Too late to get chicks?

[ChickenHeartedHen]

Is it too late to purchase chicks? I'm worried they will not have enough time to grow their adult feathers before the weather gets colder outside.

 

[DobieLover]

Is it too late to purchase chicks? I'm worried they will not have enough time to grow their adult feathers before the weather gets colder outside.

They only need 6 weeks to fully feather. There's plenty of time.

 

[ella2025]

Is it too late to purchase chicks? I'm worried they will not have enough time to grow their adult feathers before the weather gets colder outside.

It's never too late for new chickies
GO FOR IT!!!

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Is it too late to purchase chicks? I'm worried they will not have enough time to grow their adult feathers before the weather gets colder outside.

I agree that it's never too late but I'm not sure where you are and your coop setup. I'll just say that we're at 3600' elevation with some pretty brutal winters, and even in very cold temps as long as they have wind protection, mine are usually roosting without heat by 5-6 weeks with no issues. Raising chicks year around is actually pretty easy. I figure if hens can do it, so can I.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When does it get cold where you are? I've had chicks under 6 weeks old go through temperatures below freezing without problems. I've put chicks straight from the incubator or the post office into an outside brooder with temperatures below freezing but one area of that brooder was toasty warm.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

When does it get cold where you are? I've had chicks under 6 weeks old go through temperatures below freezing without problems. I've put chicks straight from the incubator or the post office into an outside brooder with temperatures below freezing but one area of that brooder was toasty warm.

Same! I do not allow chickens in my house. Ever lol. Our brooder is on a protected porch area. I use heat plates but it's fully protected from wind, snow and rain. Never had an issue in single digit March temps. Same with the brooder area in the coop. By 5-6 weeks with layers, heat is unnecessary in a well protected coop. Cheers to year 'round chicks!

 

[springvalley123]

In Arizona, September is a great time to get chicks. As the fall temps come in, the birds feather out. Like AZ, I bet you have some elevation differences that will make all the difference in your chick raising logistics. What do the fellow New Mexico chicken raisers say?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-mexico.18195/

 

[FrostRanger]

Definitely not too late but if you're ordering wouldn't have them shipped until September as the areas they're passing through might be too hot for them. It really does depend on where you are and where they're coming from though and this only applies to shipped chicks, you're totally good to hatch or go pick them up yourself now