Baby Chickens for Sale in Erin, New York
Baby Chickens for Sale in Erin, New York
How to Raise Chickens: #3 Selecting Chickens
How to Raise Chickens: #3 Selecting Chickens
April 9, 2014 in by
Chickens are social birds and really need to have at least one friend, so count on starting with a minimum of two. Having multiple birds will also help them keep each other warm in the winter time. So, how many should you get? I read somewhere that two hens per family member is a good guideline. By their rule, if you have a family of 5, that would mean 10 hens. But also keep in mind that young hens can lay one egg every 1-2 days during the warm months. That means you could have 35-70 eggs in one week’s time! That’s quite a few eggs. Now you can freeze eggs, cook or bake items that use eggs and freeze those, but you still should take that into consideration when deciding how many. Personally if we were to start again, I would go with 5-8 hens. This coming from the family that currently has 18 hens … but we’re also selling quite a few eggs.
We’ve never gotten eggs for incubation, so I can’t offer any advice on how to start there.
Our chickens have always come as baby chicks. There are two ways I know of to get chickens this way – buy them local or find an online source. I’m pretty sure our local Blaine’s Farm & Fleet has chickens each spring. Selection would be limited but you should find only those breeds suited to your area.
We’ve had good luck ordering from Murray McMurray Hatchery. They have a wide array of breeds and you can find some good deals (which is how we ended up ordering 45 birds the first time!). The downside to mail-ordering birds is there is usually a minimum number you have to order so they can keep each other warm in the box during the few days they are being shipped. And yes, they do actually come via US Postal Service. The post office knows how to handle them so they get to you in time. There’s always a risk of chicks not surviving the shipping process. We lost one last year when we ordered again. Sometimes hatcheries will take that into consideration and throw in an extra bird just in case (but don’t count on it). Let them know if a bird doesn’t survive – they may give you a refund or discount if it’s within 24-48 hrs of arrival.
If you get baby chicks instead of full-grown hens, keep in mind that you will need to keep them warm … like 90-95°F warm the first few weeks of their lives. This requires a heat lamp or some other heat source, and a “brooder” area where you can make sure they are draft-free. This area could be inside your existing coop (if there aren’t hens in there already), but you’ll want to contain them in a smaller size to make sure they stay warm. As the weeks pass you can move the heat lamp up, reducing the temperature by 5-degrees per week until they’re ready to go outside.
You could also check out local sites like Craigslist as there might be some people that received full-grown chickens can no longer keep them.
There are a multitude of choices for chicken breeds out there. You can get
- great egg-producers
- dual-purpose breeds (if you intend to eat your birds later)
- breeds that are cold-hardy
- “fancy” birds with amazing plumage, aka ornamentals
- rare breeds – some of which are endangered.
and have great listings of chicken breeds to help you sort it out.
For our location, we wanted to make sure our chickens would be cold-hardy. We also wanted fairly good layers, so most of our hens are either Speckled Sussex or Rhode Island Reds. We also had good luck with Buff Orpingtons. Opal is our one remaining Silver-Laced Wyandotte from the first batch.
Share this:
Related Posts:
Tags:
Baby Chickens Under Heat Lamp in Erin, New York
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Erin New York, 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. Erin New York also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Erin New York, 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 Erin NY.Baby Chicks Coop in Erin, New York
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Erin New York 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
Erin New York * 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 Erin
New York * 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 Information in Erin, New York
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 Erin New York 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 Erin, New York Baby chicks are very charming and difficult to withstand, yet it's finest to plan for their arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first by gathering not only the proper products, yet likewise the appropriate expertise to care for them. Raising baby chicks is relatively simple, you merely have to supply them with the following: A tidy and cozy environment Plenty of food as well as water Focus as well as love Habitat Your habitat can be an easy box, aquarium, cat service provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also coverings (without any loose strings!) to start, and also after a few weeks use straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid using just paper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand malformed. You also require something to dish out food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar lid for food and a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks age you could introduce a perch into the habitat to obtain them educated on perching. Warmth To maintain your chicks warm you should supply them with a warmth source. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from a hardware store, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb additionally work effectively (my referral). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which could take up to two months). The freshly hatched out require a temperature in between 90 and also 100 degrees, and weekly this can be reduced by approximately 5 degrees approximately. The heat resource ought to get on simply one side of the cage to permit chicks a range of temperature levels. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are concealing in the contrary edge of your warmth light, you should minimize the temperature. If they are smothering each other under the warmth (not merely snuggling), you need to include some heat. Housekeeping Cleanliness is essential as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to transform the bed linen typically and always offer tidy food as well as water Food and water. Chicks grow quite quick which requires lots of tidy food and also water. Offer enough whatsoever times as well as examine commonly to prevent parched as well as hungry chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the first two months, then change to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a somewhat reduced protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking dust bathrooms, while others will not use up that task till they are older. If you have the space in your chick unit, introduce a tray of sand or dirt for them to shower in. Interest as well as love There are a few benefits to hanging out with your chicks. First off, they will most likely bond with you as well as not escape as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and also see their habits, you can catch ailment or other issues previously. Keep an eye out for wheezing, hopping, or other unhealthy signs. Make sure to likewise take a look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels could lead to matted plumes as well as clogged up cloaca. Finally, it is important to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are currently completely feathery and also its time for them to leave the safety of your home and move outside into a cage. Look into our section on chicken coops to learn more about cages as well as correct coop environments.Baby Chickens Raising Baby Chickens Eggs For Sale
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Bronxville, New York
Baby Chickens for Sale in Cicero, New York
Baby Chickens for Sale in Elka Park, New York
Baby Chickens for Sale in Cortland, New York
Baby Chickens for Sale in Clarkson, New York