Raising chicks...best time of the year?

[peeplessinNC]

Don't know if I have seen this topic addressed here but I thought I would ask anyway. What time of year do you think is best for ordering and growing out baby chicks? Fall? Late winter - Feb. and March? Spring? Early summer?

While looking on the Meyer Hatchery I noticed that many breeds of chicks were available in late April and May, so maybe that is a good time of the year for the hatcheries to ship them?

Could you give me your reasons for the season you think best?

Thanks!

 

[lauriruth]

ok, i can speak to this! my first batch was an august hatch. i'm in so. tx. so heat is an issue. they stayed inside in a plastic brooder until fall cooled off the 100+ weather, then moved out and it was perfect timing. second batch was hatched in mid-Nov....stuck in the house until spring....oye...they were all 3 VERY active EE's who refused to stay in the brooder. i ended up making a second brooder out of HUGE moving boxes duck-taped together...HUGE, i'm telling ya! and they still got out! ruined the carpet in my spare bedroom. don't underestimate their physical prowess! they are 21 wks old and my favs now. still no eggs from them, but what personalities! so the point to this is, spring is best, so when they are 6 wks. old, out they go!

 

[llaaadyel]

Because I wanted more rare breeds, I placed my order early because by the end of the summer the hatcheries didn't have what I wanted anymore. I know a lot of people order in December and January for delivery in March-May.

I think its better to raise in the spring because you can get them outside sooner than in the winter. Of course I live in a colder climate. Others of course might disagree.

 

[CowgirlMama]

I know here in Eastern Oregon, our feed stores don't get chicks the end of March- first of April. Most people here don't keep brooders in their house, so we need to wait till we have nice weather. Plus, the weather is usually decent by mid-May when the chicks are old enough to be outside... I think it just depends on your climate and how long you want chicks in your house!

I got my chicks on April 6, and they should be ready to go outside May 11 or so.... if DH has the coop done!!!

 

[suzeqf]

i got my chicks the first part of march and i have my brooder in my hubbys shop which gets really hot in the summer time and i wanted to get them early so they would be big enough to so outside before it gets really hot here and so they would be able to acclimate to the weather easier in july and august it gets nasty hot and humid last year we had 2 weeks of 95 plus with heat index of 100+ and no breeze

 

[Fred's Hens]

I like fall chick pullets. By the time winter sets in harsh, they are 60-80 days old. They winter over very well as they are young and vigorous. They begin laying in February, right when you really need them to begin. If you were going to sell fertile eggs, you'd have a great selling season in March-May.
If you sell POL pullets, the market is very strong in spring. Since most folks raise chicks in spring, it puts out of synch with others, which is a good thing for sales.

 

[QualityPolish]

I like the end of May, and now I'm waiting for some which will be in at the end of May ^^. So long to wait I know, I'm literally already freaking out, it feels like forever. Just here in Utah the weathers been chilly lately so in May it'll hopefully be warmer so we can put them in the garage as to not stink up the house. Then they can still go out in the coop and be ready for winter.

 

[mary l-12]

i am new at this but taking it serious my hen layed 12 eggs an set on them but when they hatched it was raining and cold they all died but one . is it the wrong season for this?

 

[Going Quackers]

I like May, april i could still be wicked cold and snowing, i like to be able to get birds out on the ground as soon as possible, poor weather here means a delayed start to this usually hence my month choice. Now all that said, i had a duck raise duckling this last March so she sat all through a lovely cold Feb.. not ideal though.

 

[mary l-12]

well i am in mississippi and it is cold should i wait until feb. or march?