Baby Chickens for Sale in North Platte, Nebraska
Baby Chickens for Sale in North Platte, Nebraska
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 Chicks To Buy in North Platte, Nebraska
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in North Platte Nebraska, 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. North Platte Nebraska also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in North Platte Nebraska, 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 North Platte NE.Baby Chicks Care in North Platte, Nebraska
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in North Platte Nebraska 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
North Platte Nebraska * 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 North Platte
Nebraska * 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 By Mail in North Platte, Nebraska
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 North Platte Nebraska 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 North Platte, Nebraska Baby chicks are extremely charming as well as challenging to resist, but it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by gathering not just the appropriate materials, but likewise the appropriate knowledge to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is fairly simple, you just need to give them with the following: A tidy and cozy habitat A lot of food and also water Interest and love Habitat Your habitat could be a simple box, aquarium, pet cat provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also coverings (with no loosened strings!) to begin, and also after a couple of weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just paper or other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow misshapen. You additionally need something to dish out food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food and also a family pet bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Also, as the chicks grow older you can present a perch right into the environment to get them trained on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks warm you need to give them with a warmth source. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from a hardware store, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb additionally work extremely well (my suggestion). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 till their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could occupy to 2 months). The recently hatched out need a temperature level in between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and also every week this could be lowered by around 5 levels approximately. The warmth source should get on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks a variety of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are hiding in the opposite corner of your warmth light, you should lower the temperature. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not just cuddling), you should add some heat. Housekeeping Tidiness is key as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to transform the bed linen commonly and also consistently offer clean food and water Food and also water. Chicks expand quite quick which calls for a lot of clean food as well as water. Supply sufficient whatsoever times as well as examine usually to prevent thirsty and also starving chicks. Chick food is different compared to adult chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated and non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the initial two months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for one more 2 months, and then to a somewhat lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking dust baths, while others won't occupy that activity up until they are older. If you have the space in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to shower in. Interest and love There are a couple of benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly more than likely bond with you as well as not escape as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and see their actions, you can capture disease or various other issues earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or various other harmful indications. Make sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea can lead to matted plumes and also clogged cloaca. Lastly, it is important to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the littlest chick getting badgered. Empty nest disorder So your chicks are now totally feathered and its time for them to leave the safety of your house as well as move outside right into a coop. Have a look at our section on chicken cages to get more information concerning cages and correct coop habitats.Baby Chicks Mail Order Baby Chickens Breeds
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