Recently, with the prices of food rising, especially eggs, we decided that we wanted to make a concentrated effort to raise chickens. I have never had the opportunity to interact with chickens other than in grade school when we hatched baby chickens in incubators, so I knew this would have a steep learning curve. After scouring the internet for sites on the different breeds of chickens, we were pleased to discover which had fairly good descriptions and accompanying pictures.
We decided on four different breeds:
1) Brahma:
2) Delaware:
3) Barred Rock:
and one we’re not sure of. We were told she was a Rhode Island Red (), but now we’re assuming she’s an
4) Ameraucana:
We purchased them at 2 weeks old and they’re about 3 months now. One thing I was not prepared for is that each hen has her own personality and quirks, not unlike a puppy. They are curious about everything and always come up to greet us. We decided to not invest in a rooster since our neighbors are relatively close and our alarm clocks are more than adequate.
Besides eggs and meat, another great benefit to having chickens is that their waste can be composted and used as fertilizer. Since they eat practically anything, they also make great food scrap disposals too!
If any of you decide to acquire your own flock of chickens be certain to buy or build your chicken coup first. Chickens grow amazingly fast and before you know it, they will have outgrown their temporary living arrangements. We decided to build our own coup and let me tell you, they take up a great deal of time. We ended up building a 6′ x 6′ base, covered the floor with linoleum, complete with a triangular based roof of which one side “hatches” open for easy cleaning. The whole coup is on wooden stilts attached to concrete slabs which anchor it to the ground. The chicken door opens up into a large chicken run. Our design was pieced together from several other coup designs that others have posted on the internet.
Have you had experiences with chickens? If so, feel free to comment and share.
Barred Rock and a "We're Not Quite Sure" Hen
Baby
Chicks Male in
Chino Valley, Arizona
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Chino Valley Arizona,
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. Chino Valley
Arizona also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Chino Valley Arizona, 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 Chino Valley AZ.
Baby Chickens
Near Me in
Chino Valley, Arizona
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Chino Valley Arizona
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
Chino Valley Arizona * 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 Chino Valley
Arizona * 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 Mail Order in
Chino Valley, Arizona
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
Chino Valley Arizona 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 Chino Valley,
Arizona Baby chicks are extremely
adorable as well as
difficult to stand up to,
yet it's ideal to plan for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare initially
by collecting not only the
correct products, yet
also the correct
expertise to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
simple, you simply have to offer them with the following: A tidy and also cozy
environment Plenty of food and water Focus as well as
love Environment Your environment could be an easy box, fish tank,
cat carrier, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as
blankets (without loosened
strings!) to start, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid utilizing just
newspaper or other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow
misshapen. You likewise require
something to dish out food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle container
cover for food as well as an animal bird water dispenser from a
pet dog store. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you can introduce a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
trained on setting down. Warmth To
maintain your chicks warm you should
offer them with a warmth source.
This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a
hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb additionally work very
well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which can take up to two months). The freshly
hatched out need a temperature level
in between 90 and also 100 degrees,
and every week this could
be lowered by
roughly 5 levels or
so. The heat source ought
to be on merely one side of the cage
to allow chicks a variety of
temperatures. The chicks are your best
thermostat- if they are concealing in the
other corner of your warmth
light, you need to
decrease the temperature. If
they are smothering each various other under the
heat (not merely cuddling),
you have to include some warmth.
Home cleaning
Cleanliness is vital as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Make certain to change
the bedding
typically and
consistently offer tidy
food as well as water Food and water.
Chicks expand extremely quickly
which calls for plenty of clean
food and also water. Offer
sufficient in any way times and also examine
typically to avoid dehydrated and also
starving chicks. Chick food is different compared
to adult chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and
also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
first 2 months, after that
switch to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
and afterwards to a somewhat
reduced protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking
filth baths, while others will not use up that activity until they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to wash in.
Interest as well as love There are a couple of benefits to hanging
out with your chicks. First off, they will certainly most
likely bond with you and
not escape as grownups. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and also
view their habits, you could
catch ailment or other problems earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other unhealthy
signs. Make certain to
also consider
their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted plumes and also obstructed cloaca.
Lastly, it is essential to keep an eye out for social issues, such as the
smallest chick getting badgered. Vacant nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently totally feathery
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your residence
and also relocate outside right into a cage. Have a look at our
part on chicken coops to find out
more
about cages and also
proper cage habitats.
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