Baby Chickens for Sale in West Wareham, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in West Wareham, Massachusetts
Brooder Box for baby Chicks: A Tutorial
- 09/26/2012
Our little darling chicks have arrived! We ordered from mypetchicken.com and found the selection and service to be excellent. The chicks shipped super fast and were all healthy and well when they arrived (oh and so soft and cute!). Our little gal chicks will live in their brooder box for about 4-6 weeks, then transition to their chicken coop outdoors, where they will have free range of our backyard once they are full grown.
Investing in chicks can start to get expensive if you don’t DIY. I considered just using a large cardboard box to keep them in for those first 4-6 weeks, but all the sources I read about chick care said that a large cardboard box would soon be too small for the growing chicks (and potentially too short as well for when they try flying). Mypetchicken.com sells a for $72 shipping; however to save some cash, I decided to copy the idea using left over moving boxes I had laying around.
You will need:
2 Large cardboard boxes of the same size
cutting tool
strong tape (duct tape works)
It’s so simple: cut a side open on the two boxes, open them up and then tape the edges together, folding the bottoms in together so they sort of weave and interlock. You can choose to tape those inside flaps together for added stability.
Added bonus for this design: when the chicks get bigger and can start jumping and trying to fly, you can fold up the top flaps of the boxes and tape them together to add 5 plus inches to the height of your box – cool! You can also grab a couple long sticks or dowels and punch holes in the sides of the cardboard to set up roosting perches for the chicks about 1-2 inches off the ground.
To make removing and cleaning the pine bedding easier, I picked up a painters drop cloth at the hardware store for $8, size 5×5, and laid it inside the pen before putting down the bedding. This will allow me to wrap up the entire bedding/poop mess inside the drop cloth and carry it out to the compost pile.
Other items needed for our 6 little birds were purchased at a local feed store:
- $5.50 – buy the large one so you don’t have to buy it later when the birds get bigger and try to knock over a smaller sized one you may have bought at first. Saves you money and time!
- $4
- 3 cubic feet of compressed $8
- 25 lbs $12
- From Amazon I purchased a for $11.20
- and from Amazon also I purchased a $12
My home-made “package” cost $55.70, compared to the starter kit from mypetchicken.com priced at $72 plus shipping. As an added bonus, I purchased 5 times as much food, got a larger watering device and a metal feeder instead of plastic. I also was able to get 20 times as much pine bedding and a much sturdier heatlamp. I’d say that’s a win! Plus, I do think my recycled cardboard chick house ended up being larger than the size of the packaged one.
And man, are they cute! My son loves going in there during the day with me to check on them.
For more information on raising baby chicks, I recommend
You May Also Like:
Baby Chickens By Mail in West Wareham, Massachusetts
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in West Wareham 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 Wareham Massachusetts also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in West Wareham 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 Wareham MA.Baby Chicks By Mail in West Wareham, Massachusetts
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in West Wareham 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 Wareham 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 Wareham
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 How To Care in West Wareham, 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 Wareham 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 Wareham, Massachusetts Baby chicks are extremely cute and challenging to withstand, however it's finest to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first by gathering not only the appropriate products, however additionally the correct understanding to look after them. Raising baby chicks is relatively basic, you just need to offer them with the following: A tidy as well as warm habitat A lot of food and also water Focus and love Environment Your habitat can be an easy box, aquarium, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (without any loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand malformed. You also need something to dish out food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food and a family pet bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Also, as the chicks grow older you could present a perch into the environment to obtain them trained on setting down. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you need to offer them with a heat source. This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb additionally function extremely well (my suggestion). Chicks require this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which could occupy to two months). The recently hatched need a temperature between 90 as well as 100 levels, as well as every week this could be minimized by about 5 degrees or so. The warmth resource need to be on simply one side of the cage to allow chicks a range of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are concealing in the contrary edge of your heat light, you should minimize the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the warmth (not simply cuddling), you need to put some heat. Housekeeping Sanitation is essential and it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to change the bedding typically and consistently provide clean food and water Food and water. Chicks grow really quickly which needs plenty of tidy food as well as water. Supply sufficient whatsoever times and inspect commonly to avoid thirsty and also hungry chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the initial 2 months, then switch over to a grower food (~ 17 % protein) for an additional 2 months, and after that to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to get a running start on taking filth baths, while others won't take up that activity up until they are older. If you have the room in your chick enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or dirt for them to shower in. Focus as well as love There are a few benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will more than likely bond with you and also not run away as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and also view their habits, you could catch illness or various other problems previously. Keep an eye out for wheezing, limping, or other undesirable signs. Be sure to likewise check out their poop, as looseness of the bowels could bring about matted feathers as well as stopped up cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to watch out for social issues, such as the littlest chick getting picked on. Empty nest disorder So your chicks are now fully feathered and also its time for them to leave the security of your residence and relocate outside right into a cage. Check out our part on chicken coops to find out more regarding coops and also correct coop environments.Baby Chickens And Heat Lamps Baby Chickens Under Lights
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Lee, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in North Truro, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Boston, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Sutton, Massachusetts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Leominster, Massachusetts