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Baby Chickens for Sale in Fort Hall, Idaho

Baby Chickens for Sale in Fort Hall, Idaho

Backyard Chickens: Baby Chicks!

Our new chicks (from left) Cruella, Susie and Phyllis.

There are few things as exciting for owners of backyard chickens as getting new chicks.  They are just so cute and fuzzy.  We picked up our little girls on Tuesday, January 29 from the breeder we bought Zsa Zsa from.  This time we had some complications with our chicks.  In the first few weeks we wound up losing two of the four chicks to what appeared to be cocci. Following is a bit of information about our two survivors and some lessons learned.

This is Susie (Susan B. Anthony) our blue cochin who will be large and silver.

My wife can come up with some clever names.  Our Blue Cochin will grow into a very large blue/silver colored chicken.  She is the largest of our chicks and is probably between 1-2 weeks old.  She has a very loud chirp.  She was loud enough that she woke me up overnight with her chirping.  You will notice that she is feathered down her legs.  This is a unique trait of the Cochin breed of chickens.

Cochins grow into large, fluffy chickens.  Most of them weight 8-10lbs and look like they weigh about 20lbs with all their feathers.  They are a very friendly breed and like to play mother hen, sitting on any eggs they find.  The Cochin variety of bird lays approximately 3-4 eggs a week.  The eggs are a creamy brown color.  Cochins became world famous when a Chinese delegation gave some Cochins to Queen Victoria of England, who adored these chickens.  They have been in America since around 1850 and are known to be especially friendly, although our chick is the bully of the brooding box

Our Gold Laced Polish chick – we named her Joan McHENzie since she is going to look a lot like me.

We also have a Gold Laced Polish chick.  This chick will grow into a friendly, unique looking hen.  She will have a fluff of feather on her head that will be gold, black and brown.  Polish chicks do really well in the heat.  They lay a small to medium white egg.

The two chicks we lost were a White Crested Black Polish that would have been a beautiful bird.  We also lost a Silver Polish.  All the chicks were inoculated against cocci but wound up getting sick and the symptoms were amazingly similar to cocci.  When chicks have been inoculated against cocci they are usually fed non-medicated feed.  After we lost our first two chicks I went ahead and switched to medicated feed and haven’t had a problem since.  The only reason I could find for the non-medicated feed was that it was a waste of money since they had already been treated for this issue.  Here are the two chicks we lost, and the names we came up with:

Our extra chick – a Silver Polish named Phyllis.

Cruella Deville, our White Crested Black Polish chicken.

We keep our chicks in the house when they are young.  They hang out in the office in a breeding box that I made.  They sleep for the first few days because they have been through A LOT!  Chicks are shipped via express shipping to breeders and individuals in special boxes.  Our breeder had at least 100 chicks in her garage.  The extra travel to our house puts a bit more strain on them and they need to rest, eat and drink.

Chicks stay under a heat source that keeps the temperature in that portion of the box between 95-98 degrees.  They are good about moving themselves around the box to regulate their temperature.  They eat a special form of starter feed that is crumbled and easy to digest.

Getting to know the chicks.

In 1-2 weeks the chicks will start to pop out some feathers.  They will begin those awkward weeks when they look like teenagers going through puberty.  Frankly they are pretty ugly when they are pullets.  Once they have fully feathered out and temps warm up outside, they will be introduced to the big chickens in the coop.  I will let the young pullets out in the kennel portion of the coop so they are protected but not in with the big chickens.  They can look at each other and get used to each other.  Slowly they will be introduced to each other.  We’ve never had a real problem with chickens get along since we tend to buy friendly breeds.

A lot of people ask how much chicks cost.  If you already have all the gear (coop, brooding box, feeder, water, heat lamp) or can borrow it, the cost is pretty low.  These unique chicks cost $18 all together.  Their starter feed runs about $10. There are cleaning costs too…

If you’re new here, consider subscribing to our blog via email, or to receive updates on our chicks and the other fun things we are doing as “Dad is learning.”  (Subscribe buttons are on the right side of the page at the top.)

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Fort Hall 
ID

Baby Chicks House in Fort Hall, Idaho

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Fort Hall Idaho, 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. Fort Hall Idaho also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Fort Hall Idaho, 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 Fort Hall ID.

Baby Chicks For Easter in Fort Hall, Idaho

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Fort Hall Idaho 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 Fort Hall 
IDTypically 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 Fort Hall Idaho * 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 Fort Hall Idaho * 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 Hatchery in Fort Hall, Idaho

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 Fort Hall Idaho 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 Fort Hall, Idaho Baby chicks are very charming and hard to stand up to, but it's ideal to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare first by collecting not just the proper products, yet additionally the appropriate knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is relatively straightforward, you just need to supply them with the following: A tidy as well as cozy habitat Plenty of food and water Focus as well as love Habitat Your habitat can be a straightforward box, fish tank, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and blankets (without loosened strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks make use of straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of just paper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow malformed. You also require something to serve up food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food and also a pet dog bird water dispenser from an animal store. Also, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch into the habitat to get them educated on setting down. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you should give them with a heat resource. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb also function effectively (my referral). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could occupy to two months). The recently hatched out require a temperature level between 90 as well as 100 levels, as well as weekly this could be decreased by around 5 levels approximately. The heat resource ought to get on merely one side of the cage to allow chicks an array of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermometer- if they are hiding in the opposite edge of your heat light, you need to lower the temperature level. If they are smothering each various other under the warmth (not merely snuggling), you should include some warmth. Housekeeping Cleanliness is vital as well as it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter the bed linen commonly and also constantly provide tidy food and water Food and water. Chicks expand extremely fast which requires a lot of tidy food and also water. Supply sufficient in any way times as well as check usually to avoid thirsty and starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to adult chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the initial 2 months, then change to a grower food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for an additional 2 months, and after that to a slightly reduced protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to obtain a running start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others will not occupy that task till they are older. If you have the area in your chick enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to shower in. Focus and love There are a couple of benefits to hanging out with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as not escape as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as see their behavior, you can capture ailment or other problems previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, hopping, or various other undesirable indications. Be sure to likewise look at their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted feathers and clogged up cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to watch out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick getting teased. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now totally feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety of your house and also relocate outside right into a cage. Have a look at our part on chicken coops to learn more about cages and proper coop habitats.
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