Spring Chicks vs. Fall Chicks?

[EggSighted4Life]

I added 4 chicks in early April and had planned on adding some more to flock next spring.

Fall chicks have still molted the next fall for me..

Spring chicks don;t usually molt their first fall/winter.. therefore still providing eggs that this years spring chicks are pretty well guaranteed not to at that time.

 

[The Birb King]

I prefer getting/hatching chicks in spring so that they can grow up over the summer. I have never really gotten chicks in the fall I feel like they would be too cold :\

 

[springvalley123]

I prefer getting/hatching chicks in spring so that they can grow up over the summer. I have never really gotten chicks in the fall I feel like they would be too cold :\

I think it depends on your climate. Where I'm at, early September is usually good, but then, last October we had a freak early frost.... Then you have to feed the birds through the winter, before they start laying...

 

[springvalley123]

Fall chicks have still molted the next fall for me..

Spring chicks don;t usually molt their first fall/winter.. therefore still providing eggs that this years spring chicks are pretty well guaranteed not to at that time.

I got some chicks hatched in March for this very reason. However, I think some birds just take winters off. Not molting, but still decided to stop for the winter about a few weeks ago. Grr! But I am enjoying the eggs from the others in the flock.

 

[HomesteadDeb]

I think it depends on your climate. Where I'm at, early September is usually good, but then, last October we had a freak early frost.... Then you have to feed the birds through the winter, before they start laying...

I got my first flock in September a few years ago and they started laying late winter/early spring and then layed almost without a break through their first full winter. I moved to a new property with more space and decided to add to my flock in the spring and not a single one of my spring chicks is laying. My one welsummer hen did for a couple months, then stopped, the welbar laid one egg and then just stopped. My other 3 welsummers and my Easter Eggers never even started. I wound up purchasing a whole flock of golden comets and RIRs that were already laying just to keep up with my egg orders, plus my welsummer/legbar breeding projects remain unfulfilled, and I'm feeding almost a dozen freeloaders, lol. Fall chicks for me next year!

 

[dusta]

I liked to get mine in June or July. Cheaper to raise, more bugs , faster growth and started laying in November when egg production falls. Always had people asking for eggs.......

 

[brandonstokley]

I like fall chicks so they start laying in spring. you get a full year of laying out of them when they start.

 

[Iluveggers]

I liked to get mine in June or July. Cheaper to raise, more bugs , faster growth and started laying in November when egg production falls. Always had people asking for eggs.......

Me too. And the kids are home to help with them!

 

[springvalley123]

Me too. And the kids are home to help with them!

IN my climate, june and july are problematic times--the baby chicks can't stand the heat so they'd have to be brooded in the house for a very long time---lots of dust! And the july Leghorns still didn't lay until new year's. I guess this just shows how climate specific chickens can be.

 

[Iluveggers]

IN my climate, june and july are problematic times--the baby chicks can't stand the heat so they'd have to be brooded in the house for a very long time---lots of dust! And the july Leghorns still didn't lay until new year's. I guess this just shows how climate specific chickens can be.

Absolutely. In NY the weather is perfect at that time!