Baby Chickens for Sale in Portersville, Pennsylvania
Baby Chickens for Sale in Portersville, Pennsylvania
7 life lessons I’ve learned from hatching baby chicks
Last year was the first time I in my 6th grade science classroom. It was SUCH an amazingly beautiful learning experience for my students and I. Not only did they learn the science behind how life grows and develops from cell to organism, but they also learned priceless lessons that neither rubric nor grading scale could measure. They learned how to care. They learned how to respect, appreciate, and fight for life. They learned that life is precious, and special. And most of all, they learned the true meaning of love.
This year has been just as amazing.
For the past 21 days we have incubated 8 mixed-breed eggs in our 6th grade classroom. I work at Title I, inner city school. Our students have challenges, obstacles and barriers that I as a child never had to deal with. Through this process of growing and raising eggs I’ve taught them so many things about not only the development of life, but lessons that will help build their character. We’ve talked about care, compassion and kindness to living things, and along the way we’ve also learned some valuable lessons that I keep close to my own heart.
1. Be patient. Waiting 21 days for our baby chicks to grow in our classroom is a breeze. However, once you realize that it’s their hatching date, and you spot that very first pip (initial crack done by the baby from inside the egg), the ability to remain patient and calm wears thin! You want to lay eyes on that sweet little baby so badly that you’re almost tempted to intervene and just pull it out of the shell yourself! Nature, however, always has a different plan, and those baby chicks know exactly what to do in order to have a healthy hatch. Intervening too early could mean hatching an under-developed chick; as there is still much to do in those last few hours of hatching! We’ve all heard the phrase: good things come to those who wait. This couldn’t be more on point in regards to baby chicks. We might find ourselves wanting to rush through other things in life, but it’s important to learn from the baby chicks. Sometimes we must remain patient, observe closely, and let nature take its course.
2. Keep on pushing. Hatching out of an egg is exhausting. It can take up to 24 hours sometimes to push on out into the world. Baby chicks are relentless. They tirelessly poke their beaks through the top of their shells, then use whatever energy they have remaining for that one final push. It is their instinct to keep on pushing and never give up. They know that just outside the safety of their shells there is an entire world waiting for them, and they do what needs to be done to get there. Life loves to hand us hurdles and barriers to overcome on a daily basis. And no matter how tired we grow, it’s important to understand the power persistence. If we keep on pushing, even when things get difficult, we find that there’s a whole world of opportunity for us. We meet goals, take risks, and reach out of our comfort zones. The more we push, the more we grow, and just like the baby chicks, outside our own “shells” there’s a big, fantastic world waiting for us!
3. Learn something new each day. Baby chicks grow and develop SO quickly. Each day they learn something new. From breathing fresh air and standing on their own two feet on day 1, to eating, drinking and playing with their brothers and sisters on day 2. Baby chicks are always learning something new! It’s so important to take something away from each day. It’s how we grow and change into the best version of ourselves!
4. Live in the moment. The first day of baby chick hatching was a complete whirlwind of excitement. And sure I could have spent my time doing laundry, vacuuming, running errands, or, ahem, teaching my students. But you know what? Watching life emerge from an egg that you took care of for the past 21 days is truly a lifetime event not to be missed. The chores will still be there tomorrow and watching this miracle of life happen is the most authentic type of true learning I could ever expose my students to.
5. Rest. Baby chicks rest. A LOT. Even when they’re working on escaping their shells, they rest! Poke a little, rest a lot. Poke a little more, take a nap! Poke poke poke, sleep sleep sleep! Baby chicks know when it’s time to cool it and just take a moment to regain their strength before proceeding on. We could learn a lot from these little guys. Sometimes it’s important to step back and say “I’m not going to take on any more until I have a moment to rest”. Sleep is important- and baby chicks know it! They’re SO good at resting that in a moment’s notice, they might completely fall asleep- even when they’re eating or drinking! Which is why we must take measures to protect them from drowning by placing marbles in their water dishes! Now while I don’t recommend snoozing at the dinner table, it’s important to remember to listen to your body and rest when you feel like you need it!
