What age to get chicks-for newbie?

[chrissy855]

I am a first time chicken owner, and I would really love to have a few rare breed chickens before next spring. The earliest that the coop, yard etc will be ready is June 1st (it's a long story). The breeder I am hoping to get from seems to be flexible (according to their website). I can get them as day olds, or they can brood them for me to a certain age. My chickens will be pets/egg layers, so would it be better to get them when they are older so I can be sure they are hens? Or get them as a day olds, take the risk of too many roosters and have them more bonded to me?

I'm really puzzled as which way to go, thanks for all the input.

 

[5chickenluver7]

I WAS A NEWBIE TO CHICKENS LAST YEAR. i GOT THEM AS DAY OLD CHICKS. iT WAS REALLY FUN AND NOW ONE OF MY HENS IS HATCHING 5 CHICKS OF HER OWN! AND THEY HATCH IN 2 DAYS! bUT i WOULD RECOMMEND GETTING THEN YOUNG, EITHER CHICKS OR PULLETS.

 

[hensonly]

Bear in mind that if you get day-old chicks, you need to keep them in a brooder box of some sort for the first three weeks or so. Mine were in the brooder for five weeks because their coop wasn't quite ready. As long as they have room enough, they'll be fine. So if the coop is ready June 1, you could get day old chicks May 1 and be fine ( that's what I did - mine arrived the last day of April). You will need to cover the brooder box at 2 - 3 weeks, though, because mine would fly out. I used two stretched-out baby gates laid across the top to keep them in. My brooder was 4 ft x 4 ft, which was huge for my 15 tiny chicks but boy was I glad when they had to be in it for so long! Day olds are nicer in my opinion, because you can handle them from the start, which makes life much easier later on when you have to handle them for medical reasons, or just to check them over. Next time I will handle mine a lot more, it's still pretty hard to get my hands on one when needed...

anyway, good luck with your new birds - mine are now two years old and they're my first flock. I enjoy them immensely! Welcome to BYC, you'll find lots of super information here, help when you need it, sympathy when bad things happen, and a bunch of the friendliest folks you'd ever want to meet! Enjoy.

 

[urban dreamer]

I got my first chicken about 6 months ago. I knew I was inexperienced so I didn't to try to rear chicks of my own. I go two grown hens instead of getting babies. I wanted to make sure that I could handle the responsibitly and maintain them properly. Well, those two wonderful hens has turned into three hens and a little pullet (who laid her first egg Sunday). Everytime I get new birds are they are younger than the ones I had before. I would like to have chicks someday but for now, Me and the Girls will have to wait until we move out of the city to get any new additions. In my opinion, if you are really new with chickens, get an adult bird, or close to it, and save the little chickes for when you are more experienced. Oh, and HAVE FUN! You will love any chicken you get.

 

[LittleChooks]

This is my first chickens so I think Im going to get about 8 week old pullets, the chicks will maybe come next year!