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Baby Chickens for Sale in Amherst, Massachusetts

Baby Chickens for Sale in Amherst, Massachusetts

On Cows and Chickens

On Cows and Chickens

March 28, 2012 in , , , by

This is  a re-post of a post I wrote for the blog about two years ago this time of year. When I wrote it we had just hatched our first clutch of little chicks. It was an incredible experience and one that we have done several times since.  Spring is my favorite season because it is hard to ignore the beautiful symbolism of re-birth and life that happens this time of year.

For my doula certification I had to sit in on a childbirth education class for a few weeks. During the course of the class,the teacher shared a story that one of her first time fathers shared with her. The young man was a cattle rancher and managed a large herd owned by a man who lived out of the state. For some reason, the owner of the herd was really terrified about the cows giving birth. He was certain that things were going to go wrong and that he would loose his cows. He told this young man that he needed to bring the cows close the barn when it was time for them to give birth.

The young man refused adamantly saying, “It is gonna bug em.” But the owner insisted and so when the cows were ready to calve the young man brought them in out of the far pasture where they normally calved and into a pasture closer to the barn. They hadn’t ever had any problems with the cows calving before but that year they had to do a c-section on one of the cows who was unable to birth her baby.

That made the owner even more afraid that something was going to go wrong with the births so he insisted that the young man bring the cows in the barn when they were ready to calve. The young man refused saying, “Now that is really gonna bug em.” Yet since he didn’t want to loose his job he drove the cattle into the barn when calving time came around. That year they had to do five c-sections and numerous manual assists; it was the hardest calving season the young man had ever had in all his experience on cattle ranches.

The next year knowing that the owner was going to want the cows in the barn again during calving season the young rancher drove the entire herd up to the pasture furthest away from the barn and left them there. He purposely waited until the very end of calving season to go up and check on them. There he found that all the cows, even those who had had c-section the previous year, had all given birth safely and without assistance.

I can’t help but wonder how different women’s birth outcomes and experiences would be if they were allowed to just simply give birth—without all the commotion, without all the machines,  without all the checking, poking, prodding, and control that goes on in many birth rooms. What if women were sent out to their “farthest pasture,” a place beautiful, full of good food, surrounded by loved ones who had faith in them, and were allowed to let the natural process of work like God designed it to.  How different would our perspective of birth be then?

I’ve also had another experience this week that has turned my thoughts towards birth. My hen, who had been sitting on seven eggs for the last three weeks, just hatched four little beautiful babies. It was such a beautiful thing and the doula inside of me was having a hard time between knowing I should step back and let the natural process unfold and wanting to see the whole thing happen. The doula in me won and left the hen alone as much as I could.

In the end I only got to see one of the chicks hatch from its shell, and it took a really long time.  I’ll admit that a part of me wanted to reach down and pull away part of the shell from him so he could come free. Yet, I knew from high school biology class that the motions a chick goes through pecking and wiggling out of it’s shell is vital to it’s development and therefore survival. If it isn’t allowed to do it by itself, then it won’t thrive and often dies. So, as much as I wanted to help the chick I just let things unfold and eventually that little chick did it just fine.

As I watched this little chick fluff out its feathers and run around the brooder box I couldn’t help but wonder why we seem to have so much more faith in a chicken’s ability to be born than we do a human baby. Humans are the greatest of all God’s creations. Unlike any other creatures on this earth, we are created in the image of God. We alone have the ability to reason and to make choices just as the Gods do. We are Gods and Goddesses in training and have so much divine potential. Why is it then that we mistrust women’s bodies so much? Why do we have more confidence in a cow’s ability to give birth than we do a potential Goddess’s?

I have a great testimony of women’s innate divine power, physical and spiritual. I know that if we tap into this power and if we have faith in God’s natural plan, birth gives us an incredible opportunity to reclaim and rediscover the powerful connection between our bodies and our spirits.

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Amherst 
MA

Baby Chickens And Heat Lamps in Amherst, Massachusetts

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Amherst Massachusetts, 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. Amherst Massachusetts also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Amherst Massachusetts, 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 Amherst MA.

Baby Chickens Diet in Amherst, Massachusetts

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Amherst Massachusetts 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 Amherst 
MATypically 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 Amherst Massachusetts * 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 Amherst Massachusetts * 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 Sale in Amherst, Massachusetts

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 Amherst Massachusetts 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 Amherst, Massachusetts Baby chicks are extremely cute as well as challenging to stand up to, yet it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by compiling not just the appropriate products, yet additionally the proper understanding to care for them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you merely should provide them with the following: A tidy as well as warm habitat Lots of food as well as water Attention and love Habitat Your environment can be an easy box, fish tank, pet cat provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (without any loose strings!) to start, and also after a few weeks make use of straw over paper. Note: Avoid utilizing only paper or other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow misshapen. You additionally need something to provide food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food as well as a family pet bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Likewise, as the chicks grow older you can present a perch right into the environment to obtain them trained on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks warm you need to provide them with a warmth source. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb likewise function effectively (my recommendation). Chicks need this heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which can take up to two months). The newly hatched need a temperature level between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and also weekly this could be decreased by about 5 degrees approximately. The heat source ought to get on simply one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperature levels. The chicks are your finest thermostat- if they are hiding in the other corner of your warmth light, you should reduce the temperature level. If they are smothering each various other under the warmth (not just snuggling), you should put some warmth. Housekeeping Tidiness is vital and also it keeps your chicks healthy and balanced. Make sure to change the bedding typically as well as constantly offer clean food and water Food as well as water. Chicks expand extremely quick which calls for a lot of clean food as well as water. Give enough at all times and examine frequently to prevent dehydrated and hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated as well as non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a somewhat lower protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want to get a head start on taking filth baths, while others will not take up that task up until they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, present a tray of sand or dust for them to shower in. Focus and love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will more than likely bond with you and not run away as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as view their behavior, you could capture ailment or various other troubles previously. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or various other unhealthy indications. Make sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted plumes and also obstructed cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to keep an eye out for social problems, such as the tiniest chick obtaining picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently fully feathered and its time for them to leave the safety and security of your residence as well as move outside into a coop. Take a look at our part on chicken coops to read more concerning coops and appropriate coop environments.
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