6. It’s OK to lean on others for support. When raising your own chicks, YOU are the mama. You make sure they are warm, clean, safe and nourished. But surprisingly, baby chicks rely on the other hatchlings for TONS of support! They bond VERY quickly. When hatching a group of eggs in the classroom setting, most of the time these babies aren’t coming from the same mama hen. But when you’re stuck in an incubator for 21 days, and you hatch around the same time, you learn to form an inseparable bond with the other babies in your group. Baby chicks love to snuggle up to one other, help each other figure things out around their brooder, and will even welcome the late hatchers when they join the original group hours later. Isn’t that what life is all about? Accepting, supporting, and providing care to those who need it most? We can learn a lot about love from these little guys!
7. Cherish life. Life is a precious gift. It’s so easy to forget how special it is to be alive. Looking at these baby chicks and realizing that just 21 days ago they were but a speck of life in that giant shell is just awe-inspiring. Even as a science teacher I’m always left feeling amazed (and a bit weepy I might add) about this process. And although these aren’t “my” babies, and although yes I DO, in fact, eat chicken, I love these little guys and will do whatever I can to keep them strong and healthy while they’re in my care. We all know that life throws us curve balls. We experience heartache, loss, stress and even circumstances that we wish we could control. But when we stop for a moment to take it all in. When we truly realize this amazing miracle that we call life. When we take the time to understand what a gift we’ve been given and use our lives to make a difference in the world. When we find time to focus on the good. When we embrace qualities like compassion, respect and love, we learn to truly LIVE.
And that’s what I’ve learned from raising baby chicks.
Steph 🙂�
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Baby Chicks Outside With Heat Lamp in Portersville, Pennsylvania
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Portersville 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. Portersville Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Portersville 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 Portersville PA.Raising Baby Chickens in Portersville, Pennsylvania
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Portersville 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
Portersville 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 Portersville
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 Gender in Portersville, 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 Portersville 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 Portersville, Pennsylvania Baby chicks are very cute and hard to resist, but it's best to prepare for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by compiling not just the correct materials, yet also the correct knowledge to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is fairly straightforward, you simply should supply them with the following: A tidy as well as warm environment Lots of food and also water Attention and also love Habitat Your environment can be a simple box, fish tank, cat provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and coverings (without loosened strings!) to begin, and also after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You likewise require something to provide food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar cover for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks age you can present a perch right into the environment to obtain them educated on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you need to provide them with a heat source. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb additionally work extremely well (my suggestion). Chicks need this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which can use up to two months). The recently hatched need a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 levels, as well as weekly this can be decreased by about 5 levels or so. The heat resource must get on simply one side of the cage to allow chicks a variety of temperatures. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are concealing in the opposite corner of your warmth lamp, you should lower the temperature level. If they are surrounding each other under the warmth (not just cuddling), you should put some heat. Home cleaning Sanitation is vital and also it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to change the bed linens commonly as well as always provide clean food and water Food and also water. Chicks grow really quickly which needs lots of clean food and also water. Supply enough in any way times as well as examine typically to stop parched and starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to adult chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the very first two months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks prefer to obtain a running start on taking filth baths, while others won't use up that activity until they are older. If you have the space in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Focus as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will certainly more than likely bond with you as well as not run away as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and watch their habits, you can capture illness or other issues previously. Keep an eye out for wheezing, limping, or various other undesirable indications. Be sure to likewise take a look at their poop, as diarrhea can bring about matted feathers and blocked cloaca. Last but not least, it is necessary to watch out for social concerns, such as the littlest chick obtaining picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now completely feathered as well as its time for them to leave the security of your home and relocate outside right into a coop. Check out our part on chicken cages to read more regarding coops and also appropriate cage habitats.Baby Chicks And Ducks Baby Chicks Price
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