close

Baby Chickens for Sale in Hesston, Kansas

Baby Chickens for Sale in Hesston, Kansas

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

You May Also Like:

Tags: , ,

Baby Chickens for Sale in Hesston 
KS

Baby Chickens Male Or Female in Hesston, Kansas

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hesston Kansas, 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. Hesston Kansas also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Hesston Kansas, 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 Hesston KS.

Baby Chickens Near Me in Hesston, Kansas

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hesston Kansas 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 Hesston 
KSTypically 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 Hesston Kansas * 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 Hesston Kansas * 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 Chicks Baby Chickens in Hesston, Kansas

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 Hesston Kansas 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 Hesston, Kansas Baby chicks are very adorable and also hard to resist, however it's finest to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not only the right products, however likewise the correct understanding to look after them. Raising baby chicks is fairly easy, you merely should supply them with the following: A clean and warm and comfortable environment Lots of food as well as water Focus and also love Environment Your habitat can be an easy box, aquarium, pet cat service provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also coverings (without loose strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just newspaper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow misshapen. You also require something to provide food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle jar lid for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a pet dog store. Also, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch right into the habitat to obtain them educated on perching. Heat To keep your chicks heat you have to offer them with a warmth resource. This can be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb additionally work extremely well (my recommendation). Chicks require this heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is changed with feathers (which could occupy to 2 months). The newly hatched require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and each week this could be reduced by about 5 levels or so. The warmth source must get on simply one side of the cage to permit chicks a variety of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are concealing in the other corner of your heat light, you have to decrease the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not merely curling up), you have to put some warmth. Home cleaning Cleanliness is essential as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to alter the bedding frequently and consistently offer tidy food and water Food and also water. Chicks grow really quick which needs a lot of clean food as well as water. Provide enough whatsoever times and also inspect frequently to stop thirsty and hungry chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the very first two months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and then to a somewhat lower protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking dirt baths, while others will not use up that activity up until they are older. If you have the space in your chick unit, introduce a tray of sand or dust for them to bathe in. Focus and love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will most likely bond with you and also not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as view their behavior, you can catch ailment or various other issues earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or various other harmful indications. Be sure to additionally look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels could cause matted plumes and clogged up cloaca. Finally, it is important to keep an eye out for social issues, such as the smallest chick getting picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently completely feathery and also its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home as well as relocate outside into a coop. Check out our part on chicken coops to read more concerning coops and proper coop environments.
Baby Chickens Diet     Baby Chicks On Sale
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Chapman, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Eudora, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Blue Rapids, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Grinnell, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Dighton, Kansas