Can I Raise Chicks in the Fall?

Springtime is the traditional season for getting new chicks and beginning to raise them. However, there are many advantages to doing so in the fall instead! These advantages could range from the freedom to spend more time with your chicks to better egg laying when they've matured.
 
Here are 4 key benefits of raising chicks in the fall:

• They will lay more eggs come springtime. Spring chicks begin their laying cycle at about 5 or 6 months of age. This means that their laying will likely be inconsistent due to the summer heat, and then the shorter daylight hours as fall approaches. When you begin raising chicks in the fall, they will begin to lay in a cooler temperature range, and as the days are getting longer - which means a lot of eggs for you (even up to 7 per week)!
  
• You will be able to care for them in more comfortable temperatures. It's not as much fun to feed your chicks in the blazing summer heat as it is in the much cooler temperatures of mid-to-late fall and early winter.
  
• Your time will not be eaten up by other activities. Especially if you have kids, your summer will likely be chock-full of family activities, such as vacations, hikes, and all sorts of other outings. With fall chicks, your kids will still be in school, meaning you won't have to plan around an array of other activities in order to take care of your feathery friends.
  
• You will be able to beat the "springtime rush" and get first dibs on rare breeds. Whether it's the Rhode Island Red, the White Leghorn, or another rare breed, you'll be more likely to get your chicks (and maybe at a better price) in the fall, as opposed to the spring.
  

 
 Of course, in order to be successful you'll need to plan ahead. For instance, you'll need to obtain a heat plate or some other source of heat for those colder days that will signal the start of winter. Also, you will want to take advantage of fall produce, and occasionally feed high protein treats to your chicks, especially after they begin their first molting season.
 
For more insight into how best to care for your chicks, as well as many, many other chicken-related resources, explore our website at PopWorms!