On her blog Lauren informs us about what Organic means when it comes to purchasing your chicken. Many people think chicken is chicken, but there is much to know about the Organic. Here is what Lauren teaches us:
Organic means that the bird you are purchasing has been fed an organic diet, which denies the use of antibiotics, hormones, genetic engineering, radiation, synthetic pesticides or fertilizers in the feed. Buying organic only relates to the bird’s diet – it has nothing to do with their environment or handling. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted, and there is no third party auditing.
Natural: This means absolutely nothing. It does not make any promises, guarantees, or claims about the animal, its quality, how it was raised, etc.
Cage Free: This means that the bird is uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but likely has no access to the outdoors. Cage Free birds are still usually packed like sardines in their enclosures, so this is still a far cry from humane living conditions. Beak cutting is permitted.
Free Range: Free Range poultry are uncaged inside barns or warehouses and have some degree of outdoor access, but there are no requirements for the amount, duration, or quality of outdoor access. Outdoor access could mean a concrete enclosure – it does not imply grass or a pasture. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted, and there is no third party auditing.
Vegetarian Fed: This just means that the feed given to the poultry is free of animal flesh. Chickens are naturally not vegetarian, so this does not really mean much in the way of quality.
So what to buy? Basically it’s fairly difficult to buy a bird that you can guarantee was raised in optimal conditions. At minimum, buy organic free-range. If you have access to a farmer’s market, that is likely where you will find the best quality poultry and meats. Birds raised on small family farms are going to be the most humanely raised and likely the best tasting of the bunch.
Aside from the ethical standpoint of buying high-quality, small-farm raised proteins, there are also huge health and environmental benefits to shopping humanely. Taking a few moments out of your day to do a little research on where your food comes from will reap enormous benefits!
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Baby Chicks Online in
Spring Lake, Michigan
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Spring Lake Michigan,
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. Spring Lake
Michigan also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Spring Lake Michigan, 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 Spring Lake MI.
Baby
Chicks For Sale in
Spring Lake, Michigan
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Spring Lake Michigan
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
Spring Lake Michigan * 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 Spring Lake
Michigan * 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 Outside in
Spring Lake, Michigan
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
Spring Lake Michigan 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 Spring Lake,
Michigan Baby chicks are quite
cute as well as
challenging to resist,
however it's best to plan for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare initially
by compiling not only the
correct products, however
likewise the correct
understanding to take care of
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
easy, you just need
to offer them with the following: A
clean and warm and comfortable
environment Plenty of food and water Focus as well as
love Habitat Your environment can be a
simple box, aquarium,
cat service provider, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as
blankets (with no loose
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks utilize straw over paper.
Note: Avoid using only
newspaper or various other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow
misshapen. You additionally need
something to provide food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
dish from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
lid for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from a pet store. Likewise, as the chicks get
older you can introduce a perch
right into the environment to get them
trained on setting down. Heat To
keep your chicks heat you have to
supply them with a heat source.
This could be as simple as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb likewise function extremely well (my
recommendation). Chicks need this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could take up to two months). The freshly
hatched out need a temperature
between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and every week this could
be decreased by
about 5 levels approximately. The warmth source should be on just one side of the cage
to permit chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
contrary edge of your warmth
light, you need to
lower the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each other under the
heat (not merely cuddling),
you have to add some heat.
House cleaning
Sanitation is key as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to change
the bed linen
commonly as well as
constantly provide tidy
food and also water Food and water.
Chicks expand really quick
which requires a lot of clean
food and also water. Offer
sufficient at all times and examine
frequently to avoid parched and
starving chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and also it comes
in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
very first two months, then
change to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
and then to a slightly
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want
to obtain a head start on taking
dust bathrooms, while others will not occupy that task until they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
filth for them to bathe in.
Interest as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily as well as
enjoy their habits, you can
catch health problem or various
other issues earlier. Keep an
eye out for hissing, limping, or
various other undesirable
indications. Be sure to
likewise check out
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could bring about matted feathers as well
as obstructed cloaca.
Last but not least, it is important to look out
for social problems, such as the
tiniest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are currently completely feathered
and also its time for them to leave the
security of your residence
and move outside into a cage. Have a look at our
section on chicken cages to find out
more
concerning cages as well as
appropriate cage habitats.
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