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 Chicks
Breeds in
Callery, Pennsylvania
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Callery Pennsylvania,
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. Callery
Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Callery Pennsylvania, 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 Callery PA.
Baby Chicks Incubator in
Callery, Pennsylvania
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Callery Pennsylvania
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
Callery Pennsylvania * 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 Callery
Pennsylvania * 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 Habitat in
Callery, Pennsylvania
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
Callery Pennsylvania 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 Callery,
Pennsylvania Baby chicks are quite
adorable as well as
challenging to withstand,
however it's best to plan for their
arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially
by compiling not just the
proper products, yet
additionally the appropriate
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
simple, you merely have to give them with the following: A tidy as well as warm
environment A lot of food and also water Interest and
love Environment Your habitat can be a straightforward box, aquarium,
feline service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and also
blankets (without loose
strings!) to start, and also after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid using only
newspaper or other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You additionally require
something to serve up food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
lid for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from a
pet dog shop. Additionally, as the chicks get
older you can introduce a perch
into the environment to get them
educated on perching. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you have to
offer them with a heat resource.
This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat
bulb also work very
well (my
referral). Chicks need this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with plumes (which can occupy to 2 months). The freshly
hatched out need a temperature level
between 90 as well as 100 degrees,
and each week this could
be lowered by
around 5 degrees approximately. The heat resource should be on simply one side of the cage
to allow chicks an array of
temperatures. The chicks are your best
thermometer- if they are hiding in the
other corner of your warmth
light, you need to
minimize the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each other under the
heat (not just snuggling),
you need to put some warmth.
House cleaning
Sanitation is vital and also it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Be sure to change
the bedding
typically and also
always provide clean
food and water Food and also water.
Chicks expand extremely fast
which needs plenty of clean
food and also water. Offer
enough at all times and examine
often to prevent thirsty and
hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and
also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, after that
switch over to a grower food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for one more 2 months,
and then to a somewhat
reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks like to get a head start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others will not use up that task up until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
unit, present a tray of sand or
dust for them to shower in.
Attention and love There are a
few benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will most
likely bond with you and also
not escape as grownups. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily as well as
view their behavior, you could
capture ailment or other problems previously. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or
other unhealthy
indications. Make certain to
likewise consider
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could cause matted feathers as well
as blocked cloaca.
Lastly, it is very
important to keep an eye out for social problems, such as the
littlest chick obtaining picked
on. Vacant nest syndrome So your
chicks are now totally feathered
and also its time for them to leave the
security of your house
and relocate outside into a cage. Check out our
area on chicken cages to read more
regarding cages and
correct cage environments.
Baby Chickens CoopBaby Chicks Incubator More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Armbrust, Pennsylvania Baby Chickens for Sale in Bobtown, Pennsylvania Baby Chickens for Sale in Adamsburg, Pennsylvania Baby Chickens for Sale in Allison, Pennsylvania Baby Chickens for Sale in Buckingham, Pennsylvania