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 Chickens As Pets in
Ashdown, Arkansas
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Ashdown Arkansas,
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. Ashdown
Arkansas also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Ashdown Arkansas, 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 Ashdown AR.
Baby Chicks Buy in
Ashdown, Arkansas
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Ashdown Arkansas
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
Ashdown Arkansas * 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 Ashdown
Arkansas * 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 For Sale Free Shipping in
Ashdown, Arkansas
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
Ashdown Arkansas 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 Ashdown,
Arkansas Baby chicks are quite
adorable and also
challenging to resist,
however it's best to prepare for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially
by collecting not only the
correct materials, but
additionally the appropriate
understanding to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
easy, you merely need
to give them with the following: A tidy and warm
environment A lot of food and water Attention and also
love Habitat Your habitat could be a basic box, fish tank,
cat service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (with no loosened
strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks utilize straw over paper.
Note: Avoid using just
paper or various other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand
malformed. You additionally need
something to provide food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
lid for food and a family
pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Likewise, as the chicks age you can introduce a perch
right into the habitat to get them
educated on setting down. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you need to
give them with a warmth resource.
This could be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb likewise work effectively (my
recommendation). Chicks need this
heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which could take up to 2 months). The freshly
hatched out require a temperature
between 90 and 100 degrees,
and weekly this can
be lowered by
approximately 5 levels approximately. The heat resource need to be on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermometer- if they are hiding in the
opposite corner of your warmth
light, you need to
decrease the temperature level. If
they are smothering each various other under the
warmth (not simply snuggling),
you should include some heat.
House cleaning
Tidiness is crucial and it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to change
the bedding
frequently and also
constantly offer tidy
food as well as water Food and water.
Chicks expand extremely quickly
which needs plenty of clean
food and water. Supply
enough in any way times as well
as check
usually to prevent parched and
hungry chicks. Chick food is different compared
to grown-up chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, then
switch to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and after that to a slightly
lower protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking
dirt baths, while others won't occupy that activity till they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to bathe in.
Attention and also love There are a couple of advantages to hanging
out with your chicks. First off, they will more than likely bond with you as well as
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
enjoy their habits, you can
catch illness or various
other problems previously. Watch out for hissing, limping, or
various other undesirable
indicators. Make sure to
also check out
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could cause matted feathers and clogged up cloaca.
Last but not least, it is essential to watch out for social concerns, such as the
smallest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are currently completely feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety of your house
and also relocate outside into a
coop. Look into our
area on chicken coops to get more information
concerning coops and
appropriate cage habitats.
Baby Chicks In A BoxBaby Chicks Breeds More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Ash Flat, Arkansas Baby Chickens for Sale in Alma, Arkansas Baby Chickens for Sale in Alix, Arkansas Baby Chickens for Sale in Alicia, Arkansas Baby Chickens for Sale in Atkins, Arkansas