A couple of months ago our family decided that we were going to get some baby chicks to raise so we could get fresh organic eggs. We were so excited when we walked into the Tractor Supply Store during their “Chick days” we got 6 baby chicks and everything we needed for starting out. They were kept inside for 6 weeks and grew so big in that short amount of time.
A couple of weeks before they were transitioned outside my husband and I built their chicken coop. It was one that we bought on Ebay that looks really cute like a house for chickens. We had never raised chickens before and a few of our neighbors had told us to watch out for predators that would try to get to the chickens.
I was so naïve and would tell my husband that it’s the city near the ocean where neighbors are all over place and that I have never seen any wildlife at all out here! The only animals I have ever seen was squirrels and seagulls. We’ve lived in the country before and I felt sure that nothing would happen here and with our new cute chicken coop for our chickens they would be fine.
Everything went fine the first night and then the second morning when I went out to let them out of the housing part, one of the chicks were on the outside waiting near the coop door. I found that odd and wondered how he got out and then of course to my horror I saw blood and the other 5 were missing. Something had knocked a board up from underneath and all the chickens had fallen out to the ground. We never did find them that day anywhere and decided we were going to take the one back inside for a while. My husband fixed the board in hopes that it would do the trick in the future. Unfortunately the last chicken was killed as well. We found prints all over the coop which look like to me Racoon prints? Our poor chicken was pulled out from some slats that were up underneath.
Again I was so upset. How could this be happening? We spent so much time and energy into having chickens and to me after raising them that short while I realized that chickens have personalities and they were becoming more of a pet to me then anything. We decided to adopt some more from online because we didn’t find any babies in our area so we got some from mypetchicken.com. They arrived safely and are doing very well. I cannot believe how big they are already!
My husband has put so many locks and has altered the chicken coop that there is no way that anything is getting to my babies again!
If your planning to get baby chicks or have gotten some recently and getting ready to put them outdoors please make sure that the coops is bullet proof per say. Apparently there are some critters out there that are wicked smart and clever and get to your animals if you’re not careful.
Lesson learned here, just because we are in the city doesn’t mean that there isn’t any night-time predators lurking to get to my chickens.
Bonnie is a Business Owner and Blogger. She's a Wife, Momma to 5 kiddos and loves anything that has to do with the outdoors, especially gardening. She started her blog in 2013 to share with others her learning to Live greener experiences, Product , with 5 kiddos, DIY projects, Savings, Recipes and more. Reach her at wemake7blog@gmail.com
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Baby Chicks Order Online in
Ogden, Illinois
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Ogden 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. Ogden
Illinois also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Ogden 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 Ogden IL.
Baby Chicks
Hatchery in
Ogden, Illinois
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Ogden 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
Ogden 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 Ogden
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.
Feeding Baby Quail Chicks in
Ogden, 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
Ogden 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 Ogden,
Illinois Baby chicks are very
charming and also
difficult to resist,
but it's best to prepare for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare first
by gathering not just the
appropriate materials, yet
also the appropriate
expertise to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
basic, you just have to supply them with the following: A tidy and also cozy
environment Plenty of food and also water Interest as well as
love Habitat Your habitat could be a
simple box, aquarium,
cat service provider, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without any loosened
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks utilize straw over paper.
Note: Avoid utilizing just
paper or other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You likewise require
something to provide food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder and 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 shop. Also, as the chicks age you could present a perch
right into the environment to obtain them
trained on setting down. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you have to
supply them with a warmth source.
This can be as simple as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
light bulb also work very
well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which can take up to 2 months). The freshly
hatched need a temperature
between 90 and 100 levels,
and weekly this could
be lowered by
roughly 5 degrees approximately. The heat source should be on merely one side of the cage
to allow chicks a variety of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermometer- if they are hiding in the
opposite edge of your heat
lamp, you should
reduce the temperature. If
they are surrounding each other under the
warmth (not merely cuddling),
you have to add some warmth.
Home cleaning
Sanitation is key as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to transform
the bed linen
commonly and also
always provide clean
food and also water Food and water.
Chicks grow quite quick
which calls for plenty of tidy
food and also water. Give
sufficient in any way times and also inspect
typically to prevent dehydrated and
hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, as well as it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, after that
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
then to a somewhat
lower protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks want
to obtain a running start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others won't take
up that activity until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
enclosure, present a tray of sand or
dirt for them to shower in.
Interest as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will certainly most
likely bond with you and also
not flee as grownups. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
view their habits, you could
capture disease or various
other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
indications. Make certain to
likewise consider
their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted feathers as well
as obstructed cloaca.
Last but not least, it is important to look out
for social problems, such as the
littlest chick getting badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are now fully feathery
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your house
and relocate outside right into a cage. Look into our
part on chicken cages to read more
regarding cages and also
proper cage environments.
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