Baby Chickens for Sale in Lake Arthur, Louisiana
Baby Chickens for Sale in Lake Arthur, Louisiana
Things No One Told You About Raising Baby Chicks On The Homestead
There are as many ways and opinions about how to raise chickens as there are chicken breeds. It is amazing at how passionate people are about their chickens and how they raise them. As the little chicks develop you can literally see them changing day to day. One day they had no wing feathers, and the next day they had visibly sprouted. Merissa over at shares raising baby chickens – a beginners guide to baby chicken care.
Raising Baby Chickens & Baby Chicken Care
Who can resist this cute little fuzzy baby chickens at the local farm supply store? They look so sweet and innocent and are just begging for you to take them home.
Even though having raising baby chickens seems easy enough (feed water = happy chickens!), it’s a little more complicated than it appears. Thankfully once you have a few tips and tricks under your belt it will be a breeze and your birds will stay happy and healthy and become the nice, producing flock you hope they will be.
I’ve raised chickens for many many years. When I was little we would have so much fun heading to the feed store and picking out our special birds that we would raise for the 4-H Achievement Days. Then we would spend weeks obsessing over our little birds and watching them as they slowly outgrew their fuzz and gain lovely feathers in all different colors. Of course, not every batch of birds turned out perfectly and there were many bumps along the way, but hopefully you will learn from our mistakes!
Let’s start in the beginning with that trip to the feed store. Most feed stores carry the basic breeds that will grow to be healthy meat and laying birds. You can check out . If you want to raise birds for laying eggs, make sure to get pullets (hens), if you don’t care as much or are raising birds for butchering, you can stick with the cheaper straight run. I’ve personally had one too many roosters chase me across the yard so I stick with all pullets. *Remember, there is always a chance that you may have some roosters, even in a pullet bunch…sexing chickens isn’t always accurate when they are so young.
- Tip! Ask your feed store what day they get chickens in from their source and come pick out your birds a few days later. That way you know the birds made it through the shock of being transported and have a higher chance of being healthy.
While you are at the feed store, make sure to pick up several items. You will need a feeder, a waterer, chick starter, wood shavings, and a heat lamp set up. You will also need some kind of rubber or plastic tub if you don’t have one. A plastic tote works well for a small batch of birds, as does a rubber animal waterer. If there is someone around to help you, you can also ask them about baby chicken care, especially if you are getting a specialty breed.
Baby Chickens How To Care in Lake Arthur, Louisiana
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Lake Arthur Louisiana, 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. Lake Arthur Louisiana also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Lake Arthur Louisiana, 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 Lake Arthur LA.Baby Chicks Types in Lake Arthur, Louisiana
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Lake Arthur Louisiana 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
Lake Arthur Louisiana * 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 Lake Arthur
Louisiana * 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 Care in Lake Arthur, Louisiana
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 Lake Arthur Louisiana 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 Lake Arthur, Louisiana Baby chicks are really cute as well as tough to resist, yet it's finest to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first by compiling not just the correct products, but also the appropriate knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is fairly easy, you simply need to give them with the following: A tidy and cozy environment A lot of food as well as water Interest and love Environment Your environment could be a straightforward box, fish tank, feline provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also coverings (with no loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks use straw over paper. Note: Avoid using only newspaper or various other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You additionally require something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and also 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 shop. Additionally, as the chicks age you can introduce a perch into the environment to get them educated on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you need to provide them with a heat source. This can be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb also work very well (my suggestion). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched need a temperature level between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and weekly this can be lowered by about 5 levels or so. The warmth source must get on merely one side of the cage to allow chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermostat- if they are hiding in the opposite corner of your heat lamp, you should decrease the temperature level. If they are smothering each various other under the heat (not merely snuggling), you should put some heat. Housekeeping Sanitation is essential and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Be sure to alter the bed linens often and also always give clean food and water Food and water. Chicks expand really quickly which calls for a lot of tidy food and also water. Provide sufficient whatsoever times as well as inspect frequently to prevent parched as well as starving chicks. Chick food is different compared to adult chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the initial 2 months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and afterwards to a somewhat reduced protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks prefer to obtain a head start on taking filth bathrooms, while others will not take up that activity until they are older. If you have the space in your chick room, present a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Attention and also love There are a few advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly probably bond with you and not escape as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and also see their behavior, you could capture disease or other issues previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or various other undesirable signs. Make certain to additionally look at their poop, as diarrhea could result in matted feathers as well as blocked cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now completely feathered and its time for them to leave the safety of your house as well as move outside into a coop. Check out our area on chicken cages for more information regarding coops and also appropriate cage habitats.Baby Chicks To Buy Baby Chicks For Sale
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