Very new guy has some basic questions - help please.

[Tony F.]

Hello,

I live in Gilbert AZ (near Phoenix). Can anyone recommend a place to get chicks? When are they available? I am thinking of either Leghorns or Rhode Island Reds - or some mix of both because I want good layers and I'm told those are good for that, and take the heat well. We're just beginning the adventure, so any recommendations welcome.

Thanks for any help,

Tony

 

[Guitartists]

You can look in the buy/sell section for hatching eggs or for breeders in your area. There are hatcheries that ship chicks in the spring. Personally I'd recommend getting some eggs or chicks from one of BYCs sellers

 

[crtrlovr]

Hi, Tony, and welcome to BYC! You'll meet some great folks here who are very generous with their time and experience to help you make good choices. For starters, go to the FAQ section on here and read it from start to finish. It will answer many questions you may have. Also, there is a website (I'm sorry, I can't recall its location at the moment, but you could do a google or ask.com search and find it) that shows pix of different chicken breeds, their background, temperaments, laying norms, egg color, cold or heat hardiness, etc. and that should REALLY give you some good info to help you decide which breeds you'd like to try. See you around the forum!

 

[BayCityBabe]

Here's a great chart of chicken breeds. It has info on whether they are heat tolerant.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

Good luck with your flock!

 

[TaLani]

First of all...

. Below is a link of some hatcheries for your review. Ideal & Privett are the closest to you. A lot of forum members use Ideal Hatchery. Most hatcheries won't offer very many chicks until the spring though. Good luck in your chicken adventure!

http://www.mypetchicken.com/farmsHatcheries.aspx

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

I would recommend ideal. they have a white leghorn that I think they call Ideal 236. I have gotten several and they lay the best of all my chickens. they do, however, lay white eggs. we like to get a variety of colors of eggs to make it interesting.

 

[Tony F.]

Thanks for the chicken chart! Great info. Now I just need to find them. Are chicks only available in the spring?

 

[lovemychix]

I think Welp sells now. I just got some last month. All healthy and doing well.

 

[Frizzledhen]

Just wanted to say

Tony

 

[TaLani]

Tony F. :

Thanks for the chicken chart! Great info. Now I just need to find them. Are chicks only available in the spring?

I believe the hatcheries don't want to ship the chicks in the fall/winter months due to them getting too cold & possibly dying in shipment. Just shipping them in general is stressful on them & some are DOA when you get them so hatcheries will usually put in a few "packing peanuts" to ensure that you still get your full amount of chicks that you ordered.