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Baby Chickens for Sale in Erving, Massachusetts

Baby Chickens for Sale in Erving, Massachusetts

A Chick, Chick Here

It was a typical Tuesday morning at 1840 Farm.  I was 90 minutes into a tomato soup canning session when the phone rang.  When I picked it up, I could immediately hear the “cheep, cheep, cheep” in the background as a not very impressed postal employee informed me that I needed to come pick up my chicks.  I could tell from the tone of his voice that he wanted me there yesterday.

So, hot water bath canner bubbling on the stove, I calmly told him, “I’ll be there in thirty minutes!”  I raced to the garage to set up their new home.  I wasn’t expecting for them to arrive until later this week, but luckily we had already gathered the necessary supplies.  I ran back into the house, turned the heat off under the canning pot, set the timer for five minutes and watched the time tick down.  There was nothing that I could do but wait and hope that they would still be “peeping” when I got there.

They were.  As soon as I entered the post office, I could hear them from the back room.  I waited my turn and told them that I was there for the baby chicks.  They never asked my name.  They didn’t ask to see any form of identification.  They quickly handed over the baby chicks.  They were happy to see my pick up my package and head for the door.  I can tell you that I got a lot of interesting glances as I was walking out to my car.  People tend to stare when you are carrying a package the size of a child’s shoe box that is peeping.

We ordered our heritage breed chicks from .  They were great about offering resources for first time chicken keepers.  They kept recommending not to open the box in front of children as a few of them might not have made the journey and lived to peep about it.  So, I knew what I needed to do.  I carefully cut the strapping tape away from three of the sides.  I gently lifted the lid and tried to count the little fluff balls inside.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!  They had all made it.  Now to get them home and settled in.  My daughter couldn’t wait to get them out of the box and into their little warm brooder.  We opened the box and two hopped right out into the pine shavings.  The rest of them quickly decided that living in their little shipping box forever seemed like a good idea.  Finally, with a little encouragement, they gently set foot into their new space.

We watched them with bated breath.  Would they drink?  Would they eat?  Were they warm enough?  Too warm?  Who knew that chicken keeping was this difficult?  I carefully picked each chick up and dipped its beak into the waterer.  Some happily drank water while others immediately pulled their beaks out of the water as if they were being waterboarded.  Those chicks ran away from the water to the safety of the opposite corner of the brooder.  They were definitely keeping an eye on me.  I was not to be trusted.

That was, until I brought more food.  Then I was back in their good graces as they all investigated their surroundings, had a snack, and settled in under the heat lamp for a well deserved nap.  They were exhausted from their journey.  I was certainly exhausted from mine.

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Erving 
MA

Baby Chicks Types in Erving, Massachusetts

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

Raising Baby Chickens in Erving, Massachusetts

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Erving 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 Erving 
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 Erving 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 Erving 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 Habitat in Erving, 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 Erving 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 Erving, Massachusetts Baby chicks are extremely charming and challenging to withstand, but it's ideal to prepare for their arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first by collecting not only the correct products, however additionally the correct knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably straightforward, you simply should offer them with the following: A clean and cozy environment Plenty of food as well as water Focus and love Habitat Your environment can be an easy box, aquarium, feline provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also coverings (with no loosened strings!) to start, and after a few weeks use straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just newspaper or other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand malformed. You also require something to dish out food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container lid for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Also, as the chicks get older you could introduce a perch into the environment to get them educated on setting down. Warmth To keep your chicks warm you should provide them with a heat resource. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb additionally function effectively (my referral). Chicks need this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which could take up to two months). The recently hatched out require a temperature level between 90 and 100 degrees, and every week this can be minimized by about 5 degrees approximately. The heat resource ought to get on simply one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your best thermometer- if they are concealing in the other corner of your warmth light, you need to decrease the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not simply curling up), you should add some heat. Housekeeping Tidiness is essential and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter the bedding often as well as consistently supply tidy food and water Food and also water. Chicks expand extremely quickly which calls for plenty of clean food and also water. Give sufficient in any way times and also examine usually to stop dehydrated as well as hungry chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, and it comes in both medicated and also non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the initial two months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for one more 2 months, then to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to obtain a running start on taking filth bathrooms, while others will not occupy that activity till they are older. If you have the area in your chick enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Focus as well as love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will certainly more than likely bond with you as well as not flee as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily as well as watch their habits, you can catch ailment or various other problems previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, limping, or various other undesirable signs. Make certain to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea could cause matted feathers as well as obstructed cloaca. Lastly, it is necessary to watch out for social problems, such as the tiniest chick getting teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now totally feathery and its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home as well as relocate outside into a coop. Take a look at our section on chicken coops for more information concerning cages and correct cage habitats.
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