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Baby Chickens for Sale in Hopewell, Pennsylvania

Baby Chickens for Sale in Hopewell, Pennsylvania

Brooder Box for baby Chicks: A Tutorial

  • 09/26/2012

Our little darling chicks have arrived!  We ordered from mypetchicken.com and found the selection and service to be excellent.  The chicks shipped super fast and were all healthy and well when they arrived (oh and so soft and cute!).  Our little gal chicks will live in their brooder box for about 4-6 weeks, then transition to their chicken coop outdoors, where they will have free range of our backyard once they are full grown.

Investing in chicks can start to get expensive if you don’t DIY.  I considered just using a large cardboard box to keep them in for those first 4-6 weeks, but all the sources I read about chick care said that a large cardboard box would soon be too small for the growing chicks (and potentially too short as well for when they try flying).  Mypetchicken.com sells a  for $72 shipping; however to save some cash, I decided to copy the idea using left over moving boxes I had laying around.

You will need:

2 Large cardboard boxes of the same size

cutting tool

strong tape (duct tape works)

It’s so simple: cut a side open on the two boxes, open them up and then tape the edges together, folding the bottoms in together so they sort of weave and interlock.  You can choose to tape those inside flaps together for added stability.

Added bonus for this design: when the chicks get bigger and can start jumping and trying to fly, you can fold up the top flaps of the boxes and tape them together to add 5 plus inches to the height of your box – cool!  You can also grab a couple long sticks or dowels and punch holes in the sides of the cardboard to set up roosting perches for the chicks about 1-2 inches off the ground.

To make removing and cleaning the pine bedding easier, I picked up a painters drop cloth at the hardware store for $8, size 5×5, and laid it inside the pen before putting down the  bedding.  This will allow me to wrap up the entire bedding/poop mess inside the drop cloth and carry it out to the compost pile.

Other items needed for our 6 little birds were purchased at a local feed store:

  • $5.50 – buy the large one so you don’t have to buy it later when the birds get bigger and try to knock over a smaller sized one you may have bought at first.  Saves you money and time!
  •  $4
  • 3 cubic feet of compressed  $8
  • 25 lbs  $12
  • From Amazon I purchased a  for $11.20
  • and from Amazon also I purchased a $12

My home-made “package” cost $55.70, compared to the starter kit from mypetchicken.com priced at $72 plus shipping.  As an added bonus, I purchased 5 times as much food, got a larger watering device and a metal feeder instead of plastic.  I also was able to get 20 times as much pine bedding and a much sturdier heatlamp.  I’d say that’s a win!  Plus, I do think my recycled cardboard chick house ended up being larger than the size of the packaged one.

And man, are they cute!  My son loves going in there during the day with me to check on them.

For more information on raising baby chicks, I recommend

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Baby Chickens for Sale in Hopewell 
PA

Baby Chicks Male in Hopewell, Pennsylvania

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hopewell 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. Hopewell Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Hopewell 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 Hopewell PA.

Baby Chicks As Pets in Hopewell, Pennsylvania

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hopewell 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Hopewell 
PATypically 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 Hopewell 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 Hopewell 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 For Sale Online in Hopewell, 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 Hopewell 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 Hopewell, Pennsylvania Baby chicks are really charming and also challenging to stand up to, but it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first by collecting not just the proper materials, however likewise the correct knowledge to care for them. Raising baby chicks is relatively straightforward, you just need to supply them with the following: A tidy and also cozy environment A lot of food and also water Focus and love Environment Your environment can be a straightforward box, fish tank, feline carrier, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (without loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a few weeks use straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing only newspaper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You also require something to dish out food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food as well as a family pet bird water dispenser from a pet dog shop. Also, as the chicks get older you could introduce a perch into the habitat to get them educated on setting down. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you need to give them with a warmth source. 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 warmth bulb likewise function effectively (my suggestion). Chicks need this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which can take up to two months). The freshly hatched out require a temperature between 90 and also 100 degrees, as well as every week this could be minimized by roughly 5 levels or so. The heat resource should get on just one side of the cage to allow chicks a variety of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your heat lamp, you should decrease the temperature. If they are smothering each other under the heat (not just cuddling), you should put some warmth. Home cleaning Cleanliness is essential and it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to alter the bedding frequently and consistently offer tidy food and also water Food and also water. Chicks grow quite quickly which calls for lots of tidy food as well as water. Offer enough in any way times as well as examine typically to stop thirsty and starving chicks. Chick food is different 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 first two months, after that change to a grower food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and afterwards to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks prefer to obtain a head start on taking dust bathrooms, while others won't use up that activity till they are older. If you have the space in your chick enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or dirt for them to bathe in. Focus and also love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will probably bond with you and also not run away as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and view their actions, you can catch disease or various other troubles previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, limping, or various other unhealthy indicators. Make certain to also check out their poop, as diarrhea could result in matted feathers and also clogged cloaca. Finally, it is very important to look out for social problems, such as the smallest chick getting teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now totally feathered and also its time for them to leave the safety of your home as well as move outside right into a cage. Have a look at our area on chicken coops to find out more concerning coops as well as appropriate coop environments.
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