Baby Chickens for Sale in Spencer, Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Spencer, Virginia
Baby chicks in your future?
I remember when I decided to add chickens to our lives. I had been talking about it for years. I knew I had some things to do before I bought the chickens (food, equipment and fencing supplies). I actually bought the chicks on the spur of the moment one day while I was at the Tractor Supply store. I have now had chickens for 8 years.
I bought some food for the chicks, a feeder, a heat lamp and a waterer. I knew I had a couple weeks before I could put the chicks into a fenced-in area so I would have time to build something.
I put the baby chicks into a tall cardboard box with lots of newspaper in the bottom. As the chicks dirtied the newspaper, I could remove a layer at a time. In about a week, you will need some kind of fencing to cover the top of the box. The chicks will be getting out, if you don’t.
I found a spot in our storage building to put the box and hooked up the heat lamp. You need to be really careful with newspaper, a cardboard box and a heat lamp. I worried that it would catch on fire. I used a regular light bulb instead of one of those infrared lights. It was April so it was pretty warm already.
The chicks grew quickly and after a few weeks, I knew they needed more room. The odor was not pleasant even though I changed the paper every day. The chick’s feeder is a long metal feeder with holes. They would crap on it. Then the water had to be changed every day, too. It only took maybe five to ten minutes a day to clean the box and refill the feeder/water.
We went ahead and made a chicken yard big enough for the chicks as adults. I remember reading somewhere that each chicken needs a 4ft square area. Our goal was to keep somewhere between 6 to 12 hens. I wanted one rooster, too. Now that I have had chickens for a number of years, I can say I didn’t enjoy having a rooster. They make a lot of noise in the mornings. Also, they don’t lay eggs. I often felt sorry for the hens as the rooster jumped on them to mate. If you don’t plan on baby chicks, you don’t need the eggs fertilized.
You will need a shelter at night for them to perch. A place to keep the rain and wind off them, too. In other words, we weren’t worrying about cold weather in Florida. I also made sure I built the fenced-in area under some shade trees to keep the chickens cooler. When they are hot, they tend to open their beaks and also spread their wings.
Another thing, you may have to clip their wings some to keep them from flying over the fence. You just need to clip one wing about two inches or so. Just don’t clip too too much and hurt your chicken. Catching the chicken to clip their wings is fun…lol. You just need to corner it and then reach down and grab it. I must admit, the first time I did it, I thought the chicken would peck me but it didn’t.
Free range chicken eggs are much better for you than the ones you buy at the grocery store so I keep the hens in their yard during their laying time and let them out after I collect the eggs (around 4 or 5pm). They return to their house to perch when it starts to get dark outside. Any time you want them to go back into their yard, just lure them with food and throw it in their yard. Believe me, they come running.
For egg laying nests, we used plastic crates. You can research the size of the nest. I read specific “best” size for a nest and it seems like it was about 14 x 14 inches. Actually, my chickens often laid their eggs on the floor of the house, in a corner. Be sure to collect your eggs every day, especially in the summer. I try to collect the eggs before dinner. They seem to lay somewhere between 11am to 3pm.
If I go away for a couple days, I fill up their waterer and their hanging food container and then just go. Sometimes my neighbor or niece collects the eggs while I am gone. If not, I collect the eggs upon returning and throw them away. It is not safe to eat eggs that have been outside in the heat for days.
To help keep odor down, I kept hay on the floor of the chicken house. During the summer, I often spread a bale of hay in the entire chicken yard. The chickens love to scratch and you will see you have NO grass within a short period of time.
I feed them cracked corn or chicken scratch purchased from the feed store. I keep a small bag of oyster shells on hand, too and throw some out maybe once a week.
You might wonder how many chickens you should you get. Well, I now have just five and they lay at least 12 eggs a week. One day I may get four and another two and then occasionally none. Between baking, keeping hard boiled eggs on hand for salads and making egg salad sandwiches, and then cooking a full breakfast on weekends……that is plenty for us. In fact, I have three dozen eggs in the refrigerator right now.
Remember there is a period of time they will not lay any eggs at all (during the winter). The egg laying process has everything to do with sun light. You can put your chickens under lights and they will continue to lay. I think it is best to allow nature to take it’s course and let the poor chicken’s body rest. Plus, electricity costs money.
I could go on and on about chickens but I will stop now. If you have any questions, you can make a comment and I will try to answer it.
Baby Chicks Home in Spencer, Virginia
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Spencer 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. Spencer Virginia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Spencer 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 Spencer VA.Baby Chickens Under Heat Lamp in Spencer, Virginia
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Spencer 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
Spencer 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 Spencer
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.
Baby Chickens 101 in Spencer, Virginia
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 Spencer 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 Spencer, Virginia Baby chicks are quite adorable and challenging to withstand, yet it's finest to plan for their arrival prior to you get them. Prepare first by collecting not only the proper products, but also the appropriate knowledge to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is fairly basic, you simply need to give them with the following: A clean and also cozy environment A lot of food and water Focus as well as love Habitat Your environment can be a straightforward box, aquarium, pet cat carrier, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and coverings (without loosened strings!) to start, and also after a couple of weeks use straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid utilizing only newspaper or other slipper surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand misshapen. You additionally need something to serve up food as well as water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water meal from the feed shop, or a pickle jar lid for food and a pet dog bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Likewise, as the chicks grow older you could present a perch right into the environment to get them educated on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks heat you have to give them with a heat source. This can be as easy as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb likewise work very well (my referral). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is changed with feathers (which could use up to two months). The freshly hatched require a temperature level between 90 and also 100 degrees, and every week this can be lowered by around 5 degrees approximately. The warmth resource should get on just one side of the cage to allow chicks an array of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermostat- if they are concealing in the contrary edge of your heat lamp, you have to minimize the temperature. If they are smothering each various other under the heat (not just cuddling), you need to add some heat. Housekeeping Tidiness is key as well as it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to alter the bedding commonly and also always give clean food and also water Food as well as water. Chicks grow extