Baby Chickens for Sale in Watertown, Minnesota
Baby Chickens for Sale in Watertown, Minnesota
Is Buying Chicks for Easter a Good Idea?
It’s that time of year again: The sun is shining more. Flowers are beginning to bloom. People are getting ready for Easter. Baby animals are being born.
Baby chicks for sale are readily available.
Before the Easter Bunny decides to bring some cute, fuzzy chicks to your house, there are a few things to consider about those adorable, cheeping balls of fluff.
Chicks require special care and handling.
Chicks are not animals appropriate for most toddlers. Puppies and kittens are able to wriggle, and even scratch or bite if they feel uncomfortable or threatened by children. Chicks are pretty helpless and are fairly susceptible to sustaining internal injury if not properly handled.
Anyone handling chicks should always thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water afterward—something that is sometimes difficult to achieve with young children.
Chicks also require frequent monitoring for unusual behaviors that can indicate illness.
Chicks grow up—fast!
Just like puppies and kittens, chicks grow—and grow quickly. They may be cute and fluffy and able to fit in a box in your bathroom today, but by the time they are five weeks old, some breeds may have more than tripled in size. They are not-so-cute and fluffy any more. And they are not content to stay inside all day, especially not in a box with a bunch of others. If you end up with a cockerel (male adolescent chicken), he might just start crowing by the time he is eight weeks old.
Chicks are a commitment for their lifetime.
Also like puppies and kittens, you need to think long term. Most of the animals I have owned have lived between 13 and 17 years. For some pet owners, my pets would have still been considered young. Realize that a chicken can easily live 8-10 years, but a healthy, well-cared for backyard chicken can live up to 20 years!
Chickens may not be legal in your area.
Just because a store or a farmer in your area may be selling chicks doesn’t make them legal where you live. Don’t just take the word of a friend, either. In some cities and counties, adjacent properties may have different sets of laws governing them because of things such as zoning. Personally check the laws where you live before making a purchase AND check with the local animal control, code enforcement, or extension office. They will be able to prove to you the legality of chickens in your area.
You might be wondering by now, “Why the negativity about chickens?” It’s not negative. It’s realistic. Chicks can be a lot of fun, but their keeping needs to be seriously considered.
So how do you do it right?
Do your homework.
After making sure that you may legally own chickens, learn about different breeds to find what will best meet your family’s needs once they are grown. Are you looking for a reliable egg-layer? A docile companion? Something with personality? Each breed has unique characteristics, just like dogs or cats. You also need to know what equipment you will need. You don’t usually buy a puppy without buying food, food and water dishes, a collar, a bed, and toys. Chicks will need some kind of container and a heat source in which to keep safe and warm, as well as feeder, water container, starter feed, and disposable bedding. When they are older and bigger, and are kept outside, they will need a safe shelter complete with roost and nesting areas; bedding; feed; feeder; and watering container, along with access to sunlight and dirt. That’s just the beginning.
Know what you are getting.
Are you looking for girl chicks (pullets) only? Then it is best to avoid buying your chicks “straight run.” Buying straight run basically means that girls and boys are all put in together, and you don’t know what you’re going to get. (General rule is that half will be boys and half will be girls—IF you’re lucky!) Try to make sure the chicks have been “sexed;” that is, they have been separated according to gender. It is possible for trained individuals to tell the difference even at a young age.
It is also a good idea to try to buy local, especially if you are looking for a specific breed. You may end up paying a little more per chick, but chances are, the chick will be healthier and of better breeding than those at feed stores. But make sure to ask the seller for your gender preference to see if he/she will honor it.
Ask for help if you need it.
If you have already purchased chicks and are reconsidering a little too late, DO NOT abandon your chickens! Contact us for assistance. We are passionate about chicken keeping and want what is best for families and for chickens. We might be able to provide ideas on how to make chicken owning less overwhelming for you. We also might be able to assist you in finding a home for unwanted chickens—especially the unexpected cockerels.
Backyard chicken keeping is a rewarding endeavor, but it takes dedication. As with owning any other animal, you must be well acquainted with the needs of the animal and the responsibilities of ownership you will face.
Baby Chickens Buy in Watertown, Minnesota
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Watertown Minnesota, 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. Watertown Minnesota also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Watertown Minnesota, 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 Watertown MN.Baby Chicks Types in Watertown, Minnesota
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Watertown Minnesota 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
Watertown Minnesota * 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 Watertown
Minnesota * 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 Outside in Watertown, Minnesota
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 Watertown Minnesota 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 Watertown, Minnesota Baby chicks are really charming and challenging to withstand, but it's best to plan for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not only the correct materials, yet additionally the proper knowledge to look after them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you merely have to offer them with the following: A tidy as well as warm and comfortable habitat Lots of food and also water Interest as well as love Habitat Your environment could be a simple box, aquarium, feline service provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and blankets (with no loosened strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks use straw over paper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow misshapen. You also need something to provide food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and water meal from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food and also a pet dog bird water dispenser from an animal store. Likewise, as the chicks age you can introduce a perch into the habitat to obtain them trained on setting down. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you need to provide them with a heat source. This could be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb likewise work very well (my suggestion). Chicks require this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which can take up to two months). The newly hatched require a temperature between 90 and 100 degrees, and weekly this can be reduced by around 5 degrees approximately. The heat source should get on merely one side of the cage to permit chicks a variety of temperatures. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are concealing in the other edge of your warmth lamp, you have to reduce the temperature. If they are smothering each various other under the heat (not just curling up), you should include some warmth. Housekeeping Sanitation is vital as well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Make certain to transform the bed linen commonly as well as always give clean food and also water Food and also water. Chicks grow very fast which requires plenty of clean food as well as water. Give enough at all times and also examine usually to prevent parched as well as starving chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and also it comes in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, after that switch to a grower food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for one more 2 months, and then to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer to obtain a head start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others will not take up that task until they are older. If you have the area in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or dust for them to bathe in. Interest and love There are a few advantages to hanging out with your chicks. First off, they will probably bond with you as well as not flee as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and see their actions, you could catch health problem or various other troubles earlier. Keep an eye out for hissing, hopping, or other harmful indications. Be sure to likewise check out their poop, as looseness of the bowels could bring about matted feathers and clogged cloaca. Finally, it is important to look out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick getting badgered. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now completely feathered and its time for them to leave the security of your house as well as move outside into a cage. Check out our section on chicken coops to get more information concerning coops and also appropriate cage habitats.Raising Baby Chickens Baby Chicks Order Online
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