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Post by Melissa on Apr 14, 2015 22:16:05 GMT
I normally would have some ordered by now but am running behind. I keep mine in a brooder in the barn so I don't like to get them until May. I ordered from Meyer Hatchery and decided to be surprised so I selected 10 of the rare breeds and 15 of the assorted brown egg layers. I did this once before and had about 10 different types. It was pretty fun to see them grow and try to figure out what kind they were. They will be arriving the first week of May.
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Post by Wendy on Apr 14, 2015 23:27:55 GMT
Good for you! I sat out tonight watching mine again.  My broilers should be here Thursday so then I will have more little fuzz balls to watch. |
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Post by krisinmi on Apr 14, 2015 23:38:07 GMT
Ordering chicks is so fun! Last year I tried the "Homesteader's Delight" from McMurray: 10 brown egg layer pullets, 2 goslings, 2 ducklings, and 2 turkeys. It was so much fun to try to figure out which breeds they were as they grew (ended up with mostly buff chickens, African gray geese, jumbo pekin ducks, bronze turkeys and a 'bonus' midget white turkey thrown in for free).
This year, with my eldest ds and his family living with us, I knew I was going to need to raise a lot more broilers than normal, so decided to do an 'early' order and a mid-summer order this year. Have about 30 cornish cross in the brooder right now, along with some straight run Welsummers that I am hoping will be mostly pullets. Usually I wait until late May to get my meat birds, but, trying to time two batches and have them out of the brooder--which stays in the garage when in use--before the beginning of May meant my had to get the first batch in early April.
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Post by Wendy on Apr 15, 2015 0:58:35 GMT
I timed my broilers so I am butchering the end of May before it gets too hot. I will do another batch around the end of September. I butchered in July one year & it was just too darn hot. I also lost quite a few in the heat.
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Post by Jolly on Apr 26, 2015 13:10:19 GMT
I probably should have gone the Tractor Supply route, but they didn't have what I wanted. I ordered 15 Red Star female chicks from McMurray and they'll be arriving in early June.
Haven't had chickens in awhile, but I've had good luck with Red Stars before.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2015 2:26:22 GMT
I'm waiting for one of my silky hens to go broody and then I'll put some of the Icelandic's eggs under her.
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Post by claytonpiano on Apr 30, 2015 23:33:41 GMT
My ducks and geese are supposed to be here next week. I have never had geese and can hardly wait!!!
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Post by Melissa on May 4, 2015 19:54:46 GMT
Got an e-mail saying that my chicks have been shipped. They are supposed to arrive between Tuesday and Thursday, hopefully sooner rather than later.
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Post by Wendy on May 4, 2015 19:57:18 GMT
Mine are all feathered out already & not cute like they were.
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Post by aoconnor on May 5, 2015 1:30:02 GMT
Good luck!!! I always love having new chicks:-)
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Post by Melissa on May 5, 2015 21:58:08 GMT
Well they are at the post office but I can't get them until morning because they are closed. I checked the tracking and it said they would not be delivered until tomorrow, so I left to do some errands. The post office called at 1:45 and said they were there, but they closed at 2:15 and I did not make it in time. They were shipped out yesterday late afternoon, and they say they are OK for 72 hours so I hope they will be all right overnight. They open at 7:15 tomorrow morning, I am planning to be there early!
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2015 23:25:53 GMT
I got my white leghorns and new Hampshire reds last week.
The next day one died. One out of 25, ok that's fine, pretty normal.
Then today, 11 more died. For a week they have been great.
This morning, fine, this afternoon, 10 dead, one almost dead and all the dead had been popping blood.
What in the world would cause this?
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Post by bergere on May 6, 2015 11:25:45 GMT
Post office normally has workers in it. They should allow you to pick up the chicks even though they are not officially open. Has been like that every where I have lived.
I had to talk to this post office...about what needs to be done. Since I lost a whole shipment of rare chicks to their incompetence.
If you have any dead chicks... file a complaint and talk to them. There is no reason not to allow you to get the chicks.
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Post by aoconnor on May 6, 2015 11:55:28 GMT
I agree with bergere, the post office should have let you pick the chicks up no matter what, even if they were closed at the time you drove by. My post office is a pain in the neck that way, too, but if I ask them to wait for a while for me, they usually will, if not a little grudgingly! I hope your little guys are ok, they should be fine...keep us posted!
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Post by Mari-in-IN on May 6, 2015 12:04:55 GMT
I got my white leghorns and new Hampshire reds last week. The next day one died. One out of 25, ok that's fine, pretty normal. Then today, 11 more died. For a week they have been great. This morning, fine, this afternoon, 10 dead, one almost dead and all the dead had been popping blood. What in the world would cause this? How terrible! So sorry for you... I personally have not had this happen...just taking a stab here-could it be coccidiosis? Hopefully someone with more knowledge will respond soon!
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Post by aoconnor on May 6, 2015 12:12:52 GMT
I got my white leghorns and new Hampshire reds last week. The next day one died. One out of 25, ok that's fine, pretty normal. Then today, 11 more died. For a week they have been great. This morning, fine, this afternoon, 10 dead, one almost dead and all the dead had been popping blood. What in the world would cause this? Coccidiosis. Get Corid powder, you can buy it at feed stores in the cattle section. I copied this from another site with the same question..... for treating chicks: Corid The Corid 20% soluable powder dosage is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water for 5 days. Make it fresh daily, dont add anything to it such as ACV, electrolytes, vitamins-etc, Must be their sole source of treated water to drink. 1/2 tsp 4 Qts 1/4 tsp 2 Qts 1/8 tsp 1 Qt 1/16 tsp 1 Pint |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2015 12:48:10 GMT
I am new to all of this and am scarfing down all the info I can get. I was planning to get 4 layers/broilers the first part of June but I don't want a rooster so just decided to go the fresh egg route for now. What is the advantage of ordering chicks for broilers? Just that you don't have to have a rooster? That IS an advantage when you have neighbors close by! But is there any other advantages?
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Post by bergere on May 6, 2015 12:53:56 GMT
I have used Medicated chick feed for years now. A lot easier for me to use that Corid.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2015 12:59:18 GMT
I called the hatchery and talked to them, they said it might be cocci, but asked what I feed them. When I told them, and confirmed it was medicated feed, they said it shouldn't be cocci.
I have them now on the corid now, but three more were dead this morning.
The hatchery also told me they are not selling any more layers this year as their layer flock was hit by that flu.
I doubt this is a flu thing because with one week old chicks, they would have already died.
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Post by Melissa on May 6, 2015 13:00:10 GMT
We have a very small post office and there was no one there when I stopped by. I went early this morning and they were fine. They were hatched Monday so it had probably been less than 48 hours until I got them.
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Post by bergere on May 6, 2015 13:18:48 GMT
Have always been around tiny post offices... normally there is someone in back sorting mail. But I am glad they were ok!
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Post by Melissa on May 6, 2015 13:25:51 GMT
With the cutbacks ours is only open for six hours a day now. We have two delivery people, so I guess when they get back in with the mail they just sort it and leave. I probably just missed them.
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Post by aoconnor on May 6, 2015 14:09:34 GMT
With the cutbacks ours is only open for six hours a day now. We have two delivery people, so I guess when they get back in with the mail they just sort it and leave. I probably just missed them. Ours, too:-(. If I'm not there at a certain time I'm likely to miss the postmistress that day. It is difficult being this rural when dealing with the post office! |
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Post by Wendy on May 6, 2015 14:49:06 GMT
I am new to all of this and am scarfing down all the info I can get. I was planning to get 4 layers/broilers the first part of June but I don't want a rooster so just decided to go the fresh egg route for now. What is the advantage of ordering chicks for broilers? Just that you don't have to have a rooster? That IS an advantage when you have neighbors close by! But is there any other advantages? If you plan on ordering broilers Cornish Rock are the best ones for eating. They are ready to butcher in 6-8 weeks. I have been raising them for years. The advantage is they grow out fast. You can butcher any type of chicken if you have a rooster & hatch them out. However, they will not have near the meat that a Cornish Rock does & they take a lot longer to grow out. |
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Post by jupiter on May 6, 2015 15:40:07 GMT
We have 2 broody hens right now, & I expect our Brahma hens to go broody anytime. One duck & one turkey are broody as well! I absolutely love watching the new chicks with their momma's. Can't wait til they hatch!
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2015 21:52:18 GMT
Where is everyone ordering their chicks (broilers) from?
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Post by Wendy on May 7, 2015 21:55:57 GMT
I get my broilers from Mt Healthy in Ohio. They aren't far from me at all.
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Post by bergere on May 8, 2015 10:45:23 GMT
I'm waiting for one of my silky hens to go broody and then I'll put some of the Icelandic's eggs under her. Way cool, you have Icelandic Chickens?! How do you like them. |
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2015 17:41:45 GMT
I ordered chickens yesterday and they won't be ready until July 8.
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My broilers should be here Thursday so then I will have more little fuzz balls to watch.
