The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...Chick Time!

 Ya'll...while I do love Christmas (though I am way more of a Halloween girl), to me Spring is the most wonderful time of the year because it means CHICKS!  I love the preparation for chicks.  The research of breeds, the time pouring over catalogues and hatchery websites.  Watching the long range forecast to decide when the best time to get chicks in is.  Even the crap shoot it is to find what hatchery I can get breeds I want, on a date I want.  I just love chick time.  

A lot of people buy their chicks at their local feed store or Tractor Supply Company.  I also do that. Sometimes you just can't say no.  Believe me, it is so hard to walk through TSC during chick days when those little peeps just call to you.  I have even had to send Lloyd in to get things so I do not tempt myself. Last Friday night we walked in to TSC to grab a bag of duck pellets and as soon as I hit the door I heard some peeping....my ears perked up...could it be???  Did TSC get chicks in early?  Luckily for Lloyd they were just some stray birds that had flown into the store.  Or else we probably been going home with a few chicks. Chicks peeping are like a siren call to me.  I just love it. 

So far I have ordered from three hatcheries- Cackle, McMurray (for ducklings), and this year we are trying MyPetChicken. We have had great luck with the first two.  Hatcheries aren't just a free for all with every breed available all the time.  They only hatch certain breeds at certain times so you have to check their availability calendars and curate a plan of attack.  Cackle Hatchery is in Missouri and is a great hatchery.  While they aren't as well known as McMurray who has been in the chicken business since 1917, they are a strong 4th generation hatchery that started in 1936.   I haven't gotten a chance to visit Cackle myself but my parents have and they rave about how nice the people are. My plan this year was to take a day and make a trip to Cackle with my stepdad and pick out some chicks.  However, after reading that Cackle isn't open on the weekends and that this time of year you will have to stand in line before the doors even open to get your pick of chicks, I decided it best just to go ahead and order what I was wanting and then make a trip later.  

This year I have ordered new to me breeds but breeds I have looked into and decided they would be great additions to our flock due to their hardiness, temperaments, and egg laying abilities.  We will be adding: 2 Light Brahmas, 2 Blue Splash Marans, 2 Wheaten Marans, and 2 more Easter Eggers (I just love their cuddliness and fluffy cheeks.)

Chicks are a lot of work.  They are messy, smelly, need constant warmth, and if you want hand tame chickens- need a lot of attention.  We keep our chicks in our garage, in a brooder for up to 10 weeks.  This time around it may be a bit longer due to the fact our grow out coop has turned into a duck coop. I don't like to introduce young chickens into our existing flock too early or too young.  We are going to have to do things a bit differently this year and have plans to build a brooder in the barn coop so the new pack will be within sight of the older hens but out of reach of pecking beaks. 

Make sure when starting your chick journey that you plan ahead.  Do your research.  Here are a few things you will need to think about to plan for your future flock:

• Breed: Hardiness for your weather (cold/heat)?  Comb style for your weather (susceptible to frostbite?) Egg laying?  Broodiness?  Temperament? Do they do well in captivity if you aren't going to free range?
• Housing: Coop size- do you have a coop yet?  How many will your coop hold comfortably?  Will you free range?  How will you keep your birds safe? How will you predator proof? Do you have electric?  Water?  If not, that's fine, but what are your plans for winter/summer?
• Roo or No Roo?: It is ok to be a roo free flock. Or to even change your mind later on a rooster like I did, just make sure you think on it. 
• Regulations: Do you live in city limits? Are there regulations?  HOA?  
• Health: Do you have a vet close who will treat chickens?  Are you able to treat chickens yourself when the time comes one get hurt or sick?  Because they tend to do it, no matter how hard you try and prevent it.
• Retirement: What will you do with your hens when they start to age out of egg laying?  Will you sell them?  Will you keep them as pets?  Sell? Cull? 
• Chicken Math: how will you deal with chicken math?

Chick time at our house means a lot of time in the garage for me.  I love cuddling chicks.  I love watching them sleep. All of it. It is such an endorphin boost for me.  I have some really great chickens in my flock.  And I think it is because I spend so much time with them as babies.  I talk to them, hold them, make sure they know I am their person.  Research has shown that chickens do recognize faces and humans.  Even voices, phrases, and their names.  We start early.  And we teach them to come to me as chicks. That way I know I can trust them to come to me when I need them to.  We joke that most of our chickens know that a Solo cup means treats. 

So for now, this Crazy Chicken Lady is counting down the days until mid-March when my newest batch of chicks come in. I am even thinking up names already.  I promised my little redheaded buddy Madelyn that she could name one and she has picked out Addy.  Which works great because it's a Grey's Anatomy name we don't have.  And here's hoping I can stay away from TSC so I am not tempted to buy any chicks before my order arrives.  

Happy Chick Days guys!