) However, if you get your chicks on a Saturday and set things up well over the weekend, you CAN leave them with feed and water as long as you check each one as soon as you get home to make sure they're okay. Safe place, out of drafts, where they cannot hop out of their brooder. Then you can love on 'em every evening.

Just sayin'....

'Cause part of the best thing about raising chickens is starting with babies and handling them so they become used to you.

 

[greymane]

 

[turney31]

Welcome! I prefer to get chicks but older, point of lay pullets are also a great find. Be careful that you don't buy hens past their prime and quarantine if you do have others in your flock.