Chicks ordered!

Ok, peeps – I ordered the PEEPS!!  None of you came forward to say NO NO NO, Karen.. DON’T DO IT!!!…  so I’m blaming YOU if this is a bad idea.   You were all so enthusiastic, you chicken people, and even you  wanna-be chicken people ….. that I decided  perhaps it’s not a crazy idea after all.

 I did some thorough research, found three styles of coop I like and the husband is going to make one that is a combination. I’ve ordered eight chicks and there will be atleast six nesting boxes in the coop, with perches that are comfortably wide and set alittle higher than the nesting boxes. We’re going to make a BIG chicken run, with fence buried beneath the ground (predators) and netting over head (predators or fly aways).  Because of our large dog(s) and abundance of coyotes and foxes, we can’t let ours free roam always, just when we’re working around the yard and garden.

 I ordered my chicks from chickensforbackyards.com because they seem very knowledgeable and are pleasant to speak with, important to this chicken coop novice.  I ordered Green GEL to come with the chicks and I’ll buy other necessary supplies at our local feed store.  I also asked that the chicks be vaccinated – I’m assuming that’s a smart thing.  They give you the option.

 http://www.chickensforbackyards.com/

 And these are the flock I’ve put together…

2 Silver LaceWyandotte๏ปฟ

2 Buff Orpington
๏ปฟ

2 Ameraucana (blue green eggs!)
 1 black Jersey Giant
 1 barred rock

 So, chicken people – how did I do so far?   And.. any hints or suggestions are welcome!  I cannot believe these little peeps will be MAILED to me.. but that seems to be the method of most.  I hope they arrive safely and healthy and ..alive.

 They’ve been ordered for early April delivery – “we” still have to build that coop.  Lord knows when the snow will melt.

40 thoughts on “Chicks ordered!”

  2. I am happy for you, Karen…this is exciting! And I'm glad that these chickens are going to have a good home. My daughter is a vegan and I have heard so many horror stories about the way chickens are mistreated and abused. I won't get on my soapbox, I'm just glad that there are people like you that will be raising them in a good environment.

    XO,
    Jane

  3. These chickens will be loved and that is the most important thing! I am first and foremost an animal lover and I can't wait to see them happily moving about in their safe new home. Congratulations.

    xo
    Claudia

  4. Love love love new chicks! I am still trying to decide which breed to get this year. I let my hens hatch out some eggs last year but I ended up with 2 out of 5 being roosters. Have fun with yours:-)

  6. I love chickens, had a Buff and the silver lace, but my pride and joy were the crazy lookin polish with wild hats on their heads. The rooster hated me and would attack me every day till I had him
    hypnotized. He was good for a few days and started up again, I gave him away. Love your chickens Enjoy those darlings.

  7. Congrats on the chicks. So adorable. And yes, like Kathleen said, how do you mail chicks? Must be interesting for the mail carrier… ours once delivered crickets to someone !!

  9. Loving your choices of chicks, especially the Silver Lace Wyandotte! Little balls of fluff is what you will get in the mail, so cute and so tiny! I know you will enjoy your little chicklets:)
    Oh, the local feed store seems to always have chicks, and they take no special care of them. I always feel sorry for the little things, but they seem to do well as long as they have a little care. I know yours will be very pampered!

  10. My bestest friend in the world did this for years on her hobby farm. The blue green egg chicken and a beige egg chicken and many others I'm certain.

    They were the most delicious awesome eggs ever and I miss that her and her husband don't don this any more.

    I think it's great!!!

  11. me….chicken people wannabe ๐Ÿ™ I'm thrilled you are doing this, I'll live vicarously through you!! We actually are chicken people, Tyson Foods is our lifeblood for 30 years now. Long ago, we had chickens. A little flock of Rhode Island Reds, Dominequers and white leghorns + 2 bantys who were my in house setters! They set perpetually on stolen eggs from the other girls. I would go in to gather and they would scowl and fluff their feathers at me, but I'd have my way..slipping the eggs into my basket instead of theirs! You are so lucky and will enjoy the fresh eggs and the peace that will come over your life just from having those feathery little cluckers will amaze you! Congratulations sweetie!

  13. I am green!!! GREEN, I tell you. Chickens are the ONLY thing that The Husband has every forbidden me to get … but I think I may be chipping away at the resistance. We'll see. I am very excited to follow along (even vicariously) as you begin your chicken adventure.

    Chickens in the mail? Of course! I was at the post office once and there was a box of chicks behind the desk, quietly peeping … you'll probably have to go to the PO to pick yours up. It sounded so cute!

  14. OK I'm kind of jealous now and will be watching how your experience goes to make my own decision on chicken farming…It is good to protect them from predators…my friends who have tried this have lost many through coyotes, et al, here in RI…

  15. Congratulations.! I am wondering whether to order new ones this spring also…

    Suggestion about the top ….we used bird netting for a while and raccoons and opossums go right through it.
    My son and I put wire across the top a couple of years ago and we have had no problems since. We "wired" the sections together where they join, and also have the wire buried int he ground at the bottom. It was more expensive but worth it. If I was starting over I would make a frame on the top and cover that with wire to make it even sturdier.

