For quite some time I have been toying with the idea of getting chickens. I love the idea of having baby chicks around to help my children learn responsibility and how nature works to provide for us. This, however, is a big decision. Sure, little chicks are cute and having fresh eggs would be divine, but don’t forget that chickens are a lot of work. While they are usually quite content pecking away on their own, they still need a lot of care. Here are several things to consider before getting chickens.
1. Does your residential area allow chickens? Many areas, like homes in the city or neighborhoods, do not allow chickens. You could be fined and forced to remove them.
2. What are you going to do with them when they are done laying eggs?
3. What climate do you live in? Cold climates mean harsh winters when your chickens will need extra care.
4. Do you have time to keep their pens clean, water fresh and food available?
5. What do I need to make them a home? You will need a place for them to lay their eggs and get out of bad weather.
6. Will your chickens be free range or have a chicken pen? How will you keep them in your yard and not your neighbors?
7. What breed of chicken should you buy?
After researching chickens in further detail I still want them to join our family. However, I am going to take my time to make sure my preparations are done right and I am ready for them to join us. Ive read that the best time to get baby chicks is mid March-May. Since it is already March and I have not yet preparing a home for them, I will hold off on my plans until next year when I have ample time to prepare for their arrival. Plus, I still have some convincing to do with my husband who is not yet on board with the idea.
If you are interested in raising chickens, check out the e-book titled The Urban Chicken. I just finished reading it to help me decide if chickens were a good addition to our home or not. The book answered all of the questions I had that I mentioned above. The book also talks about what breed of chicken are best to get for your overall goals, how to care for them and what to do when things go wrong. I think this book is a great resource for the un-experienced person thinking about whether or not to embark on the chicken raising lifestyle. (Like me!)
The e-book The Urban Chicken as mentioned above is available for purchase at the following link. This lovely book is written by Heather Harris. You can also view her blog at .
Any readers raising chickens that can share their experiences with us? I am so curious and want to know more! Please leave your thoughts on raising chickens in the comments.
<3 Dick and JaneDisclosure: I was able to read this book for free from the writer. I was not compensated for mentioning it in my post. All thoughts in this post are my own and not pursuaded by my free copy to read.
Baby Chickens By Mail in
Glennville, California
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Glennville California,
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. Glennville
California also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Glennville California, 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 Glennville CA.
Baby Chicks Mail Order in
Glennville, California
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Glennville California
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
Glennville California * 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 Glennville
California * 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 Facts in
Glennville, California
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
Glennville California 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 Glennville,
California Baby chicks are really
charming and also
difficult to stand up to,
but it's best to plan for their
arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially
by collecting not just the
right materials, yet
also the proper
expertise to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
basic, you simply need
to give them with the following: A
clean and warm and comfortable
environment Plenty of food and also water Interest and
love Habitat Your habitat can be a straightforward box, aquarium,
pet cat service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
coverings (without loose
strings!) to start, as well as after a
couple of weeks make use of straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid using just
newspaper or other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You likewise need
something to dish out food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
meal from the feed store, or a pickle jar
lid for food and also a family
pet bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Also, as the chicks get
older you can introduce a perch
into the habitat to get them
trained on perching. Warmth To
maintain your chicks heat you need to
supply them with a warmth resource.
This can be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth
light bulb likewise function extremely well (my
referral). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which can use
up to 2 months). The newly
hatched out need a temperature
in between 90 and 100 degrees,
and every week this could
be lowered by
roughly 5 degrees or
so. The warmth resource should get on simply one side of the cage
to permit chicks a range of
temperature levels. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
other edge of your heat
lamp, you should
lower the temperature. If
they are surrounding each other under the
warmth (not merely curling up),
you have to add some warmth.
Housekeeping
Tidiness is key as
well as it maintains your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make sure to transform
the bed linen
frequently and also
consistently offer clean
food and also water Food and also water.
Chicks expand quite quickly
which needs a lot of tidy
food and also water. Supply
enough in any way times and check
typically to avoid thirsty and also
starving chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and it is available in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, after that
switch to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for another 2 months,
and afterwards to a slightly
lower protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks prefer to get a running start on taking
filth bathrooms, while others won't take
up that task till they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to wash in.
Interest and love There are a
few advantages to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will certainly most
likely bond with you and also
not flee as grownups. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily as well as
see their behavior, you can
capture illness or various
other issues previously. Watch out for hissing, limping, or
various other undesirable
indications. Make sure to
additionally take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted feathers and also stopped up cloaca.
Last but not least, it is important to look out
for social problems, such as the
tiniest chick getting teased. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are now completely feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your residence
and also relocate outside into a cage. Have a look at our
area on chicken coops for more information
about coops and also
correct cage environments.
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