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Baby Chickens for Sale in Troy, Missouri

Baby Chickens for Sale in Troy, Missouri

How to Introduce New Chickens into your Flock, part 2

[This article is part of a series that addresses the question of how to introduce new chickens into your existing flock, along with several related questions. To see all articles in this series, visit .]

Disease and Parasites

When you introduce new chickens to your flock, you run the risk of also introducing new diseases or parasites to your flock. If you take your chickens to poultry shows, then you run that same risk when you reintroduce chickens that were taken to the show back into your main flock.

Quarantine

The best and most effective way to protect your flock from diseases introduced by new chickens is to quarantine them. When you quarantine a chicken or several chickens, you keep them separate from the rest of the flock for an extended time period.  We recommend a quarantine of at least 30 days.

During the quarantine, care for the quarantined chickens normally, giving them food and water, but do not allow any contact with the existing flock.  Thoroughly wash your hands and disinfect your feet and anything else that comes in contact with these chickens or their environment or manure. We carry several that work well.

While the chickens are in quarantine, watch them closely for any signs of parasites, such as mites, and for any signs of disease, such as respiratory problems, or mucus discharges from the chickens’ eyes or nostrils.

Another Precaution

Chickens in a flock can build up an immunity to a disease yet still be carriers of that disease.  If your new chickens have such an immunity and are disease carriers, the quarantine described above won’t be enough, and the new chickens could still introduce disease into your flock undetected.

There is a way to guard against this. It involves a little risk, but it minimizes the risk of infecting the main flock.  Take one chicken from your main flock and move it into the quarantine with the new birds.  Keep that chicken with your other quarantined birds for the entire quarantine period.  Watch her closely.  If she begins to develop any signs of disease, it is likely that she was infected by the new birds, so in that case, do not introduce the new birds into the flock.  On the other hand, if she makes it through the quarantine period without any signs of disease, then you can be reasonably sure that it is safe to introduce her and the new birds into your flock.

With this approach, you run the risk of losing one chicken from your main flock to disease, but you greatly reduce the risk of losing your entire flock.

Baby Chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery

Murray McMurray Hatchery takes a to make sure that any baby chicks you receive from us are healthy and free of disease.  This eliminates any concern you may have about the baby chicks introducing disease to your existing flock, but there are still some things to consider.

Baby chicks are not able to defend themselves against larger, more mature chickens, so they should be raised separately until they reach maturity. Second, if you have any concerns about disease or parasites in your existing flock, take proper precautions to make sure that you don’t risk introducing it to your new chickens.

In next week’s article, I will discuss how to integrate the new chickens into your existing flock.

 

Baby Chickens for Sale in Troy 
MO

Baby Chicks To Buy in Troy, Missouri

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

Baby Chicks As Pets in Troy, Missouri

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Troy 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 Troy 
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 Troy 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 Troy 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 Online in Troy, 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 Troy 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 Troy, Missouri Baby chicks are quite charming and hard to withstand, but it's best to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not only the correct materials, but additionally the appropriate knowledge to care for them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably basic, you simply need to provide them with the following: A tidy and cozy environment A lot of food and also water Interest as well as love Habitat Your habitat could be a straightforward box, fish tank, pet cat provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and coverings (without loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a couple of weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid using only paper or other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow misshapen. You additionally require something to provide food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container lid for food and also a family pet bird water dispenser from a family pet store. Likewise, as the chicks get older you can introduce a perch right into the environment to get them educated on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you need to offer them with a heat resource. This could be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb likewise function extremely well (my referral). Chicks need this heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which can occupy to 2 months). The freshly hatched require a temperature in between 90 and also 100 degrees, and also every week this can be decreased by roughly 5 levels or so. The heat source need to get on simply one side of the cage to permit chicks a variety of temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal thermometer- if they are concealing in the opposite corner of your warmth light, you have to reduce the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not just cuddling), you should add some heat. House cleaning Tidiness is key as well as it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to change the bed linen usually as well as always provide clean food and water Food as well as water. Chicks grow very fast which calls for plenty of clean food as well as water. Give sufficient at all times and also inspect typically to prevent dehydrated and also hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, and it is available in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the initial two months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and afterwards to a somewhat lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a running start on taking filth baths, while others will not take up that activity up until they are older. If you have the room in your chick room, present a tray of sand or dirt for them to wash in. Focus and love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will most likely bond with you as well as not flee as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and view their actions, you can capture disease or various other issues previously. Keep an eye out for wheezing, hopping, or other unhealthy signs. Be sure to also take a look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels can result in matted feathers and stopped up cloaca. Lastly, it is necessary to watch out for social concerns, such as the littlest chick getting teased. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now fully feathery and its time for them to leave the security of your home and also relocate outside right into a cage. Check out our part on chicken cages to find out more about coops as well as appropriate coop environments.
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