Every year or two we order chicks. Generally we order from . They’re a bit more expensive than some places but they offer a wide selection of heritage breeds. We have hatched our own both in a brooder I built and by hens setting but have not used either method for replacing our flock in the spring. In the fall we tend to cull down hard so as not to over winter too many birds. This means virtually all the roosters go to the pot as well as many hens.
This year we got , , , , and . These will be ready to start laying eggs in about four to five months, joining the hens we wintered over.
Hope Checking Chicks
The purpose of having so many chickens is they eat insects, break apart manure patties and smooth out the soil. This is the same function they serve out on the plains with wild livestock. We have a marsh down below us in the floor of the valley that sends us mosquitoes. Without the chickens we would have lots in the air. With the chickens we get almost none. Same for the flies that grow on the manure patties out in the fields. The chickens are an organic pest control and they also break up parasite life cycles, all naturally.
As a side benefit we get a lot of eggs during the warm seasons and some during the cold seasons. Eggs make an excellent source of food for the piglets, weaners and sometimes growers as well as for the dogs. If you cook the eggs it doubles the available protein. Two-for-one! We’ve found that the piglets, and dogs, can eat the shells without problem so we don’t shell the boiled eggs. Actually, I can eat the shells too – gritty but no harm done. Sometimes when I’ve been really hungry, e.g., short on food, I’ve eaten chicken bones so there’s another myth to put to rest.
Sponsoring Ads:
Box’O Ducklings
In addition to the chickens we also get ducks. The ducks are great for stirring up the various pig ponds, eating algae and mosquito larva in the water which further helps with pest control. Ducks also eat slugs.
Chicks in Brooder
Following my sketch Will built a great brooder in a third of a stall out in the south field shed. This is by far the best brooder setup we’ve ever had, for one simple reason, it’s not in the kitchen! It’s great for other reasons too but not having chicks in the kitchen is really, really nice. They are amazingly noisy at times. In fact, almost all the time to some degree. With our move from the old farm house three years ago to our new tiny cottage one of the objectives was not to have livestock in the kitchen. We’ve mostly succeeded in that.
Sketch of the Brooder
The brooder is about 8′ long by 4′ wide which gives the chicks plenty of room to expand. There are 100 chicks in there plus the baker’s dozen of ducklings. With the heat lamps it stays nice and toasty in there even when it is -13°F outdoors. It is important to ventilate it a bit every day to keep the humidity from getting too high. Otherwise we have chicks with spikey punk hairdos.
Ducklings and Chicks in Brooder
Feathering friends.
Outdoors: 36°F/2°F Sunny Tiny Cottage: 64°F/59°F
Daily Spark: “I was wrong about veganism. Let them eat meat — but farm it properly.” –, former vegan proponent
Sponsoring Advertisements:
Related posts:
Baby Chicks And Ducks For Sale in
Hughes, Alaska
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hughes Alaska,
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. Hughes
Alaska also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Hughes Alaska, 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 Hughes AK.
Baby Chickens Under Lights in
Hughes, Alaska
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hughes Alaska
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
Hughes Alaska * 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 Hughes
Alaska * 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 Online in
Hughes, Alaska
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
Hughes Alaska 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 Hughes,
Alaska Baby chicks are really
cute and also
tough to withstand,
however it's ideal to plan for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first
by gathering not just the
appropriate products, yet
also the proper
understanding to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
straightforward, you merely have to give them with the following: A tidy and warm
habitat Lots of food and water Interest and also
love Habitat Your habitat could be an easy box, fish tank,
cat carrier, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (with no loose
strings!) to begin, and after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Note: Avoid utilizing only
newspaper or various other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand
malformed. You additionally require
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container
cover for food and a family
pet bird water dispenser from a
pet dog shop. Additionally, as the chicks get
older you could introduce a perch
right into the environment to obtain them
trained on perching. Heat To
maintain your chicks warm you need to
supply them with a warmth resource.
This could be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb also function extremely well (my
recommendation). Chicks need this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could use
up to two months). The freshly
hatched out require a temperature level
in between 90 as well as 100 degrees,
and also weekly this could
be reduced by
roughly 5 levels approximately. The warmth source should get on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks an array of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
contrary corner of your heat
light, you have to
minimize the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each other under the
heat (not simply cuddling),
you should add some heat.
Home cleaning
Tidiness is key and it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to alter
the bed linen
frequently and also
constantly offer tidy
food as well as water Food and also water.
Chicks expand really fast
which requires a lot of clean
food and water. Provide
sufficient at all times as well
as examine
often to prevent dehydrated as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is different compared
to grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
first 2 months, after that
change to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
and afterwards to a slightly
reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks want
to get a head start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others won't take
up that activity up until they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
room, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to shower in.
Interest and also love There are a
few advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. To start
with, they will more than likely bond with you and also
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
enjoy their behavior, you can
catch health problem or other troubles previously. Watch out for hissing, limping, or
various other unhealthy
indications. Make sure to
likewise take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea could result in matted feathers as well
as stopped up cloaca.
Finally, it is very
important to watch out for social issues, such as the
littlest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are now totally feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety of your house
and also relocate outside right into a
coop. Check out our
area on chicken coops to get more information
concerning coops and
proper coop habitats.
Baby Chicks InformationBaby Chicks Diet More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Craig, Alaska Baby Chickens for Sale in Atka, Alaska Baby Chickens for Sale in Cooper Landing, Alaska Baby Chickens for Sale in Arctic Village, Alaska Baby Chickens for Sale in Atqasuk, Alaska