Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

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chiques chicks said:
Looks like I got 14 chicks hatched. Swedish flowers did poorly, looks like mostly orpingtons.

Three pipped but didn't make it out. Today is technically day 21, so there is still a chance. Most hatched on day 20.
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CC:

My only incubator hatch went to day 24....I actually forgot to unplug it and one more came....I had another at day23..so my two cents says you're still in the game....
 
AliP said:
Hello (again)!

I've been a member of BYC for a few years now, and have finally convinced my husband that this is the year for chickens!!! (And possibly a few guineas, too - surprisingly he's more open to that option, go figure)

It helps that we have one close neighbor with chickens and a couple friends with chickens as well that keep asking him, "what are you waiting for?" They have figured out the "happy wife = happy life" equation. My hubby is apparently a little slow on the uptake, there!!
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We are in central PA - Mifflinburg - and are on the trail of a coop builder that was recommended to my husband as selling better coops than he could buy the lumber for. We'll see this weekend...

Does anyone have recommendations on where to get chicks? My only ideas right now are Tractor Supply or mail order, and since I only am planning on 3-4 hens to start, mail order options are limited (nevermind that I would need to buy 15+ guineas to be shipped most places!)

I also considered started pullets, but like the idea of being "mom" to the little ones for a while at first so they get used to being handled.

I am sure I"ll have a thousand questions as I embark on this journey (my husband has signed on for the construction end of things - I get the day to day chores, which is fine with me!
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Thanks for reading, and thanks for any advice you can give!! I am SO EXCITED!!!
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Alison
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AL:

Congrats on your decision....most of us have the standard advise....build a coop twice to three times the size you think you want...my 1/2 acre fenced backyard handles about 15-17 on the free range thing...you will want to research breeds...Large Foul vs bantam, cold weather tolerant, breeds that bear confinement, egg color...what ever breeds you think you want, that will change(hint extra coop space).....Most of the folks will have chicks available soon if not already, but you might have to travel a bit..and will want to raise you babies in a batch..you cannot buy one or two at a time..my two cents....

I got my coop from a guy in quakertown....he was listing on CL...it was better price (and value)...
 
AliP said:
Hello (again)!

I've been a member of BYC for a few years now, and have finally convinced my husband that this is the year for chickens!!! (And possibly a few guineas, too - surprisingly he's more open to that option, go figure)
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I will most likely have guineas later sometime in the spring. I always let the guinea hen hatch the keets and take the ones away that she leaves behind in her haste to forage. It seems they have a major problem with raising all the keets that they hatch. Mine hardly ever hatch less than 18 keets at a time and out of those 18 they usually raise 8-9 to adulthood. When she hatches them you can have as many or few as you want. The male is a Pearl guinea and the female is Lavender.

barbiegirl said:
Run Hector run!!! lol Glad your daughter liked your dinner
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March is just around the corner. Getting eggs from new layers is always exciting!!! I have 4 Muscovy girls
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If you just let breed naturally (don't take any eggs from them) You should have close to 100 offspring by the end of the sumer. They reproduce profusely.
 

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