Saw a farm store selling chicks in January, should we really do this?

Stopped by Tractor Supply in Boise last weekend and they already had straight run chicks in the brooders. I get that people want an early start, but with temps still hitting 20 degrees at night, is that fair to the birds or just convenient for us? Anyone else raise winter chicks and think it works, or is this just asking for trouble?

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diana_king22d ago

Honestly that breaks my heart a little. I lost two chicks last spring to a cold snap and we thought we were being careful with heat lamps and a draft free brooder. It's one thing if you have a seasoned setup with a dedicated heated space, but the average person just isn't ready for that in January. The stores don't help either, they push them out early for sales and folks end up dealing with sick birds before the weather even turns. I get the excitement, we all want spring to come faster, but those little guys deserve a fair shot.