Baby Chickens for Sale in Pecos, Texas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Pecos, Texas
HAVE YOU READ MY BOOKS?
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!
I would love for you to follow me here...
| | | | | | ||
©2013 by Fresh Eggs Daily, Inc. All rights reserved
Baby Chicks For Sale in Pecos, Texas
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Pecos Texas, 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. Pecos Texas also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Pecos Texas, 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 Pecos TX.Baby Chicks House in Pecos, Texas
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Pecos Texas 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
Pecos Texas * 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 Pecos
Texas * 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 By Mail in Pecos, Texas
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 Pecos Texas 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 Pecos, Texas Baby chicks are very adorable and hard to resist, yet it's best to prepare for their arrival before you get them. Prepare initially by collecting not just the proper products, however likewise the correct expertise to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you merely should provide them with the following: A clean and cozy habitat Lots of food and water Attention and love Environment Your habitat could be an easy box, fish tank, feline provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (with no loose strings!) to begin, as well as after a couple of weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of just newspaper or various other sandal surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand malformed. You additionally need something to serve up food and water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water recipe from the feed store, or a pickle container cover for food and an animal bird water dispenser from a pet store. Also, as the chicks age you could present a perch into the habitat to get them trained on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks warm you have to provide them with a warmth source. This could be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb likewise work extremely well (my recommendation). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 till their downy fluff is changed with feathers (which can take up to 2 months). The freshly hatched out need a temperature level in between 90 and 100 levels, and also each week this could be lowered by about 5 levels approximately. The warmth resource ought to get on simply one side of the cage to permit chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are hiding in the other corner of your warmth lamp, you have to reduce the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not simply cuddling), you have to put some heat. House cleaning Sanitation is vital and also it keeps your chicks healthy. Make sure to alter the bedding usually as well as consistently give tidy food as well as water Food and water. Chicks grow really quickly which calls for a lot of tidy food and water. Supply sufficient in any way times and also check typically to prevent parched and also hungry chicks. Chick food is different than adult chicken food, as well as it can be found in both medicated as well as non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the initial 2 months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and afterwards to a slightly lower protein feed or a level feed (if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks want to obtain a head start on taking dirt bathrooms, while others will not occupy that activity until they are older. If you have the room in your chick unit, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Focus as well as love There are a few benefits to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly more than likely bond with you as well as not run away as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as see their habits, you can catch ailment or various other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or various other harmful indicators. Make certain to additionally take a look at their poop, as looseness of the bowels could result in matted plumes and also obstructed cloaca. Last but not least, it is essential to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the tiniest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are now completely feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety of your house as well as relocate outside right into a coop. Check out our section on chicken cages for more information about cages and also correct coop environments.Baby Chicks Baby Chickens And Ducks For Sale
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Briscoe, Texas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Dalhart, Texas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mertens, Texas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mineral, Texas
Baby Chickens for Sale in Denver City, Texas