Baby Chickens for Sale in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Baby chicks in your future?
I remember when I decided to add chickens to our lives. I had been talking about it for years. I knew I had some things to do before I bought the chickens (food, equipment and fencing supplies). I actually bought the chicks on the spur of the moment one day while I was at the Tractor Supply store. I have now had chickens for 8 years.
I bought some food for the chicks, a feeder, a heat lamp and a waterer. I knew I had a couple weeks before I could put the chicks into a fenced-in area so I would have time to build something.
I put the baby chicks into a tall cardboard box with lots of newspaper in the bottom. As the chicks dirtied the newspaper, I could remove a layer at a time. In about a week, you will need some kind of fencing to cover the top of the box. The chicks will be getting out, if you don’t.
I found a spot in our storage building to put the box and hooked up the heat lamp. You need to be really careful with newspaper, a cardboard box and a heat lamp. I worried that it would catch on fire. I used a regular light bulb instead of one of those infrared lights. It was April so it was pretty warm already.
The chicks grew quickly and after a few weeks, I knew they needed more room. The odor was not pleasant even though I changed the paper every day. The chick’s feeder is a long metal feeder with holes. They would crap on it. Then the water had to be changed every day, too. It only took maybe five to ten minutes a day to clean the box and refill the feeder/water.
We went ahead and made a chicken yard big enough for the chicks as adults. I remember reading somewhere that each chicken needs a 4ft square area. Our goal was to keep somewhere between 6 to 12 hens. I wanted one rooster, too. Now that I have had chickens for a number of years, I can say I didn’t enjoy having a rooster. They make a lot of noise in the mornings. Also, they don’t lay eggs. I often felt sorry for the hens as the rooster jumped on them to mate. If you don’t plan on baby chicks, you don’t need the eggs fertilized.
You will need a shelter at night for them to perch. A place to keep the rain and wind off them, too. In other words, we weren’t worrying about cold weather in Florida. I also made sure I built the fenced-in area under some shade trees to keep the chickens cooler. When they are hot, they tend to open their beaks and also spread their wings.
Another thing, you may have to clip their wings some to keep them from flying over the fence. You just need to clip one wing about two inches or so. Just don’t clip too too much and hurt your chicken. Catching the chicken to clip their wings is fun…lol. You just need to corner it and then reach down and grab it. I must admit, the first time I did it, I thought the chicken would peck me but it didn’t.
Free range chicken eggs are much better for you than the ones you buy at the grocery store so I keep the hens in their yard during their laying time and let them out after I collect the eggs (around 4 or 5pm). They return to their house to perch when it starts to get dark outside. Any time you want them to go back into their yard, just lure them with food and throw it in their yard. Believe me, they come running.
For egg laying nests, we used plastic crates. You can research the size of the nest. I read specific “best” size for a nest and it seems like it was about 14 x 14 inches. Actually, my chickens often laid their eggs on the floor of the house, in a corner. Be sure to collect your eggs every day, especially in the summer. I try to collect the eggs before dinner. They seem to lay somewhere between 11am to 3pm.
If I go away for a couple days, I fill up their waterer and their hanging food container and then just go. Sometimes my neighbor or niece collects the eggs while I am gone. If not, I collect the eggs upon returning and throw them away. It is not safe to eat eggs that have been outside in the heat for days.
To help keep odor down, I kept hay on the floor of the chicken house. During the summer, I often spread a bale of hay in the entire chicken yard. The chickens love to scratch and you will see you have NO grass within a short period of time.
I feed them cracked corn or chicken scratch purchased from the feed store. I keep a small bag of oyster shells on hand, too and throw some out maybe once a week.
You might wonder how many chickens you should you get. Well, I now have just five and they lay at least 12 eggs a week. One day I may get four and another two and then occasionally none. Between baking, keeping hard boiled eggs on hand for salads and making egg salad sandwiches, and then cooking a full breakfast on weekends……that is plenty for us. In fact, I have three dozen eggs in the refrigerator right now.
Remember there is a period of time they will not lay any eggs at all (during the winter). The egg laying process has everything to do with sun light. You can put your chickens under lights and they will continue to lay. I think it is best to allow nature to take it’s course and let the poor chicken’s body rest. Plus, electricity costs money.
I could go on and on about chickens but I will stop now. If you have any questions, you can make a comment and I will try to answer it.
Baby Chicks As Pets in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in West Bridgewater 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. West Bridgewater Massachusetts also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in West Bridgewater 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 West Bridgewater MA.Baby Chickens Eggs For Sale in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in West Bridgewater 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
West Bridgewater 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 West Bridgewater
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 Hatching in West Bridgewater, 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 West Bridgewater 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 West Bridgewater, Massachusetts Baby chicks are very adorable and difficult to resist, yet it's finest to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not just the proper products, but also the correct expertise to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably basic, you just have to give them with the following: A tidy as well as warm environment A lot of food as well as water Attention and also love Environment Your habitat can be a simple box, fish tank, cat carrier, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and blankets (with no loosened strings!) to start, and after a few weeks make use of straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing only paper or various other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow misshapen. You likewise require something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water meal from the feed store, or a pickle jar cover for food and also a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet dog shop. Also, as the chicks get older you can present a perch into the environment to obtain them trained on perching. Warmth To maintain your chicks warm you have to give them with a warmth resource. This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat bulb additionally work extremely well (my referral). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which can occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched out need a temperature between 90 and 100 degrees, and also every week this could be lowered by approximately 5 levels or so. The warmth source must get on just one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your heat lamp, you should reduce the temperature. If they are smothering each various other under the heat (not just snuggling), you need to include some warmth. Housekeeping Cleanliness is key as well as it keeps your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to alter the bedding frequently and always offer clean food as well as water Food as well as water. Chicks grow extremely fast which calls for plenty of tidy food and water. Supply enough whatsoever times and check commonly to avoid thirsty and also starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to grown-up chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the initial two months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for an additional 2 months, and after that to a slightly lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking dirt baths, while others will not use up that task till they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Interest and love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly most likely bond with you as well as not escape as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as enjoy their actions, you could capture health problem or other issues earlier. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or various other unhealthy signs. Be sure to also look at their poop, as diarrhea can lead to matted feathers and also obstructed cloaca. Lastly, it is very important to watch out for social issues, such as the littlest chick obtaining picked on. Empty nest disorder So your chicks are currently completely feathered and also its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home and also relocate outside right into a coop. Look into our area on chicken coops to find out more regarding cages as well as appropriate cage environments.Baby Chickens As Pets Baby Chicks Facts
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