close

Baby Chickens for Sale in Mc Cracken, Kansas

Baby Chickens for Sale in Mc Cracken, Kansas

How to Introduce New Chickens into your Flock, part 2

[This article is part of a series that addresses the question of how to introduce new chickens into your existing flock, along with several related questions. To see all articles in this series, visit .]

Disease and Parasites

When you introduce new chickens to your flock, you run the risk of also introducing new diseases or parasites to your flock. If you take your chickens to poultry shows, then you run that same risk when you reintroduce chickens that were taken to the show back into your main flock.

Quarantine

The best and most effective way to protect your flock from diseases introduced by new chickens is to quarantine them. When you quarantine a chicken or several chickens, you keep them separate from the rest of the flock for an extended time period.  We recommend a quarantine of at least 30 days.

During the quarantine, care for the quarantined chickens normally, giving them food and water, but do not allow any contact with the existing flock.  Thoroughly wash your hands and disinfect your feet and anything else that comes in contact with these chickens or their environment or manure. We carry several that work well.

While the chickens are in quarantine, watch them closely for any signs of parasites, such as mites, and for any signs of disease, such as respiratory problems, or mucus discharges from the chickens’ eyes or nostrils.

Another Precaution

Chickens in a flock can build up an immunity to a disease yet still be carriers of that disease.  If your new chickens have such an immunity and are disease carriers, the quarantine described above won’t be enough, and the new chickens could still introduce disease into your flock undetected.

There is a way to guard against this. It involves a little risk, but it minimizes the risk of infecting the main flock.  Take one chicken from your main flock and move it into the quarantine with the new birds.  Keep that chicken with your other quarantined birds for the entire quarantine period.  Watch her closely.  If she begins to develop any signs of disease, it is likely that she was infected by the new birds, so in that case, do not introduce the new birds into the flock.  On the other hand, if she makes it through the quarantine period without any signs of disease, then you can be reasonably sure that it is safe to introduce her and the new birds into your flock.

With this approach, you run the risk of losing one chicken from your main flock to disease, but you greatly reduce the risk of losing your entire flock.

Baby Chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery

Murray McMurray Hatchery takes a to make sure that any baby chicks you receive from us are healthy and free of disease.  This eliminates any concern you may have about the baby chicks introducing disease to your existing flock, but there are still some things to consider.

Baby chicks are not able to defend themselves against larger, more mature chickens, so they should be raised separately until they reach maturity. Second, if you have any concerns about disease or parasites in your existing flock, take proper precautions to make sure that you don’t risk introducing it to your new chickens.

In next week’s article, I will discuss how to integrate the new chickens into your existing flock.

 

Baby Chickens for Sale in Mc Cracken 
KS

Baby Chickens Raising in Mc Cracken, Kansas

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

Baby Chickens For Sale in Mc Cracken, Kansas

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Mc Cracken 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 Mc Cracken 
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 Mc Cracken 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 Mc Cracken 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 Quail Chicks in Mc Cracken, 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 Mc Cracken 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 Mc Cracken, Kansas Baby chicks are really adorable and difficult to stand up to, however it's best to plan for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not only the proper products, yet also the proper expertise to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably simple, you merely need to give them with the following: A clean and warm and comfortable habitat A lot of food as well as water Focus and also love Habitat Your environment can be a basic box, fish tank, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (without loose strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing only paper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow misshapen. You also require something to dish out food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle jar cover for food and an animal bird water dispenser from a pet dog store. Additionally, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch right into the habitat to get them trained on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you should give them with a warmth resource. This could be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb also work extremely well (my suggestion). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could take up to two months). The newly hatched out need a temperature between 90 and also 100 levels, as well as every week this could be lowered by approximately 5 levels approximately. The warmth source ought to get on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are hiding in the other edge of your warmth lamp, you should lower the temperature level. If they are smothering each various other under the warmth (not merely cuddling), you have to add some heat. House cleaning Sanitation is crucial as well as it maintains your chicks healthy. Be sure to transform the bedding usually and constantly offer clean food and also water Food and also water. Chicks grow very quickly which requires a lot of clean food as well as water. Offer enough at all times as well as inspect usually to prevent dehydrated as well as starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to grown-up chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the first two months, then switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for an additional 2 months, then to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks want to get a running start on taking dust bathrooms, while others won't take up that task until they are older. If you have the space in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or dirt for them to wash in. Attention and love There are a couple of benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will most likely bond with you and also not flee as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily as well as see their habits, you could catch disease or various other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or other harmful signs. Make sure to additionally take a look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels can cause matted feathers and also clogged up cloaca. Finally, it is necessary to look out for social problems, such as the smallest chick getting badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are now completely feathery as well as its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home and move outside into a cage. Check out our area on chicken cages to get more information regarding coops and correct cage environments.
Baby Chicks     Baby Chickens Hatchery
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Gove, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Cuba, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Attica, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Hiawatha, Kansas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mayetta, Kansas