Baby Chickens for Sale in Abingdon, Illinois
Baby Chickens for Sale in Abingdon, Illinois
Should We Adopt Chickens?
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 Chicks Outside With Heat Lamp in Abingdon, Illinois
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Abingdon Illinois, 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. Abingdon Illinois also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Abingdon Illinois, 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 Abingdon IL.Baby Chicks Buy in Abingdon, Illinois
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Abingdon Illinois 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
Abingdon Illinois * 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 Abingdon
Illinois * 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 Online in Abingdon, Illinois
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 Abingdon Illinois 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 Abingdon, Illinois Baby chicks are really cute as well as challenging to withstand, but it's best to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first by compiling not just the right materials, however likewise the appropriate expertise to look after them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you simply should give them with the following: A clean as well as cozy environment Lots of food and also water Focus and also love Habitat Your environment can be a straightforward box, fish tank, cat carrier, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and coverings (without loosened strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of just paper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow misshapen. You also require something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and water dish from the feed store, or a pickle jar lid for food and also a pet bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks age you can present a perch right into the environment to get them trained on setting down. Heat To keep your chicks warm you should provide them with a warmth resource. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb additionally function very well (my referral). Chicks need this warmth 24/7 till their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which can use up to 2 months). The recently hatched require a temperature level between 90 and also 100 levels, and each week this could be decreased by around 5 levels or so. The warmth source ought to get on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermostat- if they are concealing in the contrary corner of your warmth lamp, you need to decrease the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not just curling up), you need to add some warmth. House cleaning Tidiness is essential and it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to transform the bed linens frequently as well as constantly provide clean food and also water Food as well as water. Chicks expand quite quickly which needs a lot of tidy food as well as water. Offer enough in any way times as well as check frequently to avoid thirsty and hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared to grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes in both medicated as well as non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, then change to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, then to a slightly lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want to obtain a running start on taking dirt baths, while others will not occupy that task until they are older. If you have the room in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or dust for them to bathe in. Focus as well as love There are a couple of advantages to hanging out with your chicks. To start with, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as see their habits, you can capture ailment or various other issues earlier. Keep an eye out for wheezing, hopping, or other unhealthy indications. Be sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted plumes as well as stopped up cloaca. Lastly, it is very important to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the littlest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are currently totally feathered and also its time for them to leave the safety of your house and relocate outside right into a cage. Check out our part on chicken coops to read more concerning cages as well as proper coop habitats.Baby Chicks For Easter Baby Chicks
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