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Baby Chickens for Sale in Jefferson City, Missouri

Baby Chickens for Sale in Jefferson City, Missouri

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

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Jefferson City 
MO

Baby Chicks Care in Jefferson City, Missouri

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Jefferson City 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. Jefferson City Missouri also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City MO.

Baby Chickens As Pets in Jefferson City, Missouri

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Jefferson City 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Jefferson City 
MOTypically 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 Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City 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 101 in Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City, Missouri Baby chicks are extremely adorable and also challenging to resist, however it's best to prepare for their arrival before you obtain them. Prepare initially by compiling not just the right products, but likewise the correct understanding to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is fairly basic, you simply need to offer them with the following: A tidy and warm and comfortable environment Plenty of food as well as water Attention as well as love Environment Your environment can be a straightforward box, aquarium, feline carrier, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (without any loose strings!) to begin, as well as after a couple of weeks use straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just paper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand malformed. You additionally need something to provide food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle jar cover for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from an animal store. Also, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch right into the environment to get them educated on setting down. Heat To keep your chicks warm you need to give them with a warmth source. This can be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat bulb also function effectively (my referral). Chicks require this heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched out need a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 levels, and each week this could be decreased by approximately 5 levels approximately. The heat source should get on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperature levels. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are hiding in the opposite edge of your warmth lamp, you should minimize the temperature level. If they are smothering each other under the heat (not merely cuddling), you should add some heat. Home cleaning Tidiness is key and it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to alter the bed linen typically as well as consistently give tidy food and also water Food and water. Chicks grow very fast which calls for lots of tidy food and also water. Provide enough at all times and check usually to avoid dehydrated as well as starving chicks. Chick food is different compared to grown-up chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, then switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for an additional 2 months, and after that to a somewhat lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks want to get a head start on taking filth bathrooms, while others won't occupy that activity until they are older. If you have the space in your chick enclosure, present a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Attention as well as love There are a couple of benefits to hanging out with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly most likely bond with you as well as not escape as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and view their behavior, you could catch illness or other issues previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, limping, or various other unhealthy indications. Make sure to also look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels can lead to matted plumes as well as blocked cloaca. Lastly, it is essential to look out for social issues, such as the smallest chick getting badgered. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are now completely feathery as well as its time for them to leave the security of your house as well as move outside into a cage. Take a look at our area on chicken coops to read more regarding coops and also correct cage habitats.
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