The Omlet Blog Archives: February 2021

Chicken keeping for beginners: adult chickens or baby chicks?

Whether you want a steady supply of fresh eggs or simply the joy that chickens bring to a backyard, the very first decision you’ll face is this: do you start with baby chicks, or do you skip straight to point-of-lay hens? For most beginners, the answer is adult birds. Specifically, started pullets (young hens on the verge of laying) offer the simplest, fastest, and lowest-risk entry into chicken keeping. That said, each path has its own appeal, and the right choice really does depend on your goals, your schedule, and how much hands-on care you’re ready to take on.

Here’s everything you need to know before you decide.

Should Beginners Start with Baby Chicks or Adult Chickens?

Most beginners are better off starting with adult birds, and here’s why.

Baby chicks are undeniably adorable, but they require a significant amount of hands-on care in their first weeks of life. You’ll need a brooder, a heat source, temperature monitoring, and special chick feed. They’re also fragile, vulnerable to temperature changes, and easy prey for predators. On top of all that, it takes around five months from hatch to first egg, which means a longer wait if you’re wanting your own flock for fresh eggs.

Adult hens are a different story. They’re robust, largely self-sufficient, and will typically start laying within a few weeks of settling into their new home. Set up a good chicken coop and run, introduce your birds, and you’re in business.

The bottom line: beginners absolutely can raise chicks, but you need to go in with your eyes open. If your primary goal is a healthy, productive flock with minimal stress, started pullets are the smarter starting point.

What Are Started Pullets and Why Should You Choose Them?

A started pullet is a young hen, typically around 16 to 20 weeks old, who is just about to begin laying eggs. She’s fully feathered, vaccinated, and ready to move straight into her new home without any of the intensive early-stage care that chicks demand.

The practical advantages

• No brooder needed. Skip the heat lamps, temperature checks, and special chick starter feed entirely.
• Outdoor-ready from day one. Set up your walk-in chicken run and coop, introduce your pullets, and let them settle in.
• Eggs within weeks. Most pullets will begin laying shortly after they’ve adjusted to their new surroundings.
• Guaranteed females. Reputable suppliers sell sexed pullets, so there’s no risk of ending up with roosters you can’t keep.
• Easy to source. Local farms, feed stores, and hatcheries all stock started pullets, with the best availability in spring and early summer.

When chicks make more sense

The only real reason to choose chicks over pullets is if you specifically want the experience of raising birds from a young age. Hand-rearing chicks does create a strong bond, and many keepers find it deeply rewarding. Families with children often love the process too.

But if fresh eggs and a low-fuss introduction to chicken keeping are your priorities, started pullets are the brilliant choice for beginners.

Adopting Rescue Hens: A Rewarding Alternative

One option that often gets overlooked by new chicken keepers is adopting rescue hens, and it’s one of the most rewarding routes you can take.

These birds are typically commercially reared hens that the farming industry has deemed past their productive prime. Most are retired at around 18 months old, even though they often have another 18 months or more of good laying ahead of them. Across Australia, a growing number of rescue organisations work hard to rehome these birds before they’re sent to slaughter. NSW Hen Rescue, Melbourne Chicken Rescue and Brisbane Hen Rescue are among the most active, and Animals Australia maintains a national directory of adoption programs by state.

What to expect when your rescue hens arrive

Rescue hens can arrive looking a little rough. Missing feathers, timid behaviour, and pale combs are all common after a life in commercial housing. Don’t be alarmed. With good feed, clean water, and space to roam, the transformation is remarkable.

Within just a few weeks, most rescue hens are unrecognisable. Feathers grow back, personalities emerge, and eggs start appearing in the nest box. It’s genuinely one of the most satisfying experiences in chicken keeping.

A few things worth knowing:

• Rescue hens from reputable organisations are health-screened before rehoming, so serious health conditions are unlikely.
• They are typically free or available for a small donation, making them one of the most affordable ways to start a flock.
• They will still give you around 4 to 5 eggs per week during their remaining laying years.

What You Need to Know Before Buying Baby Chicks

If you’ve decided that you do want the experience of raising chicks, there are a few things you need to understand before you commit.

Sexing: the most important thing to get right

Chicks have no obvious external differences between males and females. Any birds sold as “straight run” are an unsorted mix of both sexes, roughly 50/50. Most backyard keepers don’t want roosters, so the safest approach is to buy sexed chicks from a hatchery or breeder who can confirm the birds are female.

