close

Baby Chickens for Sale in Rock Point, Arizona

Baby Chickens for Sale in Rock Point, Arizona

Backyard Chickens: Baby Chicks!

Our new chicks (from left) Cruella, Susie and Phyllis.

There are few things as exciting for owners of backyard chickens as getting new chicks.  They are just so cute and fuzzy.  We picked up our little girls on Tuesday, January 29 from the breeder we bought Zsa Zsa from.  This time we had some complications with our chicks.  In the first few weeks we wound up losing two of the four chicks to what appeared to be cocci. Following is a bit of information about our two survivors and some lessons learned.

This is Susie (Susan B. Anthony) our blue cochin who will be large and silver.

My wife can come up with some clever names.  Our Blue Cochin will grow into a very large blue/silver colored chicken.  She is the largest of our chicks and is probably between 1-2 weeks old.  She has a very loud chirp.  She was loud enough that she woke me up overnight with her chirping.  You will notice that she is feathered down her legs.  This is a unique trait of the Cochin breed of chickens.

Cochins grow into large, fluffy chickens.  Most of them weight 8-10lbs and look like they weigh about 20lbs with all their feathers.  They are a very friendly breed and like to play mother hen, sitting on any eggs they find.  The Cochin variety of bird lays approximately 3-4 eggs a week.  The eggs are a creamy brown color.  Cochins became world famous when a Chinese delegation gave some Cochins to Queen Victoria of England, who adored these chickens.  They have been in America since around 1850 and are known to be especially friendly, although our chick is the bully of the brooding box

Our Gold Laced Polish chick – we named her Joan McHENzie since she is going to look a lot like me.

We also have a Gold Laced Polish chick.  This chick will grow into a friendly, unique looking hen.  She will have a fluff of feather on her head that will be gold, black and brown.  Polish chicks do really well in the heat.  They lay a small to medium white egg.

The two chicks we lost were a White Crested Black Polish that would have been a beautiful bird.  We also lost a Silver Polish.  All the chicks were inoculated against cocci but wound up getting sick and the symptoms were amazingly similar to cocci.  When chicks have been inoculated against cocci they are usually fed non-medicated feed.  After we lost our first two chicks I went ahead and switched to medicated feed and haven’t had a problem since.  The only reason I could find for the non-medicated feed was that it was a waste of money since they had already been treated for this issue.  Here are the two chicks we lost, and the names we came up with:

Our extra chick – a Silver Polish named Phyllis.

Cruella Deville, our White Crested Black Polish chicken.

We keep our chicks in the house when they are young.  They hang out in the office in a breeding box that I made.  They sleep for the first few days because they have been through A LOT!  Chicks are shipped via express shipping to breeders and individuals in special boxes.  Our breeder had at least 100 chicks in her garage.  The extra travel to our house puts a bit more strain on them and they need to rest, eat and drink.

Chicks stay under a heat source that keeps the temperature in that portion of the box between 95-98 degrees.  They are good about moving themselves around the box to regulate their temperature.  They eat a special form of starter feed that is crumbled and easy to digest.

Getting to know the chicks.

In 1-2 weeks the chicks will start to pop out some feathers.  They will begin those awkward weeks when they look like teenagers going through puberty.  Frankly they are pretty ugly when they are pullets.  Once they have fully feathered out and temps warm up outside, they will be introduced to the big chickens in the coop.  I will let the young pullets out in the kennel portion of the coop so they are protected but not in with the big chickens.  They can look at each other and get used to each other.  Slowly they will be introduced to each other.  We’ve never had a real problem with chickens get along since we tend to buy friendly breeds.

A lot of people ask how much chicks cost.  If you already have all the gear (coop, brooding box, feeder, water, heat lamp) or can borrow it, the cost is pretty low.  These unique chicks cost $18 all together.  Their starter feed runs about $10. There are cleaning costs too…

If you’re new here, consider subscribing to our blog via email, or to receive updates on our chicks and the other fun things we are doing as “Dad is learning.”  (Subscribe buttons are on the right side of the page at the top.)

Share this:

Baby Chickens for Sale in Rock Point 
AZ

Baby Chickens How To Care in Rock Point, Arizona

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Rock Point 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. Rock Point Arizona also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Rock Point 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 Rock Point AZ.

Raising Baby Quail Chicks in Rock Point, Arizona

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Rock Point 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Rock Point 
AZTypically 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 Rock Point 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 Rock Point 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 Chickens Under Heat Lamp in Rock Point, 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 Rock Point 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 Rock Point, Arizona Baby chicks are really cute as well as hard to stand up to, but it's finest to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare first by collecting not only the correct materials, but also the appropriate expertise to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you just need to give them with the following: A tidy and also warm habitat Lots of food and water Interest and love Environment Your habitat could be an easy box, aquarium, pet cat carrier, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (without any loose strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand malformed. You likewise need something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar lid for food and a pet bird water dispenser from a pet store. Likewise, as the chicks get older you could introduce a perch into the environment to get them educated on perching. Heat To keep your chicks heat you have to give 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 heat bulb likewise function effectively (my referral). Chicks require this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched need a temperature level between 90 and 100 levels, and every week this can be reduced by roughly 5 degrees or so. The heat resource should get on simply one side of the cage to enable chicks a range of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermometer- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your heat light, you need to minimize the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the warmth (not merely snuggling), you need to add some heat. Housekeeping Cleanliness is key as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to change the bedding frequently as well as constantly offer clean food as well as water Food and water. Chicks grow really quick which calls for plenty of clean food as well as water. Offer sufficient in any way times and examine frequently to avoid dehydrated and hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and it is available in both medicated and also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the initial 2 months, then switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for an additional 2 months, and afterwards to a slightly reduced protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking dust baths, while others won't use up that task up until they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, present a tray of sand or dust for them to shower in. Attention as well as love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will probably bond with you as well as not run away as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and view their habits, you could capture ailment or other troubles previously. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or other unhealthy indicators. Be sure to additionally check out their poop, as looseness of the bowels could result in matted feathers as well as blocked cloaca. Finally, it is necessary to look out for social issues, such as the littlest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest disorder So your chicks are now fully feathered and also its time for them to leave the security of your residence and also move outside into a cage. Have a look at our area on chicken coops to get more information concerning coops and correct coop habitats.
Baby Chickens How To Care For Them     Baby Chicks To Buy
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mesa, Arizona
Baby Chickens for Sale in Blue, Arizona
Baby Chickens for Sale in Eloy, Arizona
Baby Chickens for Sale in Payson, Arizona
Baby Chickens for Sale in Glendale, Arizona