Baby Chickens for Sale in Westport, Pennsylvania
Baby Chickens for Sale in Westport, Pennsylvania
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I remember growing up as a kid my Mom would have jars of alfalfa and other types of sprouts up in the kitchen cupboard. Yes, it was the 70's and yes, she was into healthy eating (whole wheat bread, unsalted natural peanut butter and tofu) way before it was en vogue. A woman ahead of her time, she inadvertently gave me an idea for healthy treats for our chickens this winter ! I've been trying to think of inexpensive, healthy treats for them since now with more than thirty chickens and ducks, it's just too expensive to buy them produce at the grocery store like I used to do when we only had eight. Turns out, sprouts are extremely nutritious and easy to grow. If YOU have also been wondering what you can give to your flock for healthy treats this winter when they can't get out to forage, and when produce isn't plentiful, why not sprout some seeds or beans for them? It's inexpensive and give the chickens much-needed nutrition when they can't be out eating grass and weeds.
You can sprout all kinds of things: clover, alfalfa, mung beans, peanuts, lentils, peas, quinoa, radish, mustard seeds, grains, clover, oats, garbanzo beans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, among others. Check your local health food store or online for organic beans and seeds for sprouting. (Caution: dried beans contain a toxin called hemaglutin and should never be fed RAW to chickens, however cooking or sprouting destroys the toxin. I would still suggest avoiding the larger beans such as lima, kidney and the like, and stick with grains, seeds and smaller beans like mung or lentil instead)
I recently sprouted some mung beans for our chickens. Here's what I did:
Materials Needed
Pint or quart canning jar with lid
1 rounded Tablespoon of mung beans (or other sprouting beans or seeds - organic is best)
Grapefruit Seed Extract or White Vinegar (optional) Cut the shelf liner to fit inside the ring part of the jar. This allows air to circulate inside the jar. You can buy pre-made sprouting lids, but this way is easy and inexpensive and works just as well.
Pour one rounded Tablespoon of beans into the jar and cover with cool tap water (optional: add a few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract or White Vinegar as a sanitizer).
Let soak for about 8 hours and then drain the water. Refill the jar with plain tap water and swirl the beans to rinse them well and then drain again. Hold the jar upside down and shake a few times to be sure all the water has drained out. (Alternatively, you can set the jar upside down in a bowl at an angle or in your dish drainer rack until all the water has drained.)
Set the jar on the counter in a spot with low light and continue to rinse and drain twice a day for several days. All you are doing is keeping the beans moist. Be sure to drain the jars well of all water each time you rinse.
By the second day you should see sprouts starting.
Once the beans have cracked open and started to sprout, move the jar to a sunny location, but not in direct sunlight - a southern exposure windowsill is perfect, to allow the sprouts to green up a bit. Continue to rinse and drain the sprouts twice daily until they are done. The mung beans took five days until nice green leaves had grown and the sprouts were done and ready to be eaten.
It's as easy as that, and both your chickens and ducks will love them. Sprouted seeds and grains are actually more nutritious than either feeding them whole or grinding them into feed. Try a different kinds to see which are your flocks' favorites.
I am planning on keeping five jars going all the time this winter, starting a new one each morning so one jar is ready to eat each day, for a constant healthy treat source for our flock.
P.S....YOU can eat them too! Add the sprouts to salads or sandwiches or just munch on them by the handful.
Buying source for seeds/beans: BECAUSE LIFE IS JUST BETTER WITH CHICKENS!
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Baby Chickens Coop in Westport, Pennsylvania
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Westport 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. Westport Pennsylvania also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Westport 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 Westport PA.Baby Chickens Online in Westport, Pennsylvania
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Westport 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
Westport 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 Westport
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 Raising in Westport, 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 Westport 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 Westport, Pennsylvania Baby chicks are quite charming and challenging to stand up to, but it's ideal to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare initially by gathering not only the appropriate products, but likewise the appropriate understanding to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is relatively basic, you simply have to supply them with the following: A tidy as well as cozy habitat Plenty of food and water Interest as well as love Habitat Your environment can be an easy box, fish tank, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (without loose strings!) to start, and after a couple of weeks use straw over paper. Keep in mind: Avoid using only newspaper or other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You also require something to dish out food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle jar lid for food and a pet bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Also, as the chicks grow older you could introduce a perch right into the environment to get them trained on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you have to offer them with a warmth source. This can be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile heat bulb likewise function very well (my recommendation). Chicks require this heat 24/7 until their downy fluff is changed with feathers (which could take up to 2 months). The newly hatched need a temperature level between 90 as well as 100 degrees, and each week this could be reduced by approximately 5 degrees approximately. The warmth source should be on simply one side of the cage to enable chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are concealing in the other edge of your heat light, you should decrease the temperature level. If they are smothering each various other under the warmth (not just snuggling), you need to put some warmth. Housekeeping Cleanliness is vital and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter the bed linen frequently and constantly provide tidy food and water Food and water. Chicks grow really fast which needs a lot of tidy food as well as water. Offer enough at all times and check typically to prevent parched as well as hungry chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the first two months, after that change to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for one more 2 months, and after that to a slightly reduced protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a running start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others will not use up that activity up until they are older. If you have the space in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or dust for them to shower in. Interest and love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will certainly probably bond with you and also not escape as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also view their behavior, you can catch health problem or other problems earlier. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or other undesirable signs. Make sure to additionally check out their poop, as diarrhea can cause matted plumes as well as blocked cloaca. Last but not least, it is necessary to watch out for social problems, such as the smallest chick obtaining badgered. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are currently completely feathery and its time for them to leave the safety and security of your residence as well as move outside into a coop. Look into our section on chicken cages to get more information regarding coops and also appropriate coop environments.Baby Chickens How To Raise Baby Quail Chicks
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