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Baby Chickens for Sale in Dauphin Island, Alabama

Baby Chickens for Sale in Dauphin Island, Alabama

Brooder Box for baby Chicks: A Tutorial

  • 09/26/2012

Our little darling chicks have arrived!  We ordered from mypetchicken.com and found the selection and service to be excellent.  The chicks shipped super fast and were all healthy and well when they arrived (oh and so soft and cute!).  Our little gal chicks will live in their brooder box for about 4-6 weeks, then transition to their chicken coop outdoors, where they will have free range of our backyard once they are full grown.

Investing in chicks can start to get expensive if you don’t DIY.  I considered just using a large cardboard box to keep them in for those first 4-6 weeks, but all the sources I read about chick care said that a large cardboard box would soon be too small for the growing chicks (and potentially too short as well for when they try flying).  Mypetchicken.com sells a  for $72 shipping; however to save some cash, I decided to copy the idea using left over moving boxes I had laying around.

You will need:

2 Large cardboard boxes of the same size

cutting tool

strong tape (duct tape works)

It’s so simple: cut a side open on the two boxes, open them up and then tape the edges together, folding the bottoms in together so they sort of weave and interlock.  You can choose to tape those inside flaps together for added stability.

Added bonus for this design: when the chicks get bigger and can start jumping and trying to fly, you can fold up the top flaps of the boxes and tape them together to add 5 plus inches to the height of your box – cool!  You can also grab a couple long sticks or dowels and punch holes in the sides of the cardboard to set up roosting perches for the chicks about 1-2 inches off the ground.

To make removing and cleaning the pine bedding easier, I picked up a painters drop cloth at the hardware store for $8, size 5×5, and laid it inside the pen before putting down the  bedding.  This will allow me to wrap up the entire bedding/poop mess inside the drop cloth and carry it out to the compost pile.

Other items needed for our 6 little birds were purchased at a local feed store:

  • $5.50 – buy the large one so you don’t have to buy it later when the birds get bigger and try to knock over a smaller sized one you may have bought at first.  Saves you money and time!
  •  $4
  • 3 cubic feet of compressed  $8
  • 25 lbs  $12
  • From Amazon I purchased a  for $11.20
  • and from Amazon also I purchased a $12

My home-made “package” cost $55.70, compared to the starter kit from mypetchicken.com priced at $72 plus shipping.  As an added bonus, I purchased 5 times as much food, got a larger watering device and a metal feeder instead of plastic.  I also was able to get 20 times as much pine bedding and a much sturdier heatlamp.  I’d say that’s a win!  Plus, I do think my recycled cardboard chick house ended up being larger than the size of the packaged one.

And man, are they cute!  My son loves going in there during the day with me to check on them.

For more information on raising baby chicks, I recommend

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Dauphin Island 
AL

Baby Chickens How To Care in Dauphin Island, Alabama

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Dauphin Island 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. Dauphin Island Alabama also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Dauphin Island 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 Dauphin Island AL.

Baby Chickens 101 in Dauphin Island, Alabama

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Dauphin Island 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Dauphin Island 
ALTypically 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 Dauphin Island 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 Dauphin Island 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 Chickens By Mail in Dauphin Island, 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 Dauphin Island 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 Dauphin Island, Alabama Baby chicks are quite charming and difficult to withstand, however it's best to prepare for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by gathering not just the right products, but also the correct expertise to care for them. Raising baby chicks is relatively straightforward, you merely need to give them with the following: A tidy as well as warm habitat Lots of food as well as water Interest as well as love Environment Your environment could be a basic box, aquarium, cat service provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and coverings (with no loosened strings!) to start, as well as after a few weeks use straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid using just newspaper or other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You likewise require something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water dish from the feed store, or a pickle container lid for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a pet dog store. Likewise, as the chicks get older you can present a perch into the habitat to get them trained on setting down. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you need to offer them with a warmth source. This could be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb likewise work very well (my referral). Chicks need this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which can take up to two months). The freshly hatched require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 degrees, as well as each week this could be reduced by roughly 5 levels approximately. The warmth source ought to be on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks a variety of temperatures. The chicks are your best thermometer- if they are concealing in the other edge of your heat light, you have to lower the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not simply snuggling), you need to include some warmth. Housekeeping Sanitation is essential and also it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to alter the bed linens usually and also always supply tidy food and also water Food as well as water. Chicks grow very fast which calls for a lot of clean food and water. Supply sufficient at all times and inspect often to prevent dehydrated and also hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared to adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the initial two months, then switch over to a grower food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and then to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want to get a running start on taking dust baths, while others will not use up that task until they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Attention and also love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as not escape as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also enjoy their habits, you could catch health problem or other troubles previously. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or various other undesirable signs. Make sure to also take a look at their poop, as diarrhea can lead to matted feathers as well as obstructed cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to watch out for social problems, such as the smallest chick getting teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently totally feathered and its time for them to leave the safety of your residence and relocate outside right into a cage. Look into our area on chicken cages to get more information regarding coops and also correct coop environments.
Baby Chickens Care     Baby Chickens And Ducks
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