Setback

[wolfandfinch]

I haven't been on here much lately, because February kind of fell apart for me. We were WAY too busy and I haven't been able to do or think about anything in the garden, and no fun chicken planning for me

I was really hoping to build my coop in April, but nothing got done in January and February to be able to make that happen. Our renovations in the basement are going SO slowly. Ugh. Anyways, I'm going to have to concentrate on getting a basic garden in and start on the coop much later.

Is there a season to starting my flock? We can only have pullets, and only 4 here in the city. I would assume that getting the chickens in the fall would mean I would be getting them at 6-9 months old, but maybe I'm wrong?

Thanks for listening to me whine...

 

[allieloveschickens]

Setbacks happen! It took us forever to build our coop, they chicks barely fit in the brooder any more.
It could be harder to get chicks in the fall, but you can always order them from mypetchicken pretty much any season- though probably not mid winter because it would be too cold! But I'm sure you could find older pullets from local breeders or farms any time. Do you want older pullets or are you hoping to raise chicks?

 

[jenesis536]

With only being able to have 4, you don't need to build anything too big... I don't know what it is like in Vancouver, but it seems there are always some chicks around at certain feed stores within a couple hours from where I am at. Hard to think about waiting so many more months. Maybe keep looking on CL for free stuff or left-over materials and throw something together so you can enjoy some during the summer?

 

[wolfandfinch]

Quote:
in theory we can't have chicks since we're not allowed to have roosters. I think the bylaw actually states they have to be laying hens, 6 months or over.

 

[wolfandfinch]

Quote:
we have the materials, we don't have the time. We have the final test for our ecofit grants at the end of this month and we haven't finished sealing the basement - we just got the insulation in. Right now my whole family (my, my husband, my four year old boy and my 2 year old daughter) all share one bedroom, until we finish the basement. It's not really a basement it's just the bottom floor (above ground). Anyways, it has to be the priority. Until the vapour barrier is done we have a giant bin in our backyard right where the coop is going to go...

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
So you are not going to get chicks, you are going to get started pullets? If that is the case, the key thing is to talk to whomever/whatever you're going to get the pullets FROM, and see what their availability is going to be like at different times of the year.

If I have misunderstood and you *will* be getting chicks (and does your ordinance really permit *only* chickens older than 6 months? That is totally bizarre and pointless!) then you can do that any time of year except winter, just find out the last date your feedstore does chick orders (or wherever you'd get your chicks from), in Vancouver with a good coop you could raise chicks pretty much any time of year they're willing to sell them

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[wolfandfinch]

Quote:
So you are not going to get chicks, you are going to get started pullets? If that is the case, the key thing is to talk to whomever/whatever you're going to get the pullets FROM, and see what their availability is going to be like at different times of the year.

If I have misunderstood and you *will* be getting chicks (and does your ordinance really permit *only* chickens older than 6 months? That is totally bizarre and pointless!) then you can do that any time of year except winter, just find out the last date your feedstore does chick orders (or wherever you'd get your chicks from), in Vancouver with a good coop you could raise chicks pretty much any time of year they're willing to sell them

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

Thanks Pat! Yes, Vancouver is bizarre. VERY bizarre. HAH!


I'm trying to get more positive about the desire to scale things back. I've invited everyone's suggestions on what to prioritize, if anyone's interested....

http://wolfandfinch.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/what-would-you-save/