Hi. We are Ken and Mary, and we are addicted to chickens. Seriously.
Spring is the most wonderful time on a farm. If it were any farm other than this one there would be fresh vegetables. However, out here, we’ve not quite found the time for the garden. [Note: If anyone within a reasonable driving distance would like to garden out here, have out it. I have the beds, the seeds, and a brown thumb. But there’s hope.]
What there is and will be more of in the next few weeks, is baby animals. Lambs and goats romp around the barnyard and have a ridiculous amount of fun! It can’t help but lift your spirits to watch them.
And then there are the chickens… and another batch of chickens … and yet another batch of chickens.
The first batch is totally excusable. I didn’t pick them out; our grandgirls, The Three Sisters, picked them out. Each girl picked out 3 chicks. Each chose a different breed. Going to the feed store and picking out chicks to is one of the highlights of their spring! From that batch, we ended up with 3 Buff Orpington’s, 3 Rhode Island Reds, and 3 Ameraucana’s. That was in early March, and they are coming along nicely. (Lousy picture but you can get the idea of their size. It’s hard to photograph a small object that moves!)
Then one day while driving I received a call from Pete, the owner of the feed store, saying that our chicks were there and waiting to be picked up. What chicks? I didn’t order any chicks? It appears that Ken had surreptitiously stopped by the feed store and ordered chicks! So now we have these little darlings (a total of 15 more chicks) — Russian Orloffs, Wyandotts, Speckled Sussex, Black Australopes, Lakenvelders, and something else that slips his mind at the moment. They are nicely feathered out, but still small, so they still have a light to sit under if it’s too cool for them.
But wait! There’s more!
Today, 30 more chicks showed up! Technically, these were the first ones that were ordered, but because of when I placed the order (yes, I’m to blame for these), I had to wait for an April 3rd hatch date. These are a bit different, too, because 25 of the 30 are heritage meat chickens. They will only be, ahem, temporary residents.
Like all brand new chicks, they are little more than balls of fluff. The meat breeds are Red Rangers, Naked Necks (one ugly bird), and Heritage Whites. Then there are also a few Golden Nuggets which, despite the name, are primarily layers. These interesting birds came from in Alabama. They will take a week or two longer to get to market weight than the “Frankenbird” Cornish Crosses that most people raise, but it will be worth it.
So there you have it – our chicken addiction. This will hopefully be the end of buying chicks for this year because it will soon be too warm, but you never know….
Baby Chicks Near Me in
Hanover, Maine
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hanover Maine,
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. Hanover
Maine also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Hanover Maine, 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 Hanover ME.
Baby Chicks
Raising in
Hanover, Maine
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hanover Maine
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
Hanover Maine * 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 Hanover
Maine * 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 Facts in
Hanover, Maine
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
Hanover Maine 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 Hanover,
Maine Baby chicks are extremely
charming and also
tough to stand up to,
but it's best to plan for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare initially
by gathering not only the
correct materials, yet
additionally the appropriate
understanding to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
straightforward, you merely have to offer them with the following: A
clean and warm and comfortable
environment Plenty of food and water Focus and also
love Environment Your habitat could be an easy box, aquarium,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without loose
strings!) to start, and after a few weeks make use of straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just
newspaper or other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You likewise require
something to serve up food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
cover for food and also a family
pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Additionally, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch
into the habitat to obtain them
trained on perching. Warmth To
maintain your chicks heat you need to
supply them with a warmth resource.
This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb additionally function very
well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which could take up to 2 months). The freshly
hatched out need a temperature level
between 90 and also 100 levels,
and also weekly this could
be lowered by
approximately 5 degrees or
so. The warmth source ought
to get on just one side of the cage
to enable chicks an array of
temperatures. The chicks are your best
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
opposite corner of your warmth
lamp, you have to
lower the temperature level. If
they are smothering each other under the
warmth (not just snuggling),
you have to put some warmth.
Housekeeping
Tidiness is crucial as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to transform
the bed linen
usually and also
constantly offer tidy
food as well as water Food and water.
Chicks expand very quick
which requires lots of tidy
food and also water. Supply
enough whatsoever times as well
as check
frequently to prevent thirsty and
starving chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
first two months, then
switch to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for an additional 2 months,
then to a slightly
lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Soil Some chicks want
to obtain a head start on taking
dust baths, while others won't occupy that task up until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to wash in.
Focus and love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will more than likely bond with you as well as
not escape as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily as well as
view their actions, you could
capture disease or other troubles earlier. Keep an
eye out for hissing, limping, or
other undesirable
indicators. Make certain to
also look at
their poop, as diarrhea could cause matted plumes and stopped up cloaca.
Lastly, it is essential to look out
for social concerns, such as the
tiniest chick obtaining badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently totally feathery
and also its time for them to leave the
security of your house
and relocate outside right into a cage. Check out our
section on chicken coops to find out
more
concerning coops and
appropriate coop environments.
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