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Baby Chickens for Sale in Peggs, Oklahoma

Baby Chickens for Sale in Peggs, Oklahoma

Baby Chickens in the Mail? Be Warned!

Cardboard box used by Murray McMurray Hatchery to ship baby chicks.

Well, here is something I am never going to do again. I have always been leery of ordering chicks online and getting them delivered by the US Postal Service. It just seemed odd to me to get fragile baby chicks delivered in the mail. However, this time I relented because I wanted to get a very rare breed (Dorkings) and they are rarely available from local sources. So, I called up Murray McMurray Hatchery in Iowa and made my order. Because of the fact I was ordering them in winter, I had to get a minimum of 25 chicks (apparently because they huddle together for warmth, and the more, the merrier). So, I ended up ordering 5 Dorkings, 10 Partridge Rocks, and 10 Golden Laced Wyandottes. I ordered them in November, but Murray McMurray informed me they couldn’t ship until January (probably has to do with their hatching schedule). Despite the fact I ordered two months in advance, they called me up in early January and told me that the Wyandottes would not be available, and they wanted to delay shipment for a couple weeks. I asked for a substitution instead of a delay and they offered me 10 Dominiques, which I accepted.

Eventually, the chicks were shipped on time and I was notified by text and email (as I requested) which was very convenient. Then all hell broke loose. At 5 in the morning someone from the Post Office called me (my cell phone number was on the outside of the box). He would not reveal his name, as he said he would be fired for calling me, as he was “just a schmuck that loads the trucks” and shouldn’t be doing this. At any rate, he said he had my chickens and they were going to freeze on the truck. He instructed me to call a number to the Post Office in Manchester, NH and request that the driver put them in the heated cab. I did call the number, but the clerk there told me they already shipped.

Later that day, I got a call from my local post office that my chicks had arrived. I headed down there to get them, but in the interim… they had been calling me repeatedly. It would appear the well-meaning Post Office employees had opened the box to try to give the chicks water (probably letting all their body heat out in the process). They also drove them to my house (I am at work) as I am pretty close to the office, and no doubt they sat in a cold car both on the way there and back. I wish the box was labeled with instructions on what to do (keep warm, don’t feed, etc). The fact is that a box full of peeping chicks is just irresistible to curious mail-people and no doubt they thought they were helping me. The net result was I had a box of dead and half dead chicks. However, inexplicably, there were only 20 chicks. Apparently Murray McMurray did not have any Dorkings (the entire reason I made this order in the first place!) and just shipped the other 20 without asking me, but they did credit my account the difference.

I tried to revive as many of the survivors as I could under a heat lamp… a couple limped around for a day or two, but eventually died. As you can imagine this was heartbreaking for everyone associated with Swampy Acres, and no doubt, the Hampstead Post Office. As of this writing, I have only one survivor out of 20. I had to go buy a few more chicks at the local grain store, as you can’t raise a solitary chick. I called Murray McMurray immediately and they were very understanding. They offered to ship me out an entire new batch (just on my word that all this happened) in February. I said.. let’s wait until spring. So April 7th, I will get a new batch.

Baby chick survivor and friends.

All in all, from this experience, I can’t recommend ordering chicks via mail in the winter. The combination of freezing temperatures and the fact that the Post Office employees have no idea how to deal with baby chicks, seems like a recipe for disaster. I will say Murray McMurray did a pretty good job helping me. They didn’t get stressed out or make me fill out a bunch of forms. it was easy to get someone on the phone. It was a plus that I spoke with an American rather than a help desk in Burma… always great if I can conduct business in English.

So in summary, be very careful when considering chicks by mail! Swampy Acres has not had success on the first attempt.

Baby Chickens for Sale in Peggs 
OK

Baby Chicks House in Peggs, Oklahoma

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Peggs 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. Peggs Oklahoma also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Peggs 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 Peggs OK.

Baby Chicks Mail Order in Peggs, Oklahoma

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Peggs 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Peggs 
OKTypically 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 Peggs 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 Peggs 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 Coop in Peggs, 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 Peggs 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 Peggs, Oklahoma Baby chicks are very charming and also difficult to stand up to, yet it's best to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first by collecting not only the proper products, but likewise the appropriate knowledge to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is fairly easy, you just have to offer them with the following: A clean and cozy habitat Lots of food and water Attention and love Environment Your environment can be a basic box, aquarium, cat provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (without loosened strings!) to begin, and also after a couple of weeks utilize straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow misshapen. You additionally need something to provide food and water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle jar cover for food as well as a pet dog bird water dispenser from a pet store. Additionally, as the chicks age you can present a perch into the habitat to obtain them educated on perching. Heat To keep your chicks warm you have to offer them with a heat source. This can be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb likewise function very well (my suggestion). Chicks need this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is changed with plumes (which can take up to two months). The newly hatched require a temperature in between 90 and 100 levels, and also every week this could be minimized by roughly 5 degrees or so. The heat source need to be on merely one side of the cage to enable chicks a range of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are concealing in the other corner of your warmth lamp, you have to decrease the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not merely snuggling), you need to include some warmth. House cleaning Sanitation is crucial and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Make sure to change the bed linen usually and also constantly give clean food and water Food and also water. Chicks expand quite quick which needs plenty of clean food and water. Give sufficient at all times as well as check typically to avoid thirsty and also hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared to adult chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the first two months, after that switch over to a grower food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for an additional 2 months, and then to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks want to obtain a running start on taking dirt baths, while others will not take up that activity until they are older. If you have the room in your chick enclosure, present a tray of sand or dust for them to bathe in. Interest and also love There are a couple of advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will most likely bond with you as well as not escape as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also see their habits, you can catch illness or other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or various other undesirable indications. Be sure to additionally consider their poop, as looseness of the bowels could bring about matted feathers as well as obstructed cloaca. Lastly, it is essential to look out for social concerns, such as the smallest chick obtaining picked on. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are currently totally feathery as well as its time for them to leave the safety and security of your residence and relocate outside right into a coop. Have a look at our section on chicken cages to get more information regarding coops and also correct cage environments.
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