Pair excitement with education when buying baby chicks for starting a new flock of backyard chickens.

You’ve researched your city rules and set-up your brooder. Now it’s time for the fun part: buying baby chicks! When visiting a feed store or ordering baby chicks from a breeder or hatchery, it’s important to also pick up the correct corresponding information.

• Is this the correct chicken breed for me?
• What is the gender?
• Are the chicks vaccinated?
• And how can I start planning now for laying season?

Is this the right chicken breed for me?

Chickens are surprisingly easy to take care of. Raising backyard chickens is the most fun when you have a breed best suited for your goals and climate.

– Goals: For fresh eggs, consider: White Leghorn hybrids (white eggs), Plymouth Barred Rocks (brown eggs), Rhode Island Reds (brown eggs), Blue Andalusians (white eggs) or Ameraucanas/Easter Eggers (blue eggs). Cornish Cross chickens grow quickly, and are best suited for meat production. If you’re hoping to produce both eggs and meat, consider dual-purpose breeds like Barred Rock, Sussex or Buff Orpingtons.

– Climate: Select a chicken breed that will do well in your environment. Heat-tolerant breeds are typically smaller with lighter feathering and bigger combs and wattles to help with heat dissipation. Heat-tolerant breeds for beginners include Leghorn, Minorca, Rhode Island Red, Turken and Ameraucana.

On the other hand, cold-tolerant breeds are typically larger in body size with heavier feathering for natural warmth. If you live in an area with frigid winters, consider breeds such as Araucana, Australorp, Barred Rock, Minorca, Orpington or Wyandotte breeds.

For the most part, suppliers are going to keep birds that are easy to manage, like Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks and Ameraucanas. When you get more experienced, start looking into breeds that are a little more exotic or possibly require more management.

Are the chicks males or females?

It is often difficult to tell the sex of baby chicks. Because it takes a trained eye for sex determination, Ballam recommends asking the supplier for the gender and then using that information to pick your new pets.

A trained professional can use vent- or feather-sexing depending on chicken breed. Unless the breed shows gender phenotypically, it takes lengthy training to sex a chick correctly. Be sure to tell your supplier if you’d like pullets or cockerels.

This information is especially useful for those living in areas with restrictions. Ballam stresses having a plan in place for roosters in case you accidentally pick up a rooster.

The truest way to determine gender is to watch the chick grow. In the teenage phase, males will become larger with more pronounced combs and wattles and longer tail feathers. While it takes more time, observation is the most practical and accurate way to determine the sex of a chick.

Crowing can also help determine gender. Most roosters begin to crow as they approach sexual maturity which can range from 3-5 months after hatching, depending on the breed.

Are the chicks vaccinated?

Next, confirm if chicks were vaccinated. Many hatcheries vaccinate chicks before shipment.

To prevent potential disease problems, make sure chicks are from a credible U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean hatchery or trusted breeder. Ensure the hatchery vaccinated chicks for both coccidiosis and Marek’s Disease, a Herpes virus found in poultry.

If chicks have been vaccinated against coccidiosis, a non-medicated complete feed should be provided. Select a complete feed that includes enhanced amino acids to promote early chick development, prebiotics and probiotics to support immune health and a balance of vitamins and minerals to support bone health and bird growth.

If chicks were not vaccinated, protect them with a medicated feed. Medicated complete feeds include amprolium. Amprolium is a coccidiostat formulated to help the young chick to develop an immunity to coccidiosis (an internal parasite) as they grow into adulthood.

When will these chicks start laying eggs?

The age when hens start laying eggs varies by breed, often around 18-20 weeks of age. Ask the supplier when your selected breed will begin laying. Then, create a plan for transitioning to a layer feed before the first egg arrives.

A bird’s best friend is consistent, so we recommend having a plan for layer season from day one. When picking up new chicks, ask for recommendations on both starter and layer feeds. Pick a feed that includes Oyster Strong™ System for strong shells and omega-3 for added egg nutrition. For consistency, offer the same feed brand from start to lay.