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 Chickens As Pets in
Gibson, Pennsylvania
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Gibson 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. Gibson
Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Gibson 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 Gibson PA.
Baby Chicks
Raising in
Gibson, Pennsylvania
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Gibson 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
Gibson 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 Gibson
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 Chickens Sale in
Gibson, 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
Gibson 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 Gibson,
Pennsylvania Baby chicks are extremely
charming and
hard to resist,
but it's best to prepare for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first
by collecting not just the
appropriate materials, yet
also the correct
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is fairly
easy, you merely should give them with the following: A
clean and warm
environment A lot of food and water Focus and also
love Habitat Your habitat could be an easy box, aquarium,
cat carrier, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels and also
blankets (with no loosened
strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks use straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid utilizing just
paper or various other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand
malformed. You also need
something to dish out food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container
lid for food and also a pet bird water dispenser from a pet store. Also, as the chicks grow older you could introduce a perch
right into the habitat to obtain them
trained on setting down. Heat To
keep your chicks heat you need to
offer them with a warmth source.
This can be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth
light bulb additionally function very
well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which could take up to 2 months). The recently
hatched need a temperature
between 90 as well as 100 levels,
as well as every week this could
be reduced by
roughly 5 degrees approximately. The heat source must be on simply one side of the cage
to enable chicks a range of
temperature levels. The chicks are your best
thermostat- if they are concealing in the
opposite corner of your warmth
lamp, you have to
minimize the temperature. If
they are surrounding each other under the
warmth (not simply snuggling),
you should add some warmth.
House cleaning
Cleanliness is key as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to change
the bed linen
frequently and
constantly provide clean
food and water Food and also water.
Chicks grow very quick
which needs a lot of tidy
food and also water. Give
enough at all times and inspect
frequently to avoid thirsty and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared
to grown-up chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated as well as non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
initial two months, then
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and after that to a somewhat
lower protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer 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, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to wash in.
Attention and love There are a couple of benefits to hanging
out with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly most
likely bond with you and
not escape as grownups. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
enjoy their habits, you could
capture health problem or various
other troubles previously. Keep an
eye out for hissing, limping, or
various other undesirable
indications. Make sure to
likewise check out
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can result in matted feathers as well
as blocked cloaca.
Last but not least, it is important to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the
tiniest chick getting badgered. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are now fully feathered
and its time for them to leave the
security of your residence
and also move outside into a
coop. Take a look at our
section on chicken coops to find out
more
about cages and also
appropriate cage habitats.
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