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 Online in
Snelling, California
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Snelling 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. Snelling
California also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Snelling 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 Snelling CA.
Raising Baby Chickens in
Snelling, California
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Snelling 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
Snelling 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 Snelling
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 Hatching in
Snelling, 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
Snelling 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 Snelling,
California Baby chicks are really
cute and
hard to resist,
yet it's ideal to plan for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first
by collecting not just the
right products, yet
also the appropriate
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
easy, you simply should supply them with the following: A
clean and cozy
habitat A lot of food and also water Interest and also
love Environment Your environment could be a straightforward box, aquarium,
feline service provider, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels and also
coverings (with no loose
strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid using only
paper or other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow
malformed. You likewise require
something to serve up food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle container
cover for food and also a family
pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you can present a perch
into the habitat to get them
trained on perching. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you need to
offer them with a heat source.
This can be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat
bulb likewise function very
well (my
suggestion). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The freshly
hatched out require a temperature
between 90 as well as 100 degrees,
and also every week this could
be reduced by
about 5 degrees or
so. The heat source need to get on merely one side of the cage
to enable chicks a variety of
temperature levels. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
opposite corner of your heat
lamp, you need to
decrease the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each various other under the
heat (not just snuggling),
you have to put some warmth.
House cleaning
Cleanliness is key and it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to transform
the bed linen
usually and also
constantly provide clean
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks grow really quickly
which needs lots of tidy
food as well as water. Give
sufficient at all times and also inspect
typically to
stop dehydrated as well as
hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, then
change to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for one more 2 months,
and then to a slightly
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have layers). Soil Some chicks want
to get a running start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others will not use up that task till they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
enclosure, introduce 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 most
likely bond with you and also
not run away as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
watch their behavior, you could
catch illness or various
other troubles previously. Keep an
eye out for hissing, hopping, or
various other undesirable
indications. Make certain to
also look at
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could cause matted plumes and stopped up cloaca.
Finally, it is essential to look out
for social concerns, such as the
littlest chick getting picked
on. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are now totally feathered
and also its time for them to leave the
safety of your residence
as well as relocate outside right into a cage. Take a look at our
section on chicken coops to get more information
about cages and also
correct cage environments.
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