Newly hatched leghorn chicks.
February can be a brutal month for Midwesterners. Blizzards can blow up in the snap of a finger, and then just as quickly, crocus can pop through the crust of snow. In Nebraska, temps have varied this week from highs in the low 60s to single digits. I’ve been around here long enough to know not to be fooled by a warm day or two. Spring isn’t too far off. Only 4 weeks (4 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes and counting) until spring (insert sigh of relief).
February Hatching
February also brings embryology classes at our local Extension office. Last week, our local schools hatched a few hundred leghorn chicks, most of which found their way back to our office!
Teaching elementary children about chickens and hatching is a great way to educate students on genetics, as well as the food chain so they learn exactly where our food comes from. Local extension offices have numerous opportunities in embryology for K-8 students. Unfortunately, once hatched, the chicks come back to the extension office to be rehomed. But it’s great for a few lucky local chicken keepers, as they get a free supply of one of the best laying breeds.
For Your Pick of Chicken Breed – Order Early
New Polish chicks outside in summer.
Interest in keeping backyard chickens exploded at the onset of the pandemic when families were shuttered at home for extended periods of time. For the last two seasons, poultry hatcheries couldn’t keep up with the demand. And those of us who wanted to increase our flock (me) were left with little variety to choose from. This year, most hatcheries have urged customers to order early to get the varieties and amount they want. February is the perfect time to order chicks, even if you want them delivered in early summer.
Catalog Shopping
Mr. Bingley overseeing the newly arrived chicks.
If you’re on hatchery customer lists, you should have your seasonal catalog sometime in January. If you don’t have a catalog, hatchery websites have e-catalogs and ordering as well. Most hatcheries begin taking orders in February for April delivery and later. You can pick your preferred time of shipment, depending on when different breeds of chicks are hatching. Don’t despair if all the early hatches are already gone. Summer is actually my favorite time to have new chicks delivered. Here in the Midwest where April can still be freezing, the hot summers allow for chicks to go right into the coop or garage, so keeping them inside the house in a brooder isn’t necessary. .
Farm Supply Chicks
Most farm supply stores start bringing in chicks in late March to early April, when many stores host “Chick Days.” During these store events, different suppliers that deal in chicken feed and other poultry products offer classes and demonstrations on chicken keeping. While most farm stores only carry the more common varieties of chicks, I found a few black-crested white Polish at a local Tractor Supply in July last summer and brought them all home.
If you’re getting the itch for spring, now is the best time for planning your flock updates for the year and a great time for catalog shopping. There’s always room for more chicks!