Baby Chickens for Sale in Chesterfield, Missouri
Baby Chickens for Sale in Chesterfield, Missouri
Chickens Should Come With Warning Labels
Two years ago, Adam and I began to discuss having backyard chickens.
We read a lot, watched a lot of YouTube videos, and learned so much.
A couple of the reasons that we finally decided to give it a go were that their composted droppings are great for gardens and that they are pretty easy to take care of.
We have found both of those reasons to be very true.
However, we also have learned a lot since owning our little flock of hens that we never found in our research.
Based on what I have learned as the owner of backyard chickens, I have decided that backyard chickens need to come with Warning Labels.
If you are thinking of getting chickens or already have baby chicks… prepare yourself.
Photo by Hive and Honey Photography
Warning #1: People will think you have gone insane.
We have had people have no problem telling us everything from “Eww, what about the poop?” To “Why work so hard?” To, plain and simple, “You are making a huge mistake.”
(I mean… What if people said these things about babies??)
And that’s from the people in the country… People who have actually seen a chicken outside of a petting zoo or a kitchen decoration.
Where I grew up, the HOA allowed only two dogs and two cats per household. Max. Chickens were not a topic of discussion.
Just imagine what the people I grew up with must think if they have heard that over fifty chickens have called my backyard home at one time.
In-sane.
Warning #2: You may be the sweetest person on the planet, but you will become incredibly stuck up.
No one really talks about it, but I think it’s very common for owners of backyard chickens to suffer from a phenomenon called “egg snobbery.”
On your business trip you will cringe at the site of the scrambled eggs made from egg beaters at the hotel’s very generic continental breakfast.
You will turn up your nose as you walk down the egg aisle at the grocery store knowing that your eggs at home are far superior.
And, when someone Instagrams a shot of their homemade brunch with two very sad sunny side up eggs with shapeless and dull colored yolks you will smirk and say sarcastically to yourself, “That’s cute…”
Warning #3: You will also become a paranoid freak.
I don’t have children, but, thanks to the chickens, I have gotten a sneak peak of what parenthood is all about.
Spoiler Alert: It’s a 24/7/365 anxiety attack.
Any threat of bad weather, be it extreme cold, snow, high winds, tornadoes, extreme heat, whatever, my mind goes to the hens… and that they are going to die.
Any dog, cat, raccoon, and owl within a two mile radius of the coop is the enemy.
I am sorry. I don’t care how cute your dog is. I probably hate it until I know that it doesn’t think my sweet hens are a chew toy.
PS- Just today I heard on the radio that a six foot boa constrictor escaped from it’s cage and is on the loose somewhere in the local listening area.
You guys... HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THIS!?!?
Warning #4: Anything pop culture will suddenly become very uninteresting.
That check you write to the cable company each month will seem like a huge waste.
You haven’t been Keeping Up with the Kardashian’s… You have been Keeping Up with the Chickens.
The day you bring them home you will begin to see each chicken’s unique personality.
And as they grow, you would rather spend your time watching them roam the yard than watch that movie getting Oscar Buzz. The movie could be a flop. But, watching the chickens you might catch that hilarious moment when one might slurp up a huge worm like a piece of spaghetti and the others come rushing over in a fit of jealousy. Somebody call the Academy!
Oh. And, you will post things like this on Facebook and it will be 100% true:
Warning #5: Once you get that first chick, you will be a chicken owner the rest of your life.
Admittedly, I have never been a huge fan of animals.
In fact, as a kid, animals made me kind of nervous.
My uncle loves to tell the story of when I was a toddler… my foot was dangling by my moms hip as she held me and his weimaraner licked my foot. I apparently screamed like bloody murder and was convinced that the dog bit me.
(To my credit, a weimaraner to a three year old might as well be a fierce looking horse.)
As an adult, and thanks to a fabulous (thirty pound…) family dog in my childhood, I have warmed up to animals.
I am really excited for the day that we get a dog. And I understand that to make Adam happy this dog will be larger than thirty pounds… and I am okay with that.
Because we have enjoyed our dabbles in homesteading, we have been talking about getting a couple cows and even pigs just to give it a try.
Dogs will likely come and go, depending on our future children wants, and we may find other kinds of livestock exhausting.
But, thanks to the wonderful eggs…
The funny way the ladies interact with one another…
The way it feels like they are able to almost communicate with Adam and me when we are in the garden…
The pure joy in any of our friend’s kids faces when they are chasing the hens…
The joy that I cannot wait to see in my own children… and grandchildren’s faces…
I know that for the rest of my life, I will be the proud owner of a flock of backyard chickens.
Photo by Hive and Honey Photography
You have been warned.
Feeding Baby Quail Chicks in Chesterfield, Missouri
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Chesterfield Missouri, 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. Chesterfield Missouri also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Chesterfield Missouri, 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 Chesterfield MO.Feeding Baby Quail Chicks in Chesterfield, Missouri
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Chesterfield Missouri 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
Chesterfield Missouri * 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 Chesterfield
Missouri * 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 Breeds in Chesterfield, Missouri
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 Chesterfield Missouri 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 Chesterfield, Missouri Baby chicks are very adorable and also hard to resist, but it's ideal to prepare for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first by gathering not only the correct products, however also the appropriate understanding to care for them. Raising baby chicks is relatively straightforward, you just have to supply them with the following: A clean and also warm habitat Lots of food as well as water Interest as well as love Environment Your environment could be an easy box, fish tank, feline carrier, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (with no loose strings!) to start, and also after a couple of weeks use straw over paper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand malformed. You also need something to provide food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and water dish from the feed store, or a pickle container lid for food and a family pet bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Also, as the chicks grow older you can introduce a perch right into the environment to obtain them educated on setting down. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you should provide them with a heat source. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb also function effectively (my recommendation). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which can take up to two months). The recently hatched require a temperature between 90 and also 100 levels, as well as each week this can be decreased by roughly 5 degrees approximately. The warmth source need to get on just one side of the cage to allow chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are hiding in the contrary edge of your warmth light, you should reduce the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not simply curling up), you need to include some heat. Housekeeping Cleanliness is crucial as well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter the bed linens commonly and also always give clean food and also water Food and water. Chicks expand very quickly which requires lots of tidy food and also water. Offer enough whatsoever times and check commonly to avoid thirsty and also hungry chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and it comes in both medicated and also non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, then change to a grower food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a somewhat reduced protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks like to get a head start on taking dust baths, while others won't occupy that task till they are older. If you have the area in your chick unit, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Attention and love There are a couple of benefits to hanging out with your chicks. To start with, they will most likely bond with you and not escape as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also see their behavior, you can catch disease or other problems earlier. Keep an eye out for wheezing, limping, or various other harmful indications. Be sure to also check out their poop, as looseness of the bowels can result in matted feathers and obstructed cloaca. Last but not least, it is necessary to watch out for social issues, such as the littlest chick obtaining picked on. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now totally feathered and also its time for them to leave the security of your residence and also relocate outside right into a coop. Check out our area on chicken coops for more information regarding cages and correct coop environments.Baby Chicks Not Eating Baby Chickens Care
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