Now that the holidays are coming to a close and as we move into the new year, it’s time to be thinking about if, when and where you are going to get your new chicks. February seems to be the month that feed stores typically start getting in their supply of chicks, and that’s just around the corner! It’s best to plan for starting or expanding your flock before the fact, rather than just going to the feed store one day and coming home with baby chicks. Now is the perfect time to start planning and preparing.
Baby chicks are so cute and irresistible. Although raising chickens isn’t exactly what I would call labor intensive, they do require daily care and maintenance, and serious thought should be given to starting a flock. Some things to think about before getting chicks: 1) Why do I want chicks? 2) How many should I get? and 3) Where should I get my chicks?
Why do I want chicks? If you are just beginning your adventure with chickens, you need to decide if you want to raise chickens for meat, for eggs, for unique pets… or all three! There are so many different breeds of chickens available to choose from. Some are better egg layers than others. Some lay different colored eggs and filling a carton with a rainbow of colors is kind of fun. Some chickens have more friendly, curious personalities, others are more high-strung. There are breeds that are better for meat, and some that serve a dual purpose: eggs and meat. The climate you live in should also be factored in to the breed of chicken you acquire. Some breeds do better in cold climates and some are more adaptable to hot weather. Then there are the chickens who have unique feathering on their feet or their heads. They can be fun to have around and be quite the conversation piece. Maybe you want a flock of only one breed of chicken that is well-suited to your climate and purpose. Maybe you want a flock filled with variety and color. I personally enjoy the variety in my flock. It’s fun having chickens with different feather coloration and patterns, as well as different egg colors, and different personalities and characteristics.
How many should I get? The general rule of thumb is 2 – 4 square feet per bird inside a coop, and if you have them contained to a run, you should allow 8 – 10 square feet per bird in the run. You should also plan 1 nesting box for every 4 – 5 hens. Overcrowding will just encourage your chickens to pick on one another. Give them enough space and provide them with enough activities to keep them busy and out of trouble. If it’s a viable option, your chickens will love it if they can free-range (wander in the yard or pasture on their own) for part of the day.
Where should I get my chicks? You have a few options here and they all have their pros and cons. Usually, your local feed store will have a selection of chicks a couple times throughout the year. Our local feed stores have their first selection in late winter and then again in mid-summer. Some feed stores will require that you purchase a minimum number of chicks, but if you don’t want that many and explain your situation, they will generally sell you fewer than the minimum. The downside is that the feed stores generally get in stock certain popular breeds of chickens and you don’t get a lot of choices. Most of the chicks they sell are either females or straight run. Straight run is a mix of male and female. Straight run is generally less expensive, but you are taking your chances on getting mostly roosters. If you are raising chicks for meat, that is not as big a deal as if you are raising your chickens for eggs. Some feed stores will special order chicks for you, so feel free to talk to them about what you are looking for in advance of chick season. Another option is ordering from a hatchery. Ordering chicks from a hatchery provides you with a wider variety of chicken breeds and sexes. Many hatcheries sell specialty, heritage and rare chicken breeds in addition to the more popular breeds. You can order mostly hens and throw in a rooster or two if you are interested in breeding, or if you just want roosters in your flock. You can order one chick of each breed that interests you for a variety. The drawback here is that the shipping charges can be high if you only want a few chicks. If you order from a hatchery they will send the chicks in a sturdy box through the United States Postal Service, and it usually takes 2-3 days. When I ordered my chicks from a hatchery, I went to the post office and gave them my name and phone number so they could call me as soon as my chicks arrived. I got a 5am phone call one morning and went to the local post office and retrieved my chicks. They all did well and I did not lose a one‼ Then there is the option of purchasing fertilized eggs and hatching them yourself. With this method you will probably want to have an incubator on hand in case you can’t or do not want to get a broody hen to sit on the eggs. I have never done this, so I don’t really know much about the cost or the hatch rate. Once again you take your chances on how many hens versus roosters you will end up with. Consider what you would do if they all turned out to be roosters! Lastly, you can try to hatch your own eggs. All you need is a rooster and a broody hen. It’s a good idea to figure out some sort of temporary housing situation for momma hen and her babies once they hatch. I don’t recommend removing them from the coop as Momma may have a difficult time integrating herself back into the flock after losing her place in the pecking order. I cordoned off a small section of the coop with some temporary fencing for my momma and her little ones. They could see the rest of the flock, but the babies were protected. Hatching your own eggs also allows for the possibility of ending up with more roosters than you want, but I will admit that it is very interesting to watch a momma hen interact with and teach her young.
It is also a good idea to check with your town or city’s ordinances regarding keeping farm animals and backyard poultry. There might be limits on what kind and how many chickens you can have, or regulations on size of coop buildings. Make sure you comply with regulations so you don’t have to disband an endeared flock of birds or tear down a chicken coop.
Knowing what you want and making preparations in advance will be less stressful on you and your chicks and make for a more fun and positive experience!
If you are interested in starting your journey with chickens, check out our friends at Easy Coops for great chicken coop designs: https://easycoops.com/ref/106/