Starting with chicks in the fall

[jordanofmn]

I'm just starting with my first coop - for eggs. I've read that they won't start producing eggs for about 5 months. I'd like to start with chickens now. Is this okay? Or, should I wait til the spring.

 

[azygous]

Are you talking about starting with adult laying hens? If so, that's always a nice way to get started. But I caution you to be very sure your source is disease-free since many viruses can hitch-hike on disease resistant chickens only to manifest at a later time with newer chickens who may be vulnerable. This happened in my flock when I started out with two adult laying hens. Now I have an avian leukemia in my flock that I can't get rid of unless I cull the entire flock and begin all over.

Therefore, I recommend you start with baby chicks from a certified hatchery. If you brood them now in your coop, they will be laying by March. At that time, you may choose to raise another brood of spring chicks.

Unless you live where it will be getting extremely cold very soon, you can get the chicks feathered out by the time the worst of winter hits, unless you're down under in Oz and this is springtime for you. Then it's clear sailing ahead.

 

[rachel9947]

You can get your POL girls settled in before the winter. They will be well settled before they start to lay. If they are this year's brood then they won't moult this autumn, so should be fine .If you are new to keeping chucks, then remember they need to be wormed every two months, Flubenvet is the stuff to do it. Also, when they start laying you need to provide poultry grit as well as food, so their egg shells are able to form hard, not soft. Chucks are susceptible to a lot of diseases, so best to find your nearest specialist avian vet who can prescribe medicines as needed. I always keep a supply of Baytril and Denegard in the cupboard. Poultry Shield deals with mite infestations in the hen shed. Fresh eggs come at a price!

 

[jordanofmn]

Thank you for your knowledge!