Baby Chickens for Sale in Mc Leansboro, Illinois
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mc Leansboro, Illinois
Backyard Chickens: How we got started
Our family has had backyard chickens since the spring of 2010. It has been a great joy to have a working flock of chickens in our backyard – right in the middle of the big city. We have learned a lot, and these fun, working pets have been worth the time and energy invested.
My wife holding a baby chick.
We started with 4 chicks from a local breeder. The chicks were just a few days old and they were so much fun to watch. We set up a brooding box in the office area of our house. (Chicks have to stay warm until they ‘feather out.’) One of our chicks turned out to be a rooster so I returned that chick to the breeder and wound up with 2 hens of similar age to the others. Our first five chickens were Penny, Oreo, Clementine, Hatty and Nana. (When you have small children, chickens get named.) You can see all 5 girls in the photo at the beginning of this post.
Our chicken coop on a foggy morning.
I built the chicken coop after looking at a variety of ideas online. The type of coop I decided on is called a “chicken tractor.” It was designed to be moved around the yard so the chickens could enjoy fresh grass and dirt to scratch in. The coop is approximately 4′ wide and about 10′ long. The chickens can roam the entire length and width of the coop since the roost box is elevated. I will talk about a few things I learned about coop design, including my favorite feature, in a future post.
Owning backyard chickens has been very enjoyable for our family, but I would not say it is for everyone. Simply stated, not everyone can deal with chicken poop, brooding chickens, and a fewother things. Other than that, chickens are low-cost, entertaining and educational pets. When we had 5 hens our chickens were eating about $20 of feed a month. At their peak, the 5 hens were laying a total of 3-4 eggs a day. Approximately 25 eggs a week. The eggs are some of the best you will ever eat. The yolks are dark yellow, almost orange. You won’t save money or make money with backyard chickens, but the educational and entertainment aspects balance things out nicely.
Raising chickens hasn’t been without its sad moments. In the summer of 2011 we lost 2 of the girls to the heat. They were both Buff Oprington breed of chickens. It was a hard, hot summer. We used shade, a fan at night, and mist during the day to try to keep them cooled off. (We had a month long stretch of 100+ days here in Texas.)
Spring 2012 we purchased 2 pullets (10 week old hens) and added them to the flock after they matured a bit. In the Fall of 2012 some irresponsible pet owners down the street allowed their dogs to escape. The dogs chewed their way into the coop and killed 4 of our 5 chickens. Oreo is our strong survivor that outsmarted the 2 big dogs and survived a nasty dog bite.
Our girls now reside inside their coop which is inside a 12′x12′ dog kennel. I figure if a kennel is supposed to keep dogs in, it can also keep them out. The only draw back is that the chicken tractor must now stay in one place. As an added bonus they get to run around in the extra space of the kennel when we are home and will be in and out of the backyard. All of our chickens are friendly. We haven’t had any problems having small children and chickens.
I think the chickens are interesting and many of our friends would agree. I often get asked, “How are your chickens?” We have even taken one of the chickens to our daughter’s preschool for pet day. When we had a full flock it was also fun to give away eggs as gifts and to let our oldest daughter sell the eggs for $2 a dozen. Many, many friends have also been kind enough to give us their empty egg cartons for our eggs.
If you’re thinking about backyard chickens, take these few things into consideration:- Does your city allow chickens? Not all cities do. – Will your neighbors be OK with the clucking and occasional stink? – Are you prepared for the work of keeping a small flock?
Best of luck, and leave any questions in the comments section.
Baby Chickens Sale in Mc Leansboro, Illinois
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Mc Leansboro 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. Mc Leansboro Illinois also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Mc Leansboro 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 Mc Leansboro IL.Baby Chicks Care in Mc Leansboro, Illinois
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Mc Leansboro 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
Mc Leansboro 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 Mc Leansboro
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 Coop in Mc Leansboro, 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 Mc Leansboro 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 Mc Leansboro, Illinois Baby chicks are extremely cute as well as difficult to resist, but it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not only the proper products, but likewise the appropriate knowledge to care for them. Raising baby chicks is fairly easy, you merely need to provide them with the following: A clean and warm habitat Lots of food as well as water Attention and also love Environment Your environment can be a straightforward box, fish tank, pet cat service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (without loose strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just paper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand misshapen. You likewise need something to serve up food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and water dish from the feed store, or a pickle jar cover for food and a family pet bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks grow older you can present a perch into the environment to get them educated on perching. Heat To keep your chicks warm you need to give them with a warmth source. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb likewise function effectively (my recommendation). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is changed with feathers (which can occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched require a temperature level in between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and also weekly this can be reduced by approximately 5 levels approximately. The heat resource should get on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks a range of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are hiding in the contrary edge of your warmth lamp, you need to minimize the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not simply snuggling), you have to include some warmth. House cleaning Tidiness is key and it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to transform the bedding commonly and always offer tidy food and water Food as well as water. Chicks expand really quick which calls for lots of tidy food and also water. Supply sufficient whatsoever times and also inspect often to avoid parched as well as starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to adult chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer to obtain a running start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others won't use up that activity till they are older. If you have the space in your chick room, present a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Focus and also love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will more than likely bond with you and not run away as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily as well as watch their habits, you can catch ailment or other troubles earlier. Keep an eye out for hissing, limping, or other undesirable indications. Make sure to additionally look at their poop, as diarrhea can bring about matted plumes as well as stopped up cloaca. Last but not least, it is necessary to keep an eye out for social issues, such as the smallest chick getting picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now totally feathery as well as its time for them to leave the security of your home and also move outside into a cage. Check out our part on chicken cages to get more information about cages as well as correct cage habitats.Baby Chicks Home Baby Chicks Order Online
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