For quite some time I have been toying with the idea of getting chickens. I love the idea of having baby chicks around to help my children learn responsibility and how nature works to provide for us. This, however, is a big decision. Sure, little chicks are cute and having fresh eggs would be divine, but don’t forget that chickens are a lot of work. While they are usually quite content pecking away on their own, they still need a lot of care. Here are several things to consider before getting chickens.
1. Does your residential area allow chickens? Many areas, like homes in the city or neighborhoods, do not allow chickens. You could be fined and forced to remove them.
2. What are you going to do with them when they are done laying eggs?
3. What climate do you live in? Cold climates mean harsh winters when your chickens will need extra care.
4. Do you have time to keep their pens clean, water fresh and food available?
5. What do I need to make them a home? You will need a place for them to lay their eggs and get out of bad weather.
6. Will your chickens be free range or have a chicken pen? How will you keep them in your yard and not your neighbors?
7. What breed of chicken should you buy?
After researching chickens in further detail I still want them to join our family. However, I am going to take my time to make sure my preparations are done right and I am ready for them to join us. Ive read that the best time to get baby chicks is mid March-May. Since it is already March and I have not yet preparing a home for them, I will hold off on my plans until next year when I have ample time to prepare for their arrival. Plus, I still have some convincing to do with my husband who is not yet on board with the idea.
If you are interested in raising chickens, check out the e-book titled The Urban Chicken. I just finished reading it to help me decide if chickens were a good addition to our home or not. The book answered all of the questions I had that I mentioned above. The book also talks about what breed of chicken are best to get for your overall goals, how to care for them and what to do when things go wrong. I think this book is a great resource for the un-experienced person thinking about whether or not to embark on the chicken raising lifestyle. (Like me!)
The e-book The Urban Chicken as mentioned above is available for purchase at the following link. This lovely book is written by Heather Harris. You can also view her blog at .
Any readers raising chickens that can share their experiences with us? I am so curious and want to know more! Please leave your thoughts on raising chickens in the comments.
<3 Dick and JaneDisclosure: I was able to read this book for free from the writer. I was not compensated for mentioning it in my post. All thoughts in this post are my own and not pursuaded by my free copy to read.
Baby
Chicks For Sale in
Lexington, Oklahoma
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Lexington Oklahoma,
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. Lexington
Oklahoma also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Lexington Oklahoma, 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 Lexington OK.
Baby Chickens Breeds in
Lexington, Oklahoma
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Lexington Oklahoma
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
Lexington Oklahoma * 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 Lexington
Oklahoma * 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
Lexington, Oklahoma
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
Lexington Oklahoma 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 Lexington,
Oklahoma Baby chicks are really
cute as well as
difficult to stand up to,
however it's best to plan for their
arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first
by gathering not just the
proper materials, yet
likewise the proper
understanding to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
easy, you just should provide them with the following: A
clean and also cozy
habitat Lots of food as well
as water Interest and also
love Habitat Your environment could be an easy box, aquarium,
cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
coverings (with no loose
strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks use straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid making use of only
paper or other slipper
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand
malformed. You also need
something to serve up food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water
dish from the feed store, or a pickle container
cover for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Also, as the chicks age you can present a perch
right into the environment to get them
trained on perching. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you need to
supply them with a heat resource.
This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb additionally work very
well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which can take up to two months). The newly
hatched require a temperature
between 90 and 100 degrees,
as well as each week this could
be reduced by
around 5 levels or
so. The heat resource must be on just one side of the cage
to enable chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
contrary edge of your heat
lamp, you need to
minimize the temperature. If
they are smothering each other under the
warmth (not merely curling up),
you should put some heat.
Housekeeping
Cleanliness is vital and it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to transform
the bedding
usually and also
consistently supply clean
food as well as water Food and water.
Chicks expand very fast
which calls for lots of clean
food as well as water. Offer
sufficient at all times as well
as check
frequently to prevent dehydrated as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, and also it comes
in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, after that
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
and afterwards to a somewhat
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks want
to obtain a head start on taking
dirt baths, while others will not take
up that activity till they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to bathe in.
Interest and love There are a
few benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly probably bond with you and also
not flee as grownups. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
view their behavior, you could
catch illness or other issues previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
signs. Be sure to
likewise take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea could bring about matted feathers as well
as clogged up cloaca.
Last but not least, it is important to watch out for social concerns, such as the
smallest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are now fully feathered
as well as its time for them to leave the
security of your residence
and move outside right into a cage. Check out our
part on chicken coops to read more
about coops and also
proper coop habitats.
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