Starting a flock

[Nutcase]

I started with day old chicks and that's what is recommend. Apart from the fact that they are sweet little things, to me it's like you get the 'whole experience' by raising them from chicks to adults. IMHO, rescue chickens aren't a good idea for newbies.

 

[lazy gardener]

Only you can answer that ?. Do you want eggs right away, or would you rather take your time getting immersed in the hobby and do a lot of learning along the way. If you get chicks, will you have the space to give them at least 1 - 2 s.f./bird while they are in the brooder? A lot of folks get chicks because they are cute, but then try to brood them without having the equipment or space to do it successfully. Also, chicks are incredibly dusty. Their dander is oily, and it flies all over the place, leaving a fine layer of dust. No matter what you start with, chicks or pullets or older hens, I recommend getting them all from the same source and at the same time. You'll avoid issues with quarantine and integration. Choose birds with a reputation for a docile nature. Check out Henderson's Chicken Breed Chart. Also go to hatchery web sites just to read about the different breeds available. My comment sounds like I am recommending that you start with older birds. Not so! I love starting chicks, even though it is more work. The only thing that is more fun and more work than starting chicks is hatching them! Also, be prepared to give them more room in the coop and run than the 4 s.f. / 10 s.f. recommendation. Crowded chickens can develop aggressive habits toward each other. No matter what you choose to do, you're going to have fun!

 

[amyfitz100]

This has been my six month chicken experience:

•Purchased 5 adorable chicks in July.
•1 died from pasty butt pretty quickly.=4
•Of the 4 left, 3 were cockerels (of course!).
•In November, gave away 1 cockerel=3
•In November, purchased 4 more "pullets."=7
•Of the 7, one "new" one was pecked mercilessly and died=6
•One "new" one was actually a cockerel and chose to live outside the coop (I didn't blame him, and after several weeks we didn't see him anymore)=5
•Of the 5 left (ironic we started with 5), I have:
2 "original" roosters
1 "new" hen who started laying Jan 2
1 "original" hen who started laying Jan 17
1 "new" pullet who hasn't started laying yet.

We love them all! Of course we want more, but I have convinced my family to wait a bit. We will probably do chicks, but it was tough to end up with so many roos. It was also tough to buy 4 more "pullets" and end up with 2. I don't know if this is typical, but I'm sharing so you know the way they add and subtract... I am still learning about that chicken math thing myself!

 

[5jays]

I would start with chicks. 10to12 would be perfect. That way you get the whole experience

 

[Dazlich]

We started with six week old sexed pullets in a closed flock. Worked well for us. Good luck

 

[rmurrayslcut]

I would start with chicks. I did so with my first flock, loved the experience, and learned a great deal. We had a blast with our chicks and the milestones were a hoot: moving them from the basement to the coop, their first night outside, our first egg. I got my chicks mid-May and it took them about five weeks to feather enough (combined with the weather becoming warm enough) to put them outside. I also remember the "20 week" egg countdown and finding my first egg.

I recommend starting with chicks. Get the whole experience.

 

[chicknnugget]

If you get adult hens, they won't be used to you and you won't know their personalities as well as you would if you started with chicks. Chicks are just so cute, I don't see how anyone could resist. But they do need extra care and take up more time then pullets or adult hens. You mentioned you are going to start with some hens, which is great but if you also want chicks, DO NOT PUT THEM IN WITH THE ADULT HENS. They are not like dogs, the adult hens won't help the babies, in fact they might pick on them. If you want to introduce new chicks to the hens, do it when they are older and can defend themselves. Best of luck.

I must say that I started with 3 adult hens and it was true that they did not know what to think of me at first, but after a couple of weeks of treats and time with them we started to become friends! Plus they made me breakfast right away! No waiting! I have added other girls of various ages to those original girls as well. It does take time to make the introductions however. It is very time consuming actually, with quarantine and then the whole look but no touch stage. Ugh! But worth it in the end.

 

[The Mother Hen]

Total newbie question: is it best to start a flock with babies or to get a few docile adult hens to show the chicks the ropes? I've been hesitant about getting adults because a friend had her flock wiped out after getting several rescue chickens. Thanks!

I personally started with chicks from IFA and grew them into hens 9I started in 2010). What I like is the fact that some chicks will love being pet if you hold them often. I started with pure breeds, but some of my hens got broody and I hatch a HUGE clutch of chicks... like 30 or so (while some of the eggs were duds or didn't make it/had complications). Some of them were pure breeds, others 1/3 pure bred and others mixed. I have a cute Brahma X Barred Rock chick (named Fuzzy Feet) who will back up if you place your hand behind her legs. She also loves being pet and will stand on my lap a lot. Baby chicks are a lot of work... you need to get live enzymes in them or they will get E. Coli or worms. Place a covering (like plastic mesh so they can breathe) over them during the night as predators might get to them. I usually stick them in my room so they are extra safe

CLEAN THEIR BOX OFTEN. It will stink to high heaven if you don't. Also, keep things ABL: Above Butt Level.

As chicks lose their fuzz and get their thin pin feathers in, get a box taller and wider. They will try to fly onto the edge to roost, and they do this at like a month or so old. Older still, they will peck and fight each other for about a minute or two. This is the pecking order, or the status of your hens. The Matriarch of my flock is an old Brahma, who will eventually pass away and a new hen will rule over the flock. Your matriarch is usually the first one to eat, unless you have a rooster. Some hens will "crow" if a rooster isn't around. It sounds like a witches cackle, and is quite funny to hear.

 

[EZFarms]

I started with day olds and i wouldnt trade raising day olds for anything. they will bond with u and if your like me you know who is clucking just by the sound. and believe me chicken math is very real last year when we got our current flock it was "ok no more chickens" we now have 25 day olds coming from a hatchery in feb. once bitten by the chicken bug resistence is futile XD just give in to the fluffy balls of feathers

 

[Chicken-Man]

I started with day olds and i wouldnt trade raising day olds for anything. they will bond with u and if your like me you know who is clucking just by the sound. and believe me chicken math is very real last year when we got our current flock it was "ok no more chickens" we now have 25 day olds coming from a hatchery in feb. once bitten by the chicken bug resistence is futile XD just give in to the fluffy balls of feathers
Yes, I have been bitten, my family were strongly against chickens but quickly bitten too, I think I will have chickens for the rest of my life. My first 3 were day olds and I loved learning stuff everyday. and the little "cheep cheep" just melts my heart! Then I got a pullet and a almost full grown and I still love it but I loved chicks more.