close

Baby Chickens for Sale in Etowah, Arkansas

Baby Chickens for Sale in Etowah, Arkansas

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

You May Also Like:

Tags: , ,

Baby Chickens for Sale in Etowah 
AR

Baby Chickens Bedding in Etowah, Arkansas

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Etowah 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. Etowah Arkansas also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Etowah 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 Etowah AR.

Baby Chicks Male Or Female in Etowah, Arkansas

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Etowah 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Etowah 
ARTypically 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 Etowah 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 Etowah 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 Chicks Hatchery in Etowah, 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 Etowah 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 Etowah, Arkansas Baby chicks are extremely adorable and also hard to withstand, but it's ideal to prepare for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by gathering not just the correct products, yet additionally the appropriate knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably straightforward, you just need to offer them with the following: A clean as well as cozy environment A lot of food and also water Attention and love Habitat Your environment could be an easy box, aquarium, pet cat carrier, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (with no loose strings!) to start, as well as after a couple of weeks make use of straw over paper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand malformed. You also need something to serve up food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar cover for food and also a pet bird water dispenser from a pet dog store. Additionally, as the chicks grow older you could introduce a perch right into the habitat to get them trained on setting down. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you need to supply them with a heat resource. This could be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb likewise function extremely well (my suggestion). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The freshly hatched out need a temperature between 90 and 100 degrees, and weekly this can be reduced by around 5 levels approximately. The warmth resource should be on simply one side of the cage to allow chicks a range of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your warmth lamp, you should minimize the temperature. If they are smothering each various other under the warmth (not merely snuggling), you should add some warmth. House cleaning Tidiness is essential as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to change the bed linens frequently as well as always offer tidy food and also water Food and water. Chicks expand very quickly which needs plenty of clean food as well as water. Give enough in any way times and inspect typically to prevent thirsty and starving chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and also it comes in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the initial 2 months, after that change to a grower food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and then to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks want to obtain a running start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others won't take up that task up until they are older. If you have the room in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or dirt for them to bathe in. Interest and also love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will probably bond with you and not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as watch their behavior, you can capture ailment or various other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or other harmful signs. Make certain to additionally look at their poop, as diarrhea can bring about matted feathers as well as clogged cloaca. Finally, it is necessary to watch out for social issues, such as the littlest chick getting picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently fully feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety of your home as well as relocate outside right into a coop. Look into our area on chicken coops for more information regarding coops as well as correct coop environments.
Baby Chickens Care     Baby Chicks Home
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Board Camp, Arkansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Emerson, Arkansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Dennard, Arkansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Cash, Arkansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Camp, Arkansas