So excited!

[Morgan7782]

My end of April 'chick getting' may be pushed forward a bit! I have finished the run, well will be adding hardwire cloth to bottom tomorrow, but then it will be finished! I will be getting wood tomorrow, for free :-D from a friends dad, and will be finishing up the coop. They have a brooder set up as well, the only thing I need to buy this Friday (payday) is a heat lamp (250 watt correct? I will have THREE chicks) and a chick waterer. I have a feeder, but lost my waterer somewhere in the garage chaos heh. Then it's to the feed store for the chick food and the chicks themselves! I settled on two EE's and one Barred Rock, keeping my fingers crossed for pullets, but if not I will be back here asking if anybody wants a free rooster from Sacramento Co.

So yeah, might be getting the chickies in the beginning of April! Yay! Already have named for two of them. Binny and Joon (Benny & Joon, GOOD MOVIE) and will name whichever is bossiest 'Binny'. The third I will probably let my 13 year old neice name, as she is VERY excited to have chickens again too.

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

As well you should be!!

for pullets!!

 

[Elite Silkies]

I think most use the 250 watt red heat bulb. I think Pet Smart sells them in 100 watt.

: for pullets!!

 

[Morgan7782]

Alright cool, and I have read a few places to pay attention to my chicks. They will tell me when they are cold, hot, or just right.

I am so excited, I can hardly sleep haha. It's like Christmas. I have been going full steam on this coop/run, and it will be nice to put them to use. Plus.. Chickens rock.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATS!!!!
PICS WHEN YOU GET THEM!

Where are you getting them from?

 

[Morgan7782]

Well that is the hard part. Tractor Supply is out of the picture after reading some posts on here. And because I am only getting 3 I can't order from a hatchery, plus I think it would be awfully stressful to ship 3 babies so far.

When I had my barred rock chicks, I got them from the Nevada County Fair. The 4-H was hatching them as a project and raffling them off. They were the healthiest, most wonderful chickens I have had, plus, 4-H is great. Problem is, that fair comes in the end of September, and I don't know any reliable sources here in Sacramento. I visited a feed store recently, and saw one dead/dying chick in all their bins. I got worried, but from what I am reading, losing one or two chicks is common (hence why I am getting 3 instead of my originally planned 2 :-D)

So.. I am not entirely sure. The rest of the chicks were happy and healthy in that feed store, so any advice? Or if anybody here sells chicks who lives in or around Sacramento please speak up

I am looking for well cared for chicks, as well as possible.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

My original batch of chicks, 9 of them, came from a feed store. Lost 1 that night. I knew when we got home and opened the box she wasnt gonna make it. But I went back and got 4 more of 2 more breeds I was looking for. Havent lost anymore of the feedstore babies.
And, unlike TSC, the feedstore didnt have a minimum.
Good luck!

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Where in Sac are you?
There are a ton of good feed stores around.

Best selections:
Bradshaw Feed and Pet Supply at Bradshaw x Florin(my Favorite)
Echo Valley on Nevada St in Auburn(2nd favorite)

Decent:
Western Feed on Don wy in Carmichael(my closest one, and small selection but good chicks from Belt)
Western Feed on Greenback in Fair Oaks(less selection than carmichael)
Sheldon Feed in Sheldon on Grant Line Rd(great for food and had some really nice cornishx)

I know theres more, but those are the ones I go to.
Most stores around here get their chicks every Thursday, and most stores get different kinds each week, but bradshaw and echo valley usually have all the "standard feed store chicks" all the time.

I saw a sign in Western(Carmchael) today that says cuckoo marans on the 1st (next thurs)!

I found a guy in Citrus Heights I just got a SLW and EE and Turken pullets from, and got 7 hatching eggs thrown in.
He has a ton(TON) of birds he wants to sell.
Found another guy in RIO Linda Im getting some well-started chicks from, and he has a huge selection.
Check craigslist!!!

There are also 2 poultry auctions 2x a month, 1 in Roseville near Denios, and 1 in Wilton.
I want to go to the Roseville one, the next date is Eater but the guy said nobody would be there.
Check CL for dates, they list em.

I can get you some free hatching eggs from a backyard flock too, if you wanna go that route.
I got 13 good ones going right now from the same flock.

You got options

 

[ChickenMama18]

Quote:
You mean you will actually be finished with the coop before you get the chicks? Why didn't I think of that?

 

[chickenwhisperer]

I know, right?
Theyre doing it all backwards . . .