Okay...Ready to order and raise some chicks!

[Chicken7777]

Hi, I am new to raising chicks and to this forum. I made a thread on needing help(LOL someone changed my thread/conversation to there own), but now i have a couple of more questions and would appreciate the help, and some more pointers, advice.

1. I want to buy some chicks that will be good layers of brown eggs. I am deciding on Golden Comet chicks, is that a good variety to choose?

2. i am thinking of ordering from IDEAL, is that a pretty good company to buy chicks from?

3. Where can i, and what type of feed should i buy for the chicks to eat once i do have them?

4. I am thinking of buying maybe a couple of chicks more of a different vareity to see maybe for meat, or just to keep, is it okay if i might also buy some ducks and raise them together? And since i am very new to raising chickens, i feel weired having to raise cute chicks, and then have to kill them if i were to buy meat variety chickens, that is why i want to start with layers. Has anyone felt like this before, does this feeling leave as soon as you start raising more chickens? Would like help on this.

Well thank you soo much for everything, i appreciate it!

 

[PeeperKeeper]

First of all, I hope you live in a warm climate or you have adequate winter shelter for young birds.
Any of the sex-link chickens are great egg layers and I believe they all lay brown eggs. You'll kick you self for months if you don't add in some Easter Eggers too.
A chick starter is what most use to be sure their chicks get the right nutrients. We used a Purina brand. If the hatchery offers vaccination inoculation ... add it on to the cost...you'll be glad you did.
Once you start raising chicks you only want more!!!!

 

[Opa]

I have had excellent success with birds that I got from Estes Hatchery. Their minimum order is based on weight and for chicks the number is 16. Many other hatcheries require 25. I'm in my sixties and have been raising animals and poultry as well as hunting for years and I still feel a little remorse. However, when I think about the quality of food I am providing for my family it more than makes up for it. Good luck and enjoy your birds

 

[gritsar]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
If your primary focus is on egg production than golden comets would be a fine choice. You don't have to stick with a single breed when ordering, so you might want to mix it up a bit - maybe a few golden comets and some others. Most of the dual purpose breeds can give you adequate egg production with nice temperments.
I was very satisfied with my chicks from Ideal and with their customer service.
Chicks eat chick starter, also sometimes sold as starter/grower. Medicated chick starter offers some protection against coccidia, something that can kill chicks very quickly.
I've been told that ducklings are messier to raise than chicks, though I have no experience in raising ducks. You could certainly get both, both I wouldn't keep them in the same brooder. Ducks like to play with their water and if chicks get chilled it can be life-threatening to them.
Good luck with your future chicks.

 

[tattooedchickenlady]

First off,

I'm kinda new here too...


1. I want to buy some chicks that will be good layers of brown eggs. I am deciding on Golden Comet chicks, is that a good variety to choose?
I hear they are good layers, I also have black and red sex-links (too young to lay yet, but still, I have faith in them) and my Rhode Island Red was a laying champ, you might like a couple of those

2. i am thinking of ordering from IDEAL, is that a pretty good company to buy chicks from?
I have ordered mine from MyPetChicken.com and Mt Healthy, but I hear ideal is a good hatchery. Most of us have a preferred hatchery to use, but sometimes it's a matter of who has what you want/need at that time

3. Where can i, and what type of feed should i buy for the chicks to eat once i do have them?
Look up feed stores in your area, or if you have a tractor supply near you go there and get starter feed. And don't forget at least one waterer (probably a 5 gallon one) and a feeder. You may need more depending on how many you're getting.

4. I am thinking of buying maybe a couple of chicks more of a different vareity to see maybe for meat, or just to keep, is it okay if i might also buy some ducks and raise them together? And since i am very new to raising chickens, i feel weired having to raise cute chicks, and then have to kill them if i were to buy meat variety chickens, that is why i want to start with layers. Has anyone felt like this before, does this feeling leave as soon as you start raising more chickens? Would like help on this.
I also am new to they raising animals as food game, but like someone else said, we do it for our families, for many reasons. They forgive you (the chickens). I haven't had ducks, but I heard they are a mess, I would (and I am) starting with chickens to see how it goes. Then maybe I'll expand later.

Also check out the coop/brooder forum, you'll need somewhere for them to live, because they go from really cute and small to really messy and big VERY quickly.

Enjoy, and good luck!

 

[OPIE]

Howdy, Well Im new to the chicken thing also but this forum has helped me get started. I have 11 Buff Orpingtons, and love them, I have 25 meat birds on there way, I bought my meaties from McMurray hatchery as the other one I dealt with was out of all there chicks.
I kept my chicks in a metal water trough with shavings down for them and at one end I had a thrown chicken starter around on a peice of newspaper for them to pick at. When they first arrived, we took them very carefully and dipped there beaks in the waterer so they knew where there water was and everyone turned out fine. DONT USE CEDAR SHAVINGS! they are dangerouse for chicks, use pine shavings. Well I cant think of anything else so good luck.

 

[chickn]

hi,
all the above mentioned hatcherys are good, you need to figure out which is closest to you and which has the minimal amount that you want in your order.

the best layers they say are the rir's, sexlinks, i personally like the barred rock, buff orpington, nh red combo they are beautiful together..lol crazy me

and go to the raising chick section, read read read, you need them in a brooder, heat etc paper towels not shavings for a while etc. let me go find those links for you.

and there is nothing better than raising your own, its a great journey you will enjoy! oh and watch out, its addictive.

 

[Chicken7777]

Thank you all soo much for information, i really need it. Okay so i am going to buy some Golden Comet Chicks(if there is a variety that competes with this breed, in producing brown eggs, please tell me) and i actually do want to buy some other breeds also maybe to try for the meat kind. so what type should i get. Of course i have heard white cornish crosses, but would the cross be white cornish with white plymouth(are white rocks the same as white plumouth rocks?, i would like more info on this breed hybrid) TIs there a type of hybrid you guys prefer for meat besides cornish crosses? Thank You soo much!

 

[swmommyto3]

this breed finder was really usefull when I ordered mine! http://www.mypetchicken.com/breedQuestions.aspx