Baby Chickens for Sale in San Jose, California
Baby Chickens for Sale in San Jose, California
How to Raise Chickens: #3 Selecting Chickens
How to Raise Chickens: #3 Selecting Chickens
April 9, 2014 in by
Chickens are social birds and really need to have at least one friend, so count on starting with a minimum of two. Having multiple birds will also help them keep each other warm in the winter time. So, how many should you get? I read somewhere that two hens per family member is a good guideline. By their rule, if you have a family of 5, that would mean 10 hens. But also keep in mind that young hens can lay one egg every 1-2 days during the warm months. That means you could have 35-70 eggs in one week’s time! That’s quite a few eggs. Now you can freeze eggs, cook or bake items that use eggs and freeze those, but you still should take that into consideration when deciding how many. Personally if we were to start again, I would go with 5-8 hens. This coming from the family that currently has 18 hens … but we’re also selling quite a few eggs.
We’ve never gotten eggs for incubation, so I can’t offer any advice on how to start there.
Our chickens have always come as baby chicks. There are two ways I know of to get chickens this way – buy them local or find an online source. I’m pretty sure our local Blaine’s Farm & Fleet has chickens each spring. Selection would be limited but you should find only those breeds suited to your area.
We’ve had good luck ordering from Murray McMurray Hatchery. They have a wide array of breeds and you can find some good deals (which is how we ended up ordering 45 birds the first time!). The downside to mail-ordering birds is there is usually a minimum number you have to order so they can keep each other warm in the box during the few days they are being shipped. And yes, they do actually come via US Postal Service. The post office knows how to handle them so they get to you in time. There’s always a risk of chicks not surviving the shipping process. We lost one last year when we ordered again. Sometimes hatcheries will take that into consideration and throw in an extra bird just in case (but don’t count on it). Let them know if a bird doesn’t survive – they may give you a refund or discount if it’s within 24-48 hrs of arrival.
If you get baby chicks instead of full-grown hens, keep in mind that you will need to keep them warm … like 90-95°F warm the first few weeks of their lives. This requires a heat lamp or some other heat source, and a “brooder” area where you can make sure they are draft-free. This area could be inside your existing coop (if there aren’t hens in there already), but you’ll want to contain them in a smaller size to make sure they stay warm. As the weeks pass you can move the heat lamp up, reducing the temperature by 5-degrees per week until they’re ready to go outside.
You could also check out local sites like Craigslist as there might be some people that received full-grown chickens can no longer keep them.
There are a multitude of choices for chicken breeds out there. You can get
- great egg-producers
- dual-purpose breeds (if you intend to eat your birds later)
- breeds that are cold-hardy
- “fancy” birds with amazing plumage, aka ornamentals
- rare breeds – some of which are endangered.
and have great listings of chicken breeds to help you sort it out.
For our location, we wanted to make sure our chickens would be cold-hardy. We also wanted fairly good layers, so most of our hens are either Speckled Sussex or Rhode Island Reds. We also had good luck with Buff Orpingtons. Opal is our one remaining Silver-Laced Wyandotte from the first batch.
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Baby Chickens Hatching in San Jose, California
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in San Jose 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. San Jose California also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in San Jose 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 San Jose CA.Baby Chickens Buy in San Jose, California
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in San Jose 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
San Jose 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 San Jose
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 For Sale Free Shipping in San Jose, 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 San Jose 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 San Jose, California Baby chicks are really charming and tough to withstand, but it's best to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by compiling not only the correct products, but also the appropriate knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is relatively basic, you simply need to provide them with the following: A tidy and also warm and comfortable habitat Lots of food and also water Attention and also love Habitat Your environment can be a straightforward box, fish tank, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (without any loose strings!) to begin, and after a couple of weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow misshapen. You likewise need something to dish out food and water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water meal from the feed store, or a pickle jar lid for food and a pet bird water dispenser from an animal store. Likewise, as the chicks grow older you could introduce a perch right into the environment to get them trained on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you need to provide them with a heat source. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb also work very well (my recommendation). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could use up to two months). The newly hatched out need a temperature in between 90 and 100 levels, and also each week this can be lowered by approximately 5 levels or so. The heat source need to be on just one side of the cage to permit chicks an array of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermometer- if they are hiding in the contrary edge of your warmth light, you need to decrease the temperature. If they are surrounding each various other under the warmth (not simply curling up), you should include some heat. Housekeeping Sanitation is essential and also it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to change the bed linens typically and always offer clean food and water Food and water. Chicks expand extremely quick which needs plenty of clean food and water. Supply enough at all times as well as inspect typically to prevent thirsty and hungry chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the first 2 months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a slightly lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks want to get a running start on taking filth baths, while others won't take up that activity till they are older. If you have the room in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Interest as well as love There are a couple of benefits to hanging out with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you and also not run away as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also view their habits, you could catch ailment or various other troubles earlier. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or various other undesirable indications. Make certain to additionally take a look at their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted feathers as well as obstructed cloaca. Lastly, it is essential to watch out for social problems, such as the littlest chick getting badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are now totally feathery and its time for them to leave the security of your residence as well as relocate outside right into a coop. Check out our part on chicken coops to read more concerning cages and appropriate cage environments.Baby Chicks Baby Chickens Baby Chicks Online
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