Baby Chickens for Sale in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
Baby Chickens for Sale in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
Is Buying Chicks for Easter a Good Idea?
It’s that time of year again: The sun is shining more. Flowers are beginning to bloom. People are getting ready for Easter. Baby animals are being born.
Baby chicks for sale are readily available.
Before the Easter Bunny decides to bring some cute, fuzzy chicks to your house, there are a few things to consider about those adorable, cheeping balls of fluff.
Chicks require special care and handling.
Chicks are not animals appropriate for most toddlers. Puppies and kittens are able to wriggle, and even scratch or bite if they feel uncomfortable or threatened by children. Chicks are pretty helpless and are fairly susceptible to sustaining internal injury if not properly handled.
Anyone handling chicks should always thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water afterward—something that is sometimes difficult to achieve with young children.
Chicks also require frequent monitoring for unusual behaviors that can indicate illness.
Chicks grow up—fast!
Just like puppies and kittens, chicks grow—and grow quickly. They may be cute and fluffy and able to fit in a box in your bathroom today, but by the time they are five weeks old, some breeds may have more than tripled in size. They are not-so-cute and fluffy any more. And they are not content to stay inside all day, especially not in a box with a bunch of others. If you end up with a cockerel (male adolescent chicken), he might just start crowing by the time he is eight weeks old.
Chicks are a commitment for their lifetime.
Also like puppies and kittens, you need to think long term. Most of the animals I have owned have lived between 13 and 17 years. For some pet owners, my pets would have still been considered young. Realize that a chicken can easily live 8-10 years, but a healthy, well-cared for backyard chicken can live up to 20 years!
Chickens may not be legal in your area.
Just because a store or a farmer in your area may be selling chicks doesn’t make them legal where you live. Don’t just take the word of a friend, either. In some cities and counties, adjacent properties may have different sets of laws governing them because of things such as zoning. Personally check the laws where you live before making a purchase AND check with the local animal control, code enforcement, or extension office. They will be able to prove to you the legality of chickens in your area.
You might be wondering by now, “Why the negativity about chickens?” It’s not negative. It’s realistic. Chicks can be a lot of fun, but their keeping needs to be seriously considered.
So how do you do it right?
Do your homework.
After making sure that you may legally own chickens, learn about different breeds to find what will best meet your family’s needs once they are grown. Are you looking for a reliable egg-layer? A docile companion? Something with personality? Each breed has unique characteristics, just like dogs or cats. You also need to know what equipment you will need. You don’t usually buy a puppy without buying food, food and water dishes, a collar, a bed, and toys. Chicks will need some kind of container and a heat source in which to keep safe and warm, as well as feeder, water container, starter feed, and disposable bedding. When they are older and bigger, and are kept outside, they will need a safe shelter complete with roost and nesting areas; bedding; feed; feeder; and watering container, along with access to sunlight and dirt. That’s just the beginning.
Know what you are getting.
Are you looking for girl chicks (pullets) only? Then it is best to avoid buying your chicks “straight run.” Buying straight run basically means that girls and boys are all put in together, and you don’t know what you’re going to get. (General rule is that half will be boys and half will be girls—IF you’re lucky!) Try to make sure the chicks have been “sexed;” that is, they have been separated according to gender. It is possible for trained individuals to tell the difference even at a young age.
It is also a good idea to try to buy local, especially if you are looking for a specific breed. You may end up paying a little more per chick, but chances are, the chick will be healthier and of better breeding than those at feed stores. But make sure to ask the seller for your gender preference to see if he/she will honor it.
Ask for help if you need it.
If you have already purchased chicks and are reconsidering a little too late, DO NOT abandon your chickens! Contact us for assistance. We are passionate about chicken keeping and want what is best for families and for chickens. We might be able to provide ideas on how to make chicken owning less overwhelming for you. We also might be able to assist you in finding a home for unwanted chickens—especially the unexpected cockerels.
Backyard chicken keeping is a rewarding endeavor, but it takes dedication. As with owning any other animal, you must be well acquainted with the needs of the animal and the responsibilities of ownership you will face.
Baby Quail Chicks in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Shenandoah 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. Shenandoah Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Shenandoah 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 Shenandoah PA.Baby Chickens Buy in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Shenandoah 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
Shenandoah 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 Shenandoah
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 Buy in Shenandoah, 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 Shenandoah 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 Shenandoah, Pennsylvania Baby chicks are very charming as well as hard to resist, yet it's finest to prepare for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially by compiling not only the correct materials, but likewise the correct expertise to care for them. Raising baby chicks is fairly basic, you just have to supply them with the following: A clean and cozy environment A lot of food and water Interest and love Habitat Your environment can be a straightforward box, aquarium, cat provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (without any loose strings!) to start, and after a few weeks use straw over paper. Note: Avoid making use of just newspaper or various other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand misshapen. You also require something to dish out food and water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar lid for food and also an animal bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Additionally, as the chicks get older you could introduce a perch into the environment to obtain them educated on setting down. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you should provide them with a warmth source. This can be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat bulb also function extremely well (my referral). Chicks require this heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which can use up to two months). The freshly hatched need a temperature between 90 and also 100 levels, as well as each week this could be decreased by roughly 5 levels approximately. The heat resource need to be on merely one side of the cage to allow chicks an array of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermometer- if they are hiding in the other edge of your heat lamp, you should minimize the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not merely curling up), you should add some warmth. Home cleaning Sanitation is vital and it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to alter the bed linens typically and also constantly offer clean food as well as water Food and also water. Chicks expand really quickly which calls for lots of tidy food and also water. Give enough whatsoever times and also examine typically to avoid dehydrated as well as hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and also non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for an additional 2 months, and then to a somewhat lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Soil Some chicks want to obtain a head start on taking dust bathrooms, while others will not use up that activity until they are older. If you have the space in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or dirt for them to shower in. Interest as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First of all, they will most likely bond with you and also not run away as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and view their actions, you can catch illness or various other issues earlier. Watch out for hissing, limping, or other harmful signs. Make sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted feathers and also stopped up cloaca. Last but not least, it is important to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick getting badgered. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now fully feathered and also its time for them to leave the security of your house and also relocate outside into a coop. Have a look at our area on chicken cages to read more concerning cages and proper coop environments.Baby Chicks Home Baby Chicks Information
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