[Bionic]

I am hoping to move to my smallholding in about 6 weeks time and would like to start off with some chickens.
As it will be round about the end of October am I better waiting until spring or can I start with them in the winter and if so will they lay?
thanks
Sally

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi Bionic,


   unless you are itching to get going I wouldnt get them now. Unliss the house is in perfect condition ( and well done you if it is!) Then you will probably need to do some renovation and repair both inside and out. I would get all this done first especially if you also go out to work.

If you move in 6 weeks time the clocks will have gone back and the shorter days will be starting to show.

Although some breeds lay better that others through the winter, as a rule of thumb - Autumn is when many birds moult which affect their laying and some most hens stop or seriously slow down with the shorter days.

Also, you will have to take care of them through the worst time of year and get little of the pleasure and most of the hard work (like keeping their frozen water defrosted)

Most breeders raise chicks in dec and jan so you could purchase growers or point of lay hens next year. Many people will have birds of different ages and sizes available locally as long as long as you dont mind what you get. If however you fancy a specific breed in a particular colour then you may need to wait.

Personally I would spend the autumn and winter tiding everything up, repairing fences, pruning trees, building coops and digging over veg plots as well as reading, planning and reserching. That way come spring you can really get going.

If you decide that you want the chickens sooner rather than later, I'm sure that those of us that breed them can sort you out with some.

Buffy

Shorter days affect their laying

[dizzy1pig]

Cheeky reply.....
9.12 on a Tuesday...
sorry I just saw title and could not resist

totally agree with other reply thoogh.

[DominicJ]

How about Day olds around christmass?
By the time they are 16-20 weeks old and laying, it will be spring, and they will actualy be laying.
If You buy 12 weekers now, you might not get any eggs till then anyway, well, you'll get some, but not many.
 

[Bionic]

Thanks Buffy and Dominic for the replies.

I guess Buffy's response was what I expected really. I was just trying to get round the 'heart ruling the head' thing. Perhaps I should be sensible and wait until next year.

Day olds around christmas sounds nice though. I could watch them grow up.  Is it right they can't be sexed until later as I really don't want a cock bird?
Sally

[SallyintNorth]

Hi Sally.  Just to give you a slightly different view (ain't this a great place!   ) - if you get POL (point of lay) birds, or better yet, ones which have just started their first lay, they will probably lay through their first winter pretty well.  (In my experience anyway.)  If you were thinking ex-batts or whatever, older birds, then I'd agree that you'll get very few eggs till the days start to lengthen next year.

Re: sexing day-olds, some breeds are 'auto-sexing', where you can tell from the colouring at hatching which sex they are.  Typical brown hybrids (Rhode Island Red x Light Sussex) are such.  I think some people can sex any chicks at one day - something to do with the feathering - but it's an expert's job and I think most small breeders can't do it. 

[Bionic]

Hmmm, definitely food for thought Sally.

At least now I know that once I move I can go with whatever feels right at the time. I need to get a home for them first, lets see how quickly OH can build a coop and then take it from there.

Thanks for all the responses.

Sally

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Of course either way is right, thats the great thing about life

If you love animals and will get pleasure just from having them around then definately do the heart thing.

If you think that you may have your work cut out sorting things out at the newplace and are a "do the right thing" type person then. wait until later next year.

The hardest thing about keeping chickens is deciding which type you want. There are so many to chose from, large or small, pretty or productive, layers, broodies or meat birds, hybrids or Rare breeds. And just wait until you decide you want ducks!

Hatching your own, buying young ones or ones that have been hand reared is the best way to get ones that are happy to be handled. If you dont want a cockerel then buying auto sexing or point of lay \ laying hens is the best option.

Im not sure what part of the country you are in but there are bound to be some of what your after still available at this time of year.   

Let us know what you decide to buy

Buffy

[Victorian Farmer]

i think Christmas is a good plan iff you got black rock chicks legbar chicks £3 pound sext  vaccinated 10 birds £30 laying in spring then worth 150 pound .

[DominicJ]

Is it right they can't be sexed until later as I really don't want a cock bird?

Most hybrids are distinguishable from hatching, one of the things they were bred for.