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Baby Chickens for Sale in Springer, New Mexico

Baby Chickens for Sale in Springer, New Mexico

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 Springer 
NM

Baby Chicks And Ducks in Springer, New Mexico

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Springer New Mexico, 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. Springer New Mexico also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Springer New Mexico, 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 Springer NM.

Baby Quail Chicks For Sale in Springer, New Mexico

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Springer New Mexico 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 Springer 
NMTypically 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 Springer New Mexico * 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 Springer New Mexico * 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 Raising in Springer, New Mexico

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 Springer New Mexico 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 Springer, New Mexico Baby chicks are extremely charming and also hard to resist, but it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially by gathering not only the correct materials, yet also the proper understanding to look after them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably basic, you just need to give them with the following: A clean as well as cozy habitat Plenty of food as well as water Interest as well as love Habitat Your habitat can be a basic box, aquarium, cat service provider, 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 utilize straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just paper or various other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand malformed. You additionally require something to provide food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar cover for food and a pet bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks get older you can introduce a perch into the habitat to obtain them educated on setting down. Heat To keep your chicks heat you should supply them with a heat source. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb additionally function very well (my suggestion). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could use up to two months). The recently hatched require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 levels, as well as each week this could be minimized by roughly 5 levels or so. The warmth source should be on merely one side of the cage to permit chicks a variety of temperature levels. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are concealing in the contrary corner of your warmth lamp, you have to decrease the temperature. If they are smothering each other under the heat (not just cuddling), you should put some heat. Housekeeping Sanitation is crucial and it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to change the bed linens typically and consistently give clean food as well as water Food as well as water. Chicks expand really fast which requires plenty of tidy food and water. Supply enough in any way times and examine typically to prevent dehydrated and also starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to adult chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the first two months, after that change to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for one more 2 months, then to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to obtain a head start on taking dust baths, while others won't take up that task till they are older. If you have the room in your chick room, present a tray of sand or filth for them to shower in. Attention as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will most likely bond with you and also not flee as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and enjoy their behavior, you can capture health problem or other issues previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or various other harmful indications. Make certain to additionally take a look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels could result in matted plumes and stopped up cloaca. Last but not least, it is very important to watch out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest disorder So your chicks are now totally feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety of your house and also relocate outside right into a cage. Take a look at our area on chicken cages to read more regarding cages and correct coop habitats.
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