Two weeks ago we tried out a family dog. Scott has always wanted a dog so when the local animal shelter called us and said they had a great family dog, we gave it a try. He was a great dog in every way, half golden retriever and half lab, already house trained, great on a leash, however he really wanted to eat our chickens and cats. No really, he really did want to eat them. We saved the cats from near misses twice, however we weren’t so lucky with the hens. One lovely Sunday morning we were all outside enjoying the fine weather when all of a sudden one of our chickens, Sally jumped over her highly fenced ‘free range’ area and into the backyard….right in front of the dog. He quickly grabbed her and ran, feathers flew everywhere. We were screaming, the chicken was screaming and the dog was running all over the yard with her. We finally got him away from her, but when we found her, we feared for the worst. All the feathers were pulled off her back and there were about five deep, two inch long gashes where his teeth had been.
I guess had we been real chicken farmers we would have put her down right then and there, but instead we thought we’d give her the night to see if Sally could make it. After our adrenaline had calmed down we picked her up and put Neosporin on her cuts, something a vet had advised us to do for another chicken cut a few years back. Then we put her in a small bathroom that rarely ever gets used, gave the poor girl some food and water and a box full of hay and let her have the night to heal. And she made it! We left her in there for about four nights and the sweet thing even laid a couple of eggs. Slowly we started bringing her outside, watching her carefully to keep the flies off of her (because if flies get wind of a fresh chicken cut they will lay there eggs there and the – super gross!). We eventually put her with the other chickens and made sure they didn’t peck at her and now she is fully back with her gals. We call her Sally the Miracle Chicken now. We did decide after some soul searching that right now our priority is with our first pets, the cats and hens, so the dog went back (and he’s already found a good new home!).
As consolation for our two young sons, we got some new baby chicks. Aren’t they cute? A and two to add some blue into our brown egg mix.
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Baby Chicks Habitat in
Bay Minette, Alabama
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Bay Minette Alabama,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Bay Minette
Alabama also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Bay Minette Alabama, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Bay Minette AL.
Baby Chicks Online in
Bay Minette, Alabama
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Bay Minette Alabama
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Bay Minette Alabama * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Bay Minette
Alabama * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby
Chicks Information in
Bay Minette, Alabama
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Bay Minette Alabama is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Bay Minette,
Alabama Baby chicks are very
adorable and
challenging to withstand,
however it's finest to prepare for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare first
by collecting not just the
proper materials, however
also the proper
knowledge to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is fairly
simple, you just have to give them with the following: A tidy and warm
habitat Lots of food and water Attention and
love Habitat Your environment can be a basic box, fish tank,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
blankets (without any loosened
strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks utilize straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only
paper or other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow
malformed. You also require
something to dish out food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container
cover for food and also a pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you could present a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
educated on perching. Warmth To
maintain your chicks warm you should
provide them with a warmth resource.
This could be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
light bulb likewise work effectively (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which can use
up to two months). The newly
hatched require a temperature
in between 90 and also 100 degrees,
and also every week this could
be lowered by
about 5 degrees approximately. The heat source need to get on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks a range of
temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
opposite corner of your warmth
lamp, you have to
reduce the temperature. If
they are smothering each various other under the
warmth (not just curling up),
you need to put some warmth.
Housekeeping
Cleanliness is essential as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to transform
the bedding
often and
consistently provide tidy
food and also water Food and water.
Chicks grow quite fast
which requires plenty of tidy
food and water. Provide
sufficient in any way times and examine
commonly to prevent thirsty and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared
to adult chicken food, and also it comes
in both medicated and non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
very first two months, then
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for one more 2 months,
and after that to a slightly
reduced protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks want
to get a head start on taking
dust baths, while others will not use up that activity up until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
enclosure, present a tray of sand or
dust for them to wash in.
Focus and love There are a
few benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will most
likely bond with you and
not run away as grownups. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily as well as
enjoy their actions, you can
capture ailment or various
other problems previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
signs. Make certain to
likewise take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea could lead
to matted feathers and also blocked cloaca.
Finally, it is essential to keep an eye out for social problems, such as the
smallest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently fully feathery
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety of your home
and also relocate outside into a cage. Take a look at our
area on chicken coops for more information
regarding cages and also
appropriate coop environments.
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