Recently, with the prices of food rising, especially eggs, we decided that we wanted to make a concentrated effort to raise chickens. I have never had the opportunity to interact with chickens other than in grade school when we hatched baby chickens in incubators, so I knew this would have a steep learning curve. After scouring the internet for sites on the different breeds of chickens, we were pleased to discover which had fairly good descriptions and accompanying pictures.
We decided on four different breeds:
1) Brahma:
2) Delaware:
3) Barred Rock:
and one we’re not sure of. We were told she was a Rhode Island Red (), but now we’re assuming she’s an
4) Ameraucana:
We purchased them at 2 weeks old and they’re about 3 months now. One thing I was not prepared for is that each hen has her own personality and quirks, not unlike a puppy. They are curious about everything and always come up to greet us. We decided to not invest in a rooster since our neighbors are relatively close and our alarm clocks are more than adequate.
Besides eggs and meat, another great benefit to having chickens is that their waste can be composted and used as fertilizer. Since they eat practically anything, they also make great food scrap disposals too!
If any of you decide to acquire your own flock of chickens be certain to buy or build your chicken coup first. Chickens grow amazingly fast and before you know it, they will have outgrown their temporary living arrangements. We decided to build our own coup and let me tell you, they take up a great deal of time. We ended up building a 6′ x 6′ base, covered the floor with linoleum, complete with a triangular based roof of which one side “hatches” open for easy cleaning. The whole coup is on wooden stilts attached to concrete slabs which anchor it to the ground. The chicken door opens up into a large chicken run. Our design was pieced together from several other coup designs that others have posted on the internet.
Have you had experiences with chickens? If so, feel free to comment and share.
Barred Rock and a "We're Not Quite Sure" Hen
Baby Chicks Gender in
Sutherlin, Oregon
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Sutherlin Oregon,
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. Sutherlin
Oregon also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Sutherlin Oregon, 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 Sutherlin OR.
Baby Chicks Types in
Sutherlin, Oregon
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Sutherlin Oregon
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
Sutherlin Oregon * 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 Sutherlin
Oregon * 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 in
Sutherlin, Oregon
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
Sutherlin Oregon 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 Sutherlin,
Oregon Baby chicks are quite
adorable and also
challenging to withstand,
however it's ideal to prepare for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare first
by collecting not just the
appropriate materials, but
additionally the correct
expertise to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
easy, you just have to provide them with the following: A tidy and also warm and comfortable
environment A lot of food and also water Interest and also
love Environment Your habitat could be a
simple box, fish tank,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
blankets (with no loosened
strings!) to begin, and also after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid using only
paper or other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand
misshapen. You likewise require
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container
lid for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from a
pet dog shop. Also, as the chicks grow older you could present a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
trained on perching. Warmth To
maintain your chicks warm you should
supply them with a warmth resource.
This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb likewise work extremely well (my
suggestion). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which can use
up to two months). The newly
hatched out need a temperature
in between 90 and also 100 degrees,
as well as weekly this can
be lowered by
approximately 5 degrees or
so. The heat source need to be on just one side of the cage
to enable chicks a range of
temperature levels. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
other corner of your warmth
lamp, you should
decrease the temperature. If
they are surrounding each other under the
warmth (not just snuggling),
you have to add some heat.
House cleaning
Sanitation is crucial and it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Be sure to transform
the bed linens
frequently as well as
always provide tidy
food as well as water Food and also water.
Chicks grow really fast
which requires a lot of tidy
food as well as water. Offer
enough in any way times and inspect
commonly to prevent thirsty and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and
also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
very first two months, then
switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for another 2 months,
and after that to a somewhat
lower protein feed or a level feed
(if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to get a head start on taking
dust baths, while others will not occupy that task up until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
enclosure, present a tray of sand or
dust for them to bathe in.
Interest as well as love There are a
few advantages to hanging
out with your chicks. To start
with, they will probably bond with you and
not run away as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and
enjoy their behavior, you can
capture illness or other problems earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or
other unhealthy
indicators. Be sure to
also check out
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can bring about matted plumes and clogged cloaca.
Last but not least, it is essential to look out
for social problems, such as the
smallest chick getting picked
on. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently totally feathered
and also its time for them to leave the
safety of your house
and move outside right into a
coop. Have a look at our
area on chicken cages to learn more
concerning cages and
appropriate coop environments.
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