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Baby Chickens for Sale in Burlington, Iowa

Baby Chickens for Sale in Burlington, Iowa

Brooder Box for baby Chicks: A Tutorial

  • 09/26/2012

Our little darling chicks have arrived!  We ordered from mypetchicken.com and found the selection and service to be excellent.  The chicks shipped super fast and were all healthy and well when they arrived (oh and so soft and cute!).  Our little gal chicks will live in their brooder box for about 4-6 weeks, then transition to their chicken coop outdoors, where they will have free range of our backyard once they are full grown.

Investing in chicks can start to get expensive if you don’t DIY.  I considered just using a large cardboard box to keep them in for those first 4-6 weeks, but all the sources I read about chick care said that a large cardboard box would soon be too small for the growing chicks (and potentially too short as well for when they try flying).  Mypetchicken.com sells a  for $72 shipping; however to save some cash, I decided to copy the idea using left over moving boxes I had laying around.

You will need:

2 Large cardboard boxes of the same size

cutting tool

strong tape (duct tape works)

It’s so simple: cut a side open on the two boxes, open them up and then tape the edges together, folding the bottoms in together so they sort of weave and interlock.  You can choose to tape those inside flaps together for added stability.

Added bonus for this design: when the chicks get bigger and can start jumping and trying to fly, you can fold up the top flaps of the boxes and tape them together to add 5 plus inches to the height of your box – cool!  You can also grab a couple long sticks or dowels and punch holes in the sides of the cardboard to set up roosting perches for the chicks about 1-2 inches off the ground.

To make removing and cleaning the pine bedding easier, I picked up a painters drop cloth at the hardware store for $8, size 5×5, and laid it inside the pen before putting down the  bedding.  This will allow me to wrap up the entire bedding/poop mess inside the drop cloth and carry it out to the compost pile.

Other items needed for our 6 little birds were purchased at a local feed store:

  • $5.50 – buy the large one so you don’t have to buy it later when the birds get bigger and try to knock over a smaller sized one you may have bought at first.  Saves you money and time!
  •  $4
  • 3 cubic feet of compressed  $8
  • 25 lbs  $12
  • From Amazon I purchased a  for $11.20
  • and from Amazon also I purchased a $12

My home-made “package” cost $55.70, compared to the starter kit from mypetchicken.com priced at $72 plus shipping.  As an added bonus, I purchased 5 times as much food, got a larger watering device and a metal feeder instead of plastic.  I also was able to get 20 times as much pine bedding and a much sturdier heatlamp.  I’d say that’s a win!  Plus, I do think my recycled cardboard chick house ended up being larger than the size of the packaged one.

And man, are they cute!  My son loves going in there during the day with me to check on them.

For more information on raising baby chicks, I recommend

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Burlington 
IA

Baby Chickens Raising in Burlington, Iowa

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Burlington Iowa, 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. Burlington Iowa also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Burlington Iowa, 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 Burlington IA.

Baby Chickens 101 in Burlington, Iowa

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Burlington Iowa 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 Burlington 
IATypically 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 Burlington Iowa * 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 Burlington Iowa * 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 Under Lights in Burlington, Iowa

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 Burlington Iowa 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 Burlington, Iowa Baby chicks are really cute as well as tough to resist, but it's finest to plan for their arrival before you obtain them. Prepare initially by compiling not just the right products, however additionally the appropriate understanding to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is fairly straightforward, you simply have to supply them with the following: A clean as well as warm and comfortable environment Lots of food as well as water Attention as well as love Habitat Your environment can be an easy box, fish tank, feline provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (without loose strings!) to start, and also after a couple of weeks utilize straw over paper. Note: Avoid using just paper or other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand malformed. You also need something to provide food and water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water meal from the feed store, or a pickle container lid for food as well as a family pet bird water dispenser from a pet store. Additionally, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch right into the environment to get them educated on setting down. Warmth To keep your chicks warm you have to supply them with a heat resource. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb also work extremely well (my referral). Chicks need this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The newly hatched require a temperature level in between 90 as well as 100 levels, and also weekly this could be decreased by about 5 levels or so. The heat source ought to get on simply 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 contrary corner of your heat lamp, you have to lower the temperature level. If they are smothering each other under the heat (not just cuddling), you have to put some heat. House cleaning Sanitation is crucial and it keeps your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to change the bed linens commonly and consistently provide clean food and also water Food and also water. Chicks grow extremely fast which requires plenty of tidy food and water. Supply enough at all times and examine often to stop thirsty as well as hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and it comes in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the first two months, after that change to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, then to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to get a head start on taking filth baths, while others will not take up that task until they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, present a tray of sand or dust for them to wash in. Interest and also love There are a few advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly more than likely bond with you and also not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also enjoy their actions, you can capture ailment or other problems previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, hopping, or various other undesirable indicators. Make sure to additionally consider their poop, as diarrhea could lead to matted plumes and also stopped up cloaca. Last but not least, it is necessary to watch out for social issues, such as the littlest chick obtaining picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently completely feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home and relocate outside into a cage. Check out our part on chicken cages to read more concerning coops as well as correct coop habitats.
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