Baby Chickens for Sale in Andover, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Andover, Massachusetts
Our First Experiences With Chickens
Our Brahma Hen
Recently, with the prices of food rising, especially eggs, we decided that we wanted to make a concentrated effort to raise chickens. I have never had the opportunity to interact with chickens other than in grade school when we hatched baby chickens in incubators, so I knew this would have a steep learning curve. After scouring the internet for sites on the different breeds of chickens, we were pleased to discover which had fairly good descriptions and accompanying pictures.
We decided on four different breeds:
1) Brahma:
2) Delaware:
3) Barred Rock:
and one we’re not sure of. We were told she was a Rhode Island Red (), but now we’re assuming she’s an
4) Ameraucana:
We purchased them at 2 weeks old and they’re about 3 months now. One thing I was not prepared for is that each hen has her own personality and quirks, not unlike a puppy. They are curious about everything and always come up to greet us. We decided to not invest in a rooster since our neighbors are relatively close and our alarm clocks are more than adequate.
Besides eggs and meat, another great benefit to having chickens is that their waste can be composted and used as fertilizer. Since they eat practically anything, they also make great food scrap disposals too!
If any of you decide to acquire your own flock of chickens be certain to buy or build your chicken coup first. Chickens grow amazingly fast and before you know it, they will have outgrown their temporary living arrangements. We decided to build our own coup and let me tell you, they take up a great deal of time. We ended up building a 6′ x 6′ base, covered the floor with linoleum, complete with a triangular based roof of which one side “hatches” open for easy cleaning. The whole coup is on wooden stilts attached to concrete slabs which anchor it to the ground. The chicken door opens up into a large chicken run. Our design was pieced together from several other coup designs that others have posted on the internet.
Have you had experiences with chickens? If so, feel free to comment and share.
Barred Rock and a "We're Not Quite Sure" Hen
Baby Chickens And Ducks in Andover, Massachusetts
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Andover 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. Andover Massachusetts also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Andover 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 Andover MA.Baby Chickens Black in Andover, Massachusetts
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Andover 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.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
Andover 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 Andover
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 Chicks Breeds in Andover, 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 Andover 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 Andover, Massachusetts Baby chicks are very cute as well as tough to withstand, however it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first by compiling not only the proper materials, but additionally the correct understanding to care for them. Raising baby chicks is fairly basic, you merely have to supply them with the following: A clean as well as cozy habitat Plenty of food and water Attention as well as love Habitat Your environment can be a straightforward box, fish tank, feline carrier, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (with no loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over paper. Note: Avoid using only newspaper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand malformed. You additionally require something to dish out food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar cover for food and an animal bird water dispenser from an animal store. Likewise, as the chicks age you can present a perch right into the environment to obtain them trained on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you should give them with a heat source. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat bulb also function effectively (my suggestion). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and also weekly this could be decreased by about 5 degrees approximately. The heat source must get on merely one side of the cage to allow chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your warmth light, you should lower the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the warmth (not just snuggling), you should add some heat. Housekeeping Sanitation is crucial and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Be sure to change the bed linens typically as well as always offer tidy food as well as water Food and also water. Chicks grow really quickly which needs a lot of tidy food and water. Give enough whatsoever times as well as examine commonly to avoid parched as well as starving chicks. Chick food is different compared to grown-up chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the very first 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 like to obtain a running start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others won't occupy that activity 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 as well as love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will more than likely bond with you as well as not escape as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as see their behavior, you could catch illness or other troubles previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or other unhealthy indications. Make sure to additionally consider their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted plumes and also clogged cloaca. Finally, it is important to look out for social issues, such as the smallest chick getting picked on. Empty nest disorder So your chicks are currently totally feathered and its time for them to leave the safety of your house as well as move outside into a cage. Look into our part on chicken cages to find out more about coops as well as correct cage habitats.Baby Chickens As Pets Baby Chickens As Pets
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Amherst, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Acton, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Accord, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Agawam, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Acushnet, Massachusetts