What Comes First?

[citychickx6]

The chicks would need to be FULLY feathered out in order to not need the heat. Personally I would not get chicks in the fall I would get 15 to 20 week old pullets. You would end up paying more for them than chicks but you would not need to do all the extra work either.

There are a lot of pullets up here on craigs list so perhaps that is a place to start looking. By no means am I saying that is the best place to get them from.

How many chickens are you looking to have in your flock?

 

[AngelaClassAct]

I think that you should avoid auctions for all the reasons everyone else has said. Look for someone selling their entire flock, its easier for health reasons and for settling chickens into a new home. Good luck!

 

[simplynewt]

Quote:
Im looking to get just 4 Hens. I thought I was going to need a Roo but found out the hens will still lay eggs without a Roo.

I have made a coop with 2 large nest boxes. Will this be adequete for 4 Hens?

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Im looking to get just 4 Hens. I thought I was going to need a Roo but found out the hens will still lay eggs without a Roo.

I have made a coop with 2 large nest boxes. Will this be adequete for 4 Hens?

Yes!! just position the boxes so there lower than there roost also add some fake eggs so they will know where to lay.

 

[simplynewt]

Quote:
Im looking to get just 4 Hens. I thought I was going to need a Roo but found out the hens will still lay eggs without a Roo.

I have made a coop with 2 large nest boxes. Will this be adequete for 4 Hens?

Yes!! just position the boxes so there lower than there roost also add some fake eggs so they will know where to lay.

The nest boxes are at "floor level" as the rest of the coop. The "Roost" will be elevated off of that floor level. This is part of the "little things" that I need to take care of to complete my coop. I am glad to hear that two nests boxes will be enough for 4 Hens.

I also have to add the back door which will be as wide as the coop itself and will fold down for easier cleaning and the front door will be a sliding door. Still have to look into the hardware for that.

 

[ceeceeholt]

Hi Newt, I'm from Alabama too, Northern though. Everyone is right, stay away from auctions, there's a reason they sell them there instead of privately. We got our first ones as pullets 10 weeks or so and did not need any additional heat. I'm hoping they begin to lay soon

Also, got babies a few weeks ago and really like raising them, but then your needing the heat. I like that you built your coop before getting chickens, as my DH and I did it in reverse

Oh well, everyone is happy now! I too, have RIR and really like them. I also love the Buff Orpingtons and can't wait until they start to lay (did I mention that already) LOL We got all our chickies from local people/feed stores!
Good luck and glad your here, lots and lots of info on this site!

 

[mandelyn]

We did it reverse too and had the girls in XL dog crates in the shed.

I made sure to set them up in the middle of his workshop... he was quickly motivated to help get the coop done. The house came with a dog kennel though, so I had an instant run for day time use and we only needed the dog crates for night time. Wasn't my first time with chickens though, I think I'm on my... 5th flock now, over the span of 14 years. First time with ducks though, they're a riot.

You should be able to find 4 hens from the same seller easy enough. At least 8 week old, they won't need heat. About 24 weeks is when they're start laying, so the closer to that they are, the sooner you'll get eggs.

Also, it's super easy for someone new to get taken on gender. Buy old enough birds that it is 100% obvious who is a female. Study photos over in the "What breed or gender" section to familiarize yourself with gender characteristics for the different breeds. Took me a couple of years when I first started out to get to where I can spot a boy or girl as early as day one, depending on breed. Silkies I'm hopeless on, but I never raised them myself. But now, I'm not afraid to buy babies since I can pick them out myself. I don't have to rely on the seller to tell me what the gender is. More than once I've had sellers grab chicks and hand them to me as female, and I set them back down as male. I only buy straight run with ducks, never ever straight run chickens.

I'll buy from swap meats and flea markets, after looking over everything in the booth and thoroughly checking over the birds I want. But I'll likely never buy at an auction. Not the farm auctions I've been to anyways.

 

[simplynewt]

Quote:
I am pretty firm on wanting to get RIR's although a neighbor has also suggested a breed called "Golden Standard". I have not done research on the latter breed but will look at pics of them and the RIR's.

Hello CeeCee and thanks for posting. I am almost done with the coop other than the front and back doors. Should be knocking them out this weekend. In regards to the front door - should it be the sliding type or can it be hindged? I was leaning towards the hindged type but most of the coop designs I have seen here have the sliding front door. Does this matter?