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Baby Chickens for Sale in University Park, Pennsylvania

Baby Chickens for Sale in University Park, 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 University Park 
PA

Baby Chickens Food in University Park, Pennsylvania

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

Baby Chicks Names in University Park, Pennsylvania

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in University Park 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 University Park 
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 University Park 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 University Park 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 To Buy in University Park, 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 University Park 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 University Park, Pennsylvania Baby chicks are very adorable and hard to stand up to, however it's finest to prepare for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first by compiling not just the right materials, but likewise the correct expertise to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably basic, you merely need to give them with the following: A tidy as well as cozy environment Lots of food and also water Interest and love Habitat Your environment could be an easy box, aquarium, feline provider, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as blankets (with no loosened strings!) to start, and also after a couple of weeks make use of straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of just paper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand misshapen. You likewise require something to serve up food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder and water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container cover for food and also a pet bird water dispenser from a pet store. Also, as the chicks age you can present a perch into the habitat to get them educated on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you have to provide them with a heat resource. This can be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb likewise work very well (my suggestion). Chicks need this warmth 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which could take up to two months). The newly hatched out need a temperature level in between 90 and also 100 levels, and every week this could be lowered by approximately 5 levels or so. The heat source must get on simply one side of the cage to permit chicks a range of temperature levels. The chicks are your ideal thermometer- if they are hiding in the other corner of your heat lamp, you should lower the temperature level. If they are smothering each various other under the heat (not just cuddling), you have to add some heat. Home cleaning Tidiness is vital and it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to transform the bedding typically as well as consistently provide clean food as well as water Food and water. Chicks grow very quickly which needs a lot of tidy food as well as water. Offer enough in any way times and also examine commonly to avoid dehydrated and also hungry chicks. Chick food is various than adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the first two months, then switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a somewhat reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks prefer to obtain a running start on taking filth bathrooms, while others will not take up that activity until they are older. If you have the area in your chick enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or dirt for them to shower in. Attention and also love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. To start with, they will more than likely bond with you and also not flee as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and enjoy their habits, you could capture ailment or other troubles previously. Keep an eye out for hissing, limping, or various other undesirable signs. Make sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea could cause matted plumes as well as obstructed cloaca. Finally, it is essential to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the littlest chick obtaining picked on. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently totally feathered and also its time for them to leave the security of your house as well as relocate outside right into a coop. Take a look at our part on chicken coops to learn more about coops and proper cage habitats.
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