Weather for new chicks!

[newchickmom]

Does anyone have any suggestions when would be a good time to get chicks here in indiana.
I have my brooder in the garage, but the garage is not heated. I want to order early to get the breeds I want because they tend to run out. I just want to know when would be a good arrival date to ask for since Myer has all their hatch dates listed in their new catalog now.

 

[crazyhen]

Could you place your order and have them hold it to a certain time. That way you could wait on the better weather date without losing your particular breed. I am not from your climate so my dates would not be right for you. jean

 

[chickylou]

Well, I don't have chickens yet, but did speak with a friend whose father raised chicken to lay eggs for a living. She has chickens now and lives in northern Indiana. She just advised me to not get chickens until after the frost date (mid May) unless I'd like to live with 15 chickens in my house transitioning them from chicks until they get enough feathers to live outdoors.

I had ordered them for March 18th and she thought that was way too early.

Now, I did mention staging them from indoors and then when bigger to the garage with heat lamp. She did give a little at that point, but mentioned that it would be wiser to do it closer to May. Think of them as tender plants being transitioned into the garden.

I hope this doesn't discourage you. I'm making a call to my hatchery for a later day, probably Late April to early May.

God Bless

 

[newchickmom]

I think I will go with mid-April delivery and get my order in now. I got some chicks at Easter last year and they did fine. We have a large brooder that is in the garage , and in the barn, we have a transitional coop for the little teenagers before they go to the big-girls coop.

This is my brooder.

And transition coop

 

[crooked stripe]

I do see one problem with waiting till mid April- May, that is if you are getting chickens for eggs you are looking at Oct. - Nov. before they start to lay. I would hate the thought of going into winter waiting for eggs. Something always comes up and you have to scramble to fix the problem. I got my day olds the first week of Feb last year and kept them in the house for a month until placing them, brooder and all into a unheated garage. You have a fine looking brooder and it looks like there would be no problem keeping the chicks warm. Don't forget by mid March and first of April temps are most often in the 45-50 degree range. I had a broody hatch out 7 in late Nov. last year. She kept them warm for about 3 weeks then they where on their own. To this date happy and healthy. Chickens are tougher than you think. I watched my chickens sit out on the outdoor roost and jump around in the snow like a bunch of kids at 5 degrees and it didn't bother them a bit. If they where to cold they could have gone back into the coop on their own. Good luck on your decision. John

 

[katrinag]

I opted to have my chicks sent next week. I have a LARGE brooder that will also serve as a half way house for them when they are bigger.
I will keep them in the house for the first 2 weeks in a rubber maid, then move them to my back porch with a heat lamp in the brooder.

 

[TXmom]

That's why I got my chicks already...I didn't want to wait until winter to get eggs. I don't mind keeping mine in the house for a few weeks, but of course spring comes early here in TX

Newchickmom - I love your brooder! It looks nice and comfy for the babies. How many do you plan on ordering? Mine outgrew their first brooder in just over a week!

 

[crooked stripe]

TXmom, it is amazing how fast they grow. I thought my first brooder was big enough for a flock of full grown turkeys. Boy was I wrong.

 

[newchickmom]

I'm planning to order about 25 this time. Delawares.
You are right about the egg laying, maybe I will go ahead and order for a First week of March delivery.
And thank you on the brooder compliment. It was a shipping crate I got at work and remodeled it and put on doors.

 

[tgcole]

Newchickmom, try a thermometer in the brooder on a cold night. If you can maintain 90 degrees, go for it. We hatch chicks all winter long and they do fine in the garage with heat lamps. On very cold nights, I put a blanket over the brooder to hold heat for them. It's 14 degrees this morning, and I have 14 new babies from yesterday.

One word of caution... I always keep two lamps going. I had a bulb burn out on a single lamp setup, and lost some chicks before I checked on them next morning.