  16. Hartwood Roses,

    Tell your husband chickens are like having gold fish..they are very relaxing, if they have an enclosed chicken house and run they are so much easier (then gold fish). I let mine out to roam and pick bugs when I am at home. So not only do they make manure to compost, they clean your garden of bugs, and give back too!! You will never eat store eggs again…

  17. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around chicks arriving in the mail. Please stay in touch with us on their arrival. It should be an exciting site to see.

    Just think of the fresh eggs with their gorgeous yolks. Oh my, this is going to be a delicious proposition.
    Sam

  18. How very exciting. You've chosen some gorgeous ones. The thought of the chickens being sent to you by mail is slightly unsettling, but I'm sure it's a successful way of getting them to you, otherwise they wouldn't send them like that, would they? No. I'm sure they wouldn't.
    I've been preparing a post about our chickens, but it's sort of Spring-like weather here now, and I've been too busy in the garden. Spreading manure and other glamourous jobs like that ๐Ÿ˜‰ I'm sure you'll be happy chicken-parents. And I assure you that you've never tasted better eggs! It'll be nice to follow the feathery bunch through your blog.

  21. I can't wait to see your chicks. My Mother always got chickens delivered every Spring. Of course, we used them for laying eggs and eating. I love your choices. What? No rooster???? Hugs- Diana

  22. This is SO exciting! Mailing chicks…who knew? Can't wait to hear the story of their arrival! Now I have to ask my mail lady what is the coolest thing she ever delivered!

  24. Great selection, Karen!! We never had problems with coyotes (though the hills are alive with them!) Never had problems with predators except racoons (very nasty)! Chickens are wonderful!! xo

  25. Karen, you might want to watch the Wyandottes closely — we had a couple — Cheech and Chong –that were beat up pretty bad by the other chickens for some reason. Their feathers come in a little more slowly than the others and chickens are cannibalistic — any open skin areas are prone to being pecked. Just a word of warning. Have fun with your chicklets. ๐Ÿ™‚

  26. Berry awesome (that's supposed to be very-tehehe) Karen!
    I'm going to learn from you…I've friends that just got going on"urban coops"…had too many Roosters though. You can't tell when they are young.
    Excited for you~ love the black & white laced one best!

  28. I am sending your blog to my friend who is a chicken person. ๐Ÿ™‚

    In my city (which technically I live just outside of) we are allowed to keep hens but not roosters. (I live 'in the county' aka – a couple of blocks out of city limits, so that wouldn't apply to us)…

  31. This is very exciting! I know the barred rock chicken is supposed to be a wonderful chicken, only because I just read it last week in hubby's "Mother Earth" magazine. I think if you feed them marigolds they yolks will be bright and buttery yellow, at least that's what my friend tells me. Hope you have lots of fun with them! Can't wait to see them when they arrive!

    Mary

  32. Oh, no, wait…you misunderstood. I'm not a chicken owner nor a wannabe chicken owner. I'm an enabler -grin-. I just like the idea of *other* people having chickens because I like cooking with eggs.
    Glad you're getting peeps, the real kind, know what I mean?

  33. Hello! I stumbled upon your blog from another blog I follow and so glad I did. I enjoyed reading some of your posts already. I started a blog recently all about keeping chickens (have kept chickens for 4 years now), cottage gardening and growing antique roses in the south. Would love for you to check it out at http://www.hennypennyrosecottage@blogspot.com maybe there is something there that may be helpful to you. Henny Penny is the name of one of my Rhode Island Reds. Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken keeping! I have a mixed flock of 8 hens, 2 Red Stars, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Easter Eggers, and 2 Rhode Island Reds. You have picked out a nice selection. My BR and EE's are my favorite. Want to add more but for now I'm good. ;O) Enjoy your chicks they are so much fun! God bless you

  37. You have put together quite an assortment of Peeps! Can't wait to follow along and see how your coop turns out too. I'm hoping to be right behind you with the chicks. I can only have 3 in my suburban backyard. And I need a permit. Lots of research still.

  38. YOU DID SO GOOD!! I'm so proud of you for taking the leap. I do declare that you shant want to ever live without them now. Except for maybe in the winter, when they are bored and eat each other, and you have to chip the ice off their water and shovel the snow out of the chicken coop – wait – did I say that outloud? No, really, you chose great breeds, and they are going to bring you SO much enjoyment, and fresh food!

  39. We've raised chickens here on our small farm for 27 years now. You made a good choice. The Buff Orpingtons are my favorite breed when you want a pet/layer because they are so sweet and mild tempered…but not the greatest layers. The black giants are very mellow too which is great when you have children around. The others you picked are all good layers. Did you order just females? I am always willing to pay more for just females when I want to restock my layers otherwise you'll end up with lots of roosters to butcher off. If I'm raising meat for the freezer I order a straight run of cornish cross which grow huge quite quickly. We started out years ago with "just a handful" of Pets/layers too and it all snowballed from there. Now when we order, we get at least 25-50 at a time. I've never had a vaccinated chick. Chicks are normally quite hardy as long as you 1)pick them up from your post office as soon as possible (let them know ahead of time you are expecting chicks) and 2)dip their beaks in water right away so they know where it is located and 3)keep a heat lamp on them for several weeks….you'll do fine. Medicated feed for the first few weeks is a good idea too. Sorry to rattle on…but a little info in the beginning is more help than learning by experience the hard way!
    shareff5@aol.com

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