Baby Chickens for Sale in Hockessin, Delaware
Baby Chickens for Sale in Hockessin, Delaware
Our First Experiences With Chickens
Our Brahma Hen
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 Near Me in Hockessin, Delaware
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hockessin Delaware, 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. Hockessin Delaware also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Hockessin Delaware, 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 Hockessin DE.Baby Chicks Not Eating in Hockessin, Delaware
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hockessin Delaware 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
Hockessin Delaware * 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 Hockessin
Delaware * 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 Eggs For Sale in Hockessin, Delaware
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 Hockessin Delaware 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 Hockessin, Delaware Baby chicks are really cute and difficult to withstand, yet it's finest to plan for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not just the appropriate materials, however also the proper knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably straightforward, you simply have to offer them with the following: A tidy and cozy habitat Plenty of food as well as water Attention and also love Habitat Your habitat could be a straightforward box, aquarium, pet cat provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (without any loose strings!) to start, as well as after a couple of weeks use straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid using only paper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand misshapen. You also need something to serve up food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water meal from the feed store, or a pickle container lid for food and a pet bird water dispenser from a pet dog store. Also, as the chicks get older you can introduce a perch right into the environment to get them educated on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you have to provide them with a warmth resource. This could be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat bulb also function effectively (my suggestion). Chicks require this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which can occupy to two months). The freshly hatched need a temperature between 90 and also 100 levels, and weekly this can be minimized by about 5 degrees or so. The warmth source need to get on just one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperature levels. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are concealing in the contrary corner of your heat light, you have to minimize the temperature level. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not merely snuggling), you have to add some warmth. Home cleaning Tidiness is essential and it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make sure to change the bed linen typically and also always give tidy food as well as water Food as well as water. Chicks grow extremely fast which calls for a lot of tidy food as well as water. Give enough at all times and inspect often to stop parched and starving chicks. Chick food is different compared to adult chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the first 2 months, then change to a grower food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for one more 2 months, and then to a slightly reduced protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others will not take up that activity until they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, present a tray of sand or dust for them to shower in. Focus and love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as not run away as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as enjoy their actions, you could capture illness or various other problems earlier. Keep an eye out for hissing, limping, or other unhealthy indicators. Be sure to also consider their poop, as looseness of the bowels can cause matted feathers and clogged up cloaca. Finally, it is necessary to look out for social concerns, such as the littlest chick obtaining picked on. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are currently totally feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety of your home as well as move outside into a coop. Look into our part on chicken coops to learn more concerning coops and correct cage habitats.Baby Chickens Eggs For Sale Baby Chickens How To Raise
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Dagsboro, Delaware
Baby Chickens for Sale in Ellendale, Delaware
Baby Chickens for Sale in Georgetown, Delaware
Baby Chickens for Sale in Hockessin, Delaware
Baby Chickens for Sale in Delaware City, Delaware