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.
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in New Market Virginia,
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. New Market
Virginia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
New Market Virginia, 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 New Market VA.
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in New Market Virginia
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
New Market Virginia * 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 New Market
Virginia * 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.
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
New Market Virginia 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 New Market,
Virginia Baby chicks are extremely
cute as well as
difficult to stand up to,
yet it's best to prepare for their
arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first
by compiling not just the
right products, but
also the correct
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
easy, you merely need
to supply them with the following: A tidy and also cozy
environment Plenty of food and also water Attention and
love Environment Your habitat can be a basic box, fish tank,
feline provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without loose
strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks use straw over newspaper.
Note: Avoid making use of only
newspaper or other slipper
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow
misshapen. You also need
something to dish out food and also
water in, such as a chicken feeder and water
dish from the feed store, or a pickle container
lid for food as well as a pet bird water dispenser from a
pet dog store. Likewise, as the chicks grow older you can present a perch
into the habitat to obtain them
trained on perching. Heat To
maintain your chicks heat you have to
supply them with a warmth resource.
This can be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment store, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb likewise work extremely well (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 till their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which could occupy to two months). The recently
hatched need a temperature level
between 90 and 100 degrees,
as well as every week this can
be lowered by
roughly 5 degrees or
so. The heat resource must be on just one side of the cage
to permit chicks an array of
temperature levels. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
opposite corner of your warmth
lamp, you should
lower the temperature. If
they are surrounding each other under the
warmth (not merely curling up),
you need to put some warmth.
Housekeeping
Cleanliness is crucial as
well as it maintains your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make sure to transform
the bed linens
usually as well as
always supply clean
food and also water Food and also water.
Chicks grow very quick
which requires lots of tidy
food and also water. Offer
enough in any way times as well
as examine
typically to
stop thirsty and also
hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared
to adult chicken food, as well as it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the
very first 2 months, then
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for one more 2 months,
then to a somewhat
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have layers). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking
dirt bathrooms, while others will not use up that activity up until they are
older. If you have the area in your chick
enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to wash in.
Attention as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. To start
with, they will most
likely bond with you and also
not run away as adults. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and also
enjoy their actions, you can
catch ailment or various
other issues previously. Keep an
eye out for wheezing, limping, or
various other undesirable
signs. Make sure to
additionally consider
their poop, as diarrhea could cause matted feathers and stopped up cloaca.
Finally, it is very
important to watch out for social problems, such as the
smallest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently totally feathery
and also its time for them to leave the
safety of your home
and also move outside into a cage. Check out our
section on chicken coops to find out
more
about coops and also
correct coop environments.