Ordering and choosing chicks?

[BCollie]

Anyone?

 

[stefan333]

When it comes to the breeds I would really think about getting some Barred Rocks. You won't be disappointed. They're extra friendly and great for beginners and highly entertaining. I have an issue with being scared of the chickens, but Barred Rocks, Light Brahmas, and Orpingtons have been my favorite, even my 7 year old loves them. My Rhode Island Red just wasn't friendly at all. As far as the vaccines, that's a personal choice. I don't vaccinate, but I do feed them medicated chick starter. Just remember if you do get the vaccine for cocci, don't feed medicated feed. Just in case you don't know when you order, straight run means you can get both males and females, but if you just want girls get the pullets. Here's some of my choices for hatcheries, but I'm not sure what the minimum is:

Meyer
Murray McMurray
efowl.com

 

[BCollie]

Well, I won't be keeping the RIR's, they're just to fill up the rest of the order so I meet the minimum 15. I'm ordering from McMurray And it seems like they are very popular birds around here after looking at CL.
I was looking into Barred Rocks, I think they're really cool..But unfortunately they aren't available on the ONLY day that the other breeds I want are available...So I had to decide against them

I think I'll get just the vaccine for Marek's, and feed them mediciated feed when they're babies.

I do know what straight run/pullet's are, but thank you! It would have been horrible if I ordered without knowing that!!

 

[stefan333]

It sounds like you've done all your research and know exactly what you're doing. Ya, the RIR's should be easy to get rid of. Lots of people, especially farmers love them because they're great egg layers. And I completely understand about finding the breeds you want at the time you want all together. It can get complicated, especially when you want the more rare breeds. I hate getting on waiting lists and waiting longer than a week for my chicks. I get too excited and want them all NOW. When I first started with chicks I started in the winter, and I was so limited in what was available. Thank God you're doing it now, cause this is the best time of year to get chicks. I've got hatching eggs from McMurray in the bator now, and I've been so happy with McMurray.

 

[BCollie]

I'm glad to hear that!! I guess I'll go ahead and place my order now, for April 29th. I don't like waiting, either, but this time I have no choice. We're going on a cruise, then I have to babysit my brother the 22nd-28th(he lives a few hours away, with my dad) So I have no choice bu to wait...I guess it'll be good for me to learn patience..even if I don't want to!
Anyways, it gives me plenty of time to build a coop(my mom and I plan on getting it done as soon as we can, it'd be nice if we could finish before the chickies even get here!) and finish doing all my research, get a brooder set up...I am a research FREAK, I get paranoid that I'm going to do something wrong and kill my pets...so I research and ask questions until I'm 100% sure I've covered EVERYTHING.

Better safe than sorry!

 

[hairlesshorse]

I know Belt is out of California but I don't know anything about them. I hope you are very happy with your new birds. I went with Mt Healty out of OH because of the wait time and shipping cost, they are only 4 hours away from me though. I am getting BAs but then again I needed ones that can handle heat and cold. I get mine on April 8th and I cannot wait!!!

 

[BCollie]

Ohh you get yours a little over 20 days before me! I am so jealous!

 

[hairlesshorse]

Yeah they were also the only place that would have them before mid May. Good luck with the coop and set up. I have been working on mine for about a month now and still not quite done...then again I only get two days a week I can work on it, as long as it has stopped snowing or raining. lol

 

[BCollie]

Due to chronic illness I'm doing independent study for school, so I have pretty much all day, every day, to work on the coop! Obviously there will be many things where I will need the help of my parents, but I'm not at all worried about it not being completed in time! I have about 3 months - 1 month until the chicks get here, and 6-8 weeks before they need a coop to live in!

 

[BCollie]

"Order Submitted at 02:17 PM March 26, 2013 CDT"

OMMGGG I can hardly contain my excitement

A little over a month from now and I'll have little chickies!!