starting fresh with chicks

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GeorgiaChick86

GeorgiaChick86

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Hey everyone, I live in middleish Georgia. I just bought a house so can do whatever I want with chickens. I just received a coop for Christmas which Im super excited about, it fits 8 adult chickens. I wanted to get y'all's input in watering/feeding supplies, what's best ordering chick online or store, I want them for eggs first and plan on getting more for meat. Any input is helpful. I also want great layers and friendly chickens.
Thanks so much.
 
Hello
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and Welcome to BYC!

I first suggest checking our the learning center for helpful articles on all chicken related subjects: https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center . My personal favorite laying breeds/dual purpose breeds are: Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks, Cochins (they are more pets then layers), and Easter Eggers. In my experience all of these birds are friendly and what I call eye candy
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. I've never ordered chicks online because normally the smallest order you can get is 10, but that is not with all hatcheries. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

Feeding article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/feeding-options-at-different-life-stages

Picking the right chicken breed: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/buying-chickens-what-breeds-are-right-for-you
 
Hi, and welcome to BYC. Congrats on your new home purchase. Regarding the coop though, I am assuming from "bought" that it's one that is already made? Be warned that the amount of chickens these factory coops say they can hold is usually greatly exaggerated. The cardinal rule is at least 4 Ft.2 per chicken for their happiness and health.

As for getting your chickens, if you are going to start from chicks I have found that ordering direct from the breeder or hatchery ("online") is much better that getting chicks from a feed store and for two reasons. One; chicks from a feed store usually get handled a lot by previous customers, and this exposes them to a lot of hand-borne diseases. Also (two) this handling is not monitored by the store staff and so chicks from one bin invariably will end up in a completely different one, and so gender and breeds will get all mixed up leaving you to wonder whether you even got the type/sex of chicken you wanted..

I purchased some sexed Easter Egger pullets (female) from a feed store last April, and even though I got there a mere 3 hours after they had arrived, one of the pullets turned out to be a rooster. Granted this is entirely possible as sexing isn't 100% accurate, but another turned out to be a Black Australorp, a completely different breed! So now I'm not even sure the rooster is an Easter Egger.
 
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As you get more into chickens you will find there are different places to get them I would never dismiss a feed store out of hand. The ones in our area have their poultry behind fences where the public cannot go and cannot handle and there is even one that you need to place your order several times a year at least three weeks in advance and they have more breeds than any one hatchery and you can purchase in any number. They have chickens, fancy chickens and bantams, geese, ducks, turkeys and guineas. They even have California Greys and whites and Iowa Blues at extremely reasonable prices, less than the birds would cost including shipping, if you can even find these at a hatchery.
I want to try a new breed or two next year so will be ordering through the feed store.
I have had eggs shipped with low hatching rates I have had chicks shipped, usually successfully but in a few cases more DOA's than I found acceptable, and I have had missexes in shipped birds.
I have never had a missexed bird ordered from the store and twice when I took straight run I got one cockerel and six pullets and one drake and three ducks. The figures don't get any better than that.
If I did go into a store and saw customers handling the chicks then I wouldn't purchase.

 
Read the reviews than take it back.

It's big enough for 3-4 and it will last a year if you're lucky. Living in the south your chickens will do fine or even better in a non traditional open sided "coop". Think livestock loafing shed with the front enclosed with wire.
Nothing wrong with buying chicks at the feed store. Go armed with information. Straight run is half boy hhalf girls. Pullets means all girls. don't buy any chicks that are sick or weak. Don't impulse buy. Familiarize yourself with the breeds before you bring them home. Buying at the feed store allows you to buy small quantities and a nice variety. The chain feed stores tend to have uninformed help when it comes to chicken so don't take their word as gospel.
 
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Welcome to Backyard chickens. Join your state thread and you may find Bycers near you that raise breeds of interest. Just put state name in the search box and it will come up.
 
Hello there, and my warmest welcome to Backyard Chickens! I am so glad you decided to join the community and I do hope you will make yourself at home here! :frow
 

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