Baby Chickens for Sale in Alder, Montana
Baby Chickens for Sale in Alder, Montana
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.
Baby Chickens How To Raise in Alder, Montana
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Alder Montana, 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. Alder Montana also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Alder Montana, 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 Alder MT.Baby Chicks Information in Alder, Montana
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Alder Montana 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
Alder Montana * 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 Alder
Montana * 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 Alder, Montana
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 Alder Montana 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 Alder, Montana Baby chicks are extremely charming and difficult to withstand, yet it's ideal to plan for their arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first by compiling not just the appropriate materials, but likewise the appropriate expertise to care for them. Raising baby chicks is fairly straightforward, you simply need to supply them with the following: A tidy and also warm and comfortable habitat Plenty of food and also water Attention and love Environment Your habitat can be a straightforward box, aquarium, cat service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (with no loose strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid making use of just newspaper or other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand misshapen. You also require something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and water meal from the feed store, or a pickle jar cover for food as well as 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 have to supply them with a heat resource. This could be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb likewise work very well (my referral). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could take up to two months). The recently hatched need a temperature level between 90 as well as 100 levels, and weekly this can be reduced by around 5 degrees or so. The warmth resource ought to 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 concealing in the opposite corner of your warmth light, you should minimize the temperature. If they are smothering each other under the warmth (not just cuddling), you need to add some warmth. House cleaning Sanitation is key and also it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to alter the bed linen usually as well as always give clean food and water Food as well as water. Chicks expand quite fast which requires a lot of tidy food and also water. Supply sufficient whatsoever times and examine commonly to avoid parched and starving chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated as well as non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for one more 2 months, and then to a somewhat lower healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks want to obtain a running start on taking filth bathrooms, while others will not occupy that task until they are older. If you have the room in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Interest and also love There are a few advantages to hanging out with your chicks. Firstly, they will most likely bond with you as well as not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and enjoy their behavior, you could catch health problem or other issues previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, hopping, or other harmful indicators. Be sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea could result in matted feathers as well as clogged cloaca. Lastly, it is essential to watch out for social problems, such as the littlest chick getting teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently totally feathery and its time for them to leave the safety and security of your residence and relocate outside into a coop. Look into our part on chicken coops for more information concerning cages and also proper cage environments.Baby Chickens Facts Baby Chickens Hatching
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