Baby Chickens for Sale in Smithfield, Maine
Baby Chickens for Sale in Smithfield, Maine
Urban Chickens: Do it yourself hen-party
Until recently, my knowledge of chickens– live ones, at least– was very limited. When I thought of poultry egg production, my mind turned to clucking, gossipy hens who, upon hearing the seductive croon of an emaciated rooster resembling a young Frank Sinatra with feathers, fainted dead away on the small mountain of eggs that just poured out of their backsides as a result of their .
That is, until I met Sophia [above, left] and Zsu Zsu [above, right], two who make their home with the Kriese family in Redwood City.
I’d read about these hens at — a fascinating blog started by Thomas and Melanie Kriese that began as an online diary about the joys and challenges of raising baby chicks into egg-laying adulthood, but has since grown into a mouthpiece for a kind of nascient-though-growing Poultry Rights movement. Yes, if you are looking for the latest-breaking local and national poultry news, you can find it there.
My original fascination with the website stemmed from an outlining the . Yes, that means raising chickens within San Francisco city limits. Apparently, anyone with enough room to keep a chicken coop 20 feet away from any human dwelling’s door or window can keep up to four chickens (sorry, no roosters) as pets! Somehow, I found this news very cheering.
Imagine waking up to find fresh eggs delivered a mere 20 feet from your back door every morning by animals who have imprinted more deeply upon you than your children ever will. Just please don’t expect miracles– hens lay on average once every 26 hours, which would give you…you’ll have to do the math yourself. If that is beyond you, you have no business caring for chickens since you most likely have enough difficulty just getting dressed in the morning.
[Above: Sophia’s very first egg is on the left, her latest, on the right.]
Fresh eggs. Not farm-fresh, mind you. Fresher than that. Fresh from the business ends of your pets.
Pets that like you so much, they provide you with food. Yes, cats will occasionally offer you a small dead bird or lizard, but only a loving chicken can provide you with the consistent means to create marvelous omelets.
And if I had a dog, I’d be looking at him with deep disappointment right about now, too.
Not only do chickens-as-pets provide eggs, they gladly lend themselves to weeding and pest control. And the supply of fertilizer is nearly endless.
Chickens, it would seem, are good for the environment.
After the Krieses kindly allowed me to spend time with their docile, kid-friendly hens, they sent me off with a few eggs from their personal stash, wrapping the very-latest egg separately, so that I might distinguish it from the rest. I was eager to crack it open and have at it.
Upon return to my friend ‘s house, I cracked open a beer, and then proceeded to do the same with the freshest egg in my acquaintance.
There was very little I wished to do other than eat it. But how? A light scramble, with just a little butter in the pan and a slight sprinkling of sea salt when it hit the plate. I cooked up a store-bought (though still organic) egg exactly the same way and compared the two. Everything about the ür-fresh egg was richer– the color of the yolk, the flavor, and the feel on the tongue. The store-bought egg was still good, but, you know where I am going with this, surely.
The thought of returning to my tiny, chicken-free apartment suddenly depressed me a little. Then I took another swig of beer, another bite of scrambled egg, and moved on.
If you think you might be eligible to keep some urban chickens of you very own, or just want to read about people who do, visit .
To purchase an Eglu, which is basically a Barbie Dream home for chickens, visit:
Share this:
Related
Baby Chickens 101 in Smithfield, Maine
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Smithfield 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. Smithfield Maine also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Smithfield 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 Smithfield ME.Feeding Baby Quail Chicks in Smithfield, Maine
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Smithfield 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
Smithfield 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 Smithfield
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 Chicks Coop in Smithfield, 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 Smithfield 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 Smithfield, Maine Baby chicks are extremely charming as well as hard to resist, but it's ideal to prepare for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially by gathering not only the appropriate products, yet additionally the proper understanding to care for them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably easy, you just need to supply them with the following: A tidy and also warm environment A lot of food and water Focus and love Habitat Your habitat could be a simple box, aquarium, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and blankets (without loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a couple of weeks utilize straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only newspaper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow misshapen. You additionally require something to serve up food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container cover for food and a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch into the environment to obtain them educated on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you have to provide them with a heat source. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb likewise work effectively (my referral). Chicks need this heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which can use up to 2 months). The freshly hatched require a temperature level between 90 and also 100 degrees, and also every week this could be lowered by about 5 degrees approximately. The heat resource must get on merely one side of the cage to allow chicks a range of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermostat- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your heat light, you need to lower the temperature level. If they are smothering each other under the heat (not simply curling up), you need to put some heat. House cleaning Tidiness is vital as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to transform the bedding frequently as well as consistently supply tidy food as well as water Food and also water. Chicks grow quite fast which calls for a lot of tidy food and water. Supply sufficient in any way times and also check often to avoid dehydrated and also hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and 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 grower food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and afterwards to a slightly lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking dust baths, while others won't take up that task until they are older. If you have the room in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to shower in. Attention and also love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you and also not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also enjoy their actions, you could capture health problem or various other issues earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or other unhealthy signs. Make certain to additionally take a look at their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted plumes and stopped up cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to watch out for social issues, such as the littlest chick obtaining badgered. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now totally feathery and its time for them to leave the security of your residence and also relocate outside into a cage. Check out our area on chicken cages to find out more about cages and also correct cage environments.Baby Chicks House Baby Chickens Near Me
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Kents Hill, Maine
Baby Chickens for Sale in Limerick, Maine
Baby Chickens for Sale in Naples, Maine
Baby Chickens for Sale in East Millinocket, Maine
Baby Chickens for Sale in Perry, Maine