Before you buy anything, check your local council rules. All states and territories permit backyard chickens, but most councils have restrictions on roosters – and many suburban areas ban them outright. If sexed chicks aren’t available from your preferred supplier, it’s worth waiting until they are rather than accepting a flock that might include cockerels you’re unable to keep.

Where to source your chicks

Availability peaks in spring, so it pays to plan ahead and get on waiting lists early. Good Australian suppliers include Libby’s Heritage Chickens (NSW), Grandchester Heritage Chickens (QLD) and Barter and Sons. Your local rural produce store or agricultural show is also a great place to connect with breeders in your area.

Be honest about your schedule

Chicks need regular attention during their first few weeks. If you travel frequently or have a particularly busy period coming up, it’s worth waiting until your schedule allows you to be present. The brooder stage is short, but it does require you to be around.

Setting Up a Brooder Box for Chicks

A brooder is a warm, enclosed space where your chicks will live for their first four to five weeks. You don’t need anything fancy to get started.

What you’ll need

A large cardboard box or a plastic storage tub works perfectly well as a brooder. The key priorities are warmth, ventilation, and protection from drafts.

Heat source and space

Use a heat plate or red heat bulb rather than a white bulb. White bulbs produce constant light, which stresses chicks and encourages feather pecking. Your chicks will tell you if the temperature is right: if they’re huddled directly under the heat source, they’re cold; if they’re pressing against the edges of the brooder, they’re too warm. Use the guide below for your week-by-week temperature:

• Week 1: 35°C
• Week 2: 32°C
• Week 3: 29°C
• Week 4: 26°C
• Week 5: 24°C (or match outdoor temp)

Reduce the temperature by around 3°C each week until it matches the outdoor temperature and your chicks are ready to move outside.

Allow at least 40 square centimetres per chick and add more space as they grow. Cover the top with wire mesh to keep air circulating and stop the chicks jumping out once their wings develop.

Moving chicks outdoors

From around two weeks old, chicks can spend short supervised periods outside if it’s at least 18°C and dry. At around 12 weeks, they can move permanently into an outdoor coop and run. An Eglu Go chicken coop is a brilliant option at this stage, easy to clean and predator-resistant from day one. Remove the roosting bars from inside the coop at first, until the chicks are big enough to perch and walk across the bars safely, and add plenty of bedding to keep the chicks warm. 

How to Breed Your Own Chickens from Fertilized Eggs

For experienced keepers who want to go one step further, breeding your own chickens from fertilized eggs is a deeply satisfying option. However, it does require more planning and equipment, so it might not be the right time if this is your first flock. Here’s what to know if you are considering it. 

What you’ll need to get started

Hatching eggs can be ordered online from hatcheries or purchased from specialist breeders and farms. Or you can introduce a rooster to your flock to naturally mate with your hens. The rooster will do the rest, fertilizing eggs as part of the flock’s natural routine.

From there, you have two options:

Let a broody hen do the work. If one of your hens goes broody (meaning she’s determined to sit on and hatch eggs), you can let nature take its course. A broody hen can typically manage 10 to 12 eggs, and she’ll turn them regularly without any help from you. This is by far the easiest hatching method.

Use an egg incubator. If you don’t have a broody hen, or you want more control over the process, an incubator is the alternative. Some modern incubators automate both temperature regulation and egg turning, which makes the process considerably more manageable for beginners to hatching.

The hatching process

After 21 days, the chicks will begin to hatch. This process can take up to 24 hours per chick and should never be rushed or interfered with. Resist the urge to help a chick out of its shell; the struggle is part of its development.

One important thing to plan for: hatching your own chicks means you’ll get a mix of males and females. Have a plan in place for any cockerels before you begin.

Which Option Is Right for You? A Quick Summary

Here’s a quick recap to help you decide:

• Choose started pullets if you want fresh eggs as soon as possible, you’re new to chicken keeping, and you want a low-maintenance introduction to the hobby.
• Choose rescue hens if you want an affordable, rewarding option and you’re happy to invest a little extra care in the first few weeks.
• Choose baby chicks if you specifically want the experience of raising birds from a young age, you have the time to care for them properly, and you’re prepared to wait for your first eggs.
• Choose to hatch your own if you’re an experienced keeper looking to expand or refine your flock, and you have the space and time to manage the process.

Omlet and your flock

Whatever route you choose, getting the housing right is the single most important thing you can do for your flock. Our chicken coops and walk-in runs are designed to make chicken keeping genuinely easy, whether you’re welcoming pullets, rescue hens, or a brood of fluffy chicks. We also have expert guides covering every stage of flock life to help you feel confident from day one.

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This entry was posted in Chickens on February 28th, 2021 by bethanbotterill