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Baby Chickens for Sale in Slaughters, Kentucky

Baby Chickens for Sale in Slaughters, Kentucky

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 Slaughters 
KY

Baby Chickens Online in Slaughters, Kentucky

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Slaughters Kentucky, 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. Slaughters Kentucky also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Slaughters Kentucky, 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 Slaughters KY.

Baby Chicks Male in Slaughters, Kentucky

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Slaughters Kentucky 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 Slaughters 
KYTypically 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 Slaughters Kentucky * 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 Slaughters Kentucky * 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 And Ducks For Sale in Slaughters, Kentucky

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 Slaughters Kentucky 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 Slaughters, Kentucky Baby chicks are extremely charming as well as difficult to resist, but it's best to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare first by collecting not just the right products, however also the appropriate understanding to look after them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you just should provide them with the following: A tidy and also warm environment A lot of food and water Interest and love Environment Your habitat can be a basic box, fish tank, feline service provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (without any loosened strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid using only paper or various other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand misshapen. You also require something to provide food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar lid for food and a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Also, as the chicks get older you could present a perch into the habitat to obtain them educated on setting down. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you should supply them with a warmth source. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat bulb likewise work very well (my suggestion). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which could take up to two months). The newly hatched require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and also every week this could be minimized by approximately 5 levels or so. The heat resource need to be on simply one side of the cage to permit chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your best thermometer- if they are concealing in the other corner of your heat lamp, you have to minimize the temperature. If they are smothering each other under the warmth (not just curling up), you need to add some warmth. House cleaning Sanitation is vital and also it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to alter the bed linens typically and also constantly provide tidy food and water Food as well as water. Chicks expand very quick which requires plenty of clean food and water. Offer enough at all times as well as check often to prevent dehydrated and also starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to grown-up chicken food, and it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the very first two months, then change to a grower food (~ 17 % protein) for an additional 2 months, and after that to a slightly lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking filth baths, while others won't take up that task till they are older. If you have the space in your chick unit, introduce a tray of sand or dust for them to shower in. Interest and love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as not run away as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and also watch their behavior, you can capture disease or various other issues earlier. Keep an eye out for wheezing, hopping, or various other harmful signs. Be sure to also look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels can cause matted plumes as well as clogged up cloaca. Lastly, it is essential to watch out for social issues, such as the smallest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now totally feathered and its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home and move outside right into a cage. Look into our section on chicken coops to get more information concerning coops as well as appropriate cage environments.
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