newbie with a question

[mastiffs07]

I don't even own chickens yet. I pre ordered them and they are supposed to ship the week of April 6th! I just found out Agway has chick day in mid-March. Do you have choice of female or are they mixed? Would it be ok to 2 get chicks from them and then add my 6 about 2 weeks later? Chicken math is hitting before I even have them

 

[Percheron chick]

You would have to ask the buyer at Agway if they buy straightrun or pullets first, Are you OK with 50% males or can you only have pullets? Skip them if they give you a vague answer. They probably were selling boots last week. I would not buy chicks 2 weeks apart in age so either cancel the order and buy all your chicks from Agway or skip agway and go with the order you've already placed.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

WELCOME TO BYC!

X2 on Percheron chick's advice.

 

[mastiffs07]

Thank you for your advice. I'll stick with my previous order since I chose an assortment of chickens. Could I add to the flock later?

 

[Percheron chick]

You can always add to the flock. You can easily combine chicks if they are a week apart in age and raise them all together. When you combine groups that are a few months apart, it can be work and stressful for the younger batch of birds. You will also be better off if the second batch is larger than the initial group. Don't add 2 chicks to the first group of 6. The 2 younger ones will have a tough time integrating. If you know right now that 6 chicks isn't going to cut it, bump the order and get them all at the same time. It is no more work or $$ to raise 12 chicks than it is to raise 6. It is twice the cost to raise 2 groups of 6 chicks. 2 brooder boxes, 2 heat lamps, 2 feeders, 2 waterers... Let's be real here. If you only order 6 chicks, you will probably only end up with 4 pullets. You will lose one before it gets out of the brooder and maybe one will be a cockerel. Now you have to add just to get up to a decent number. Just trying to speed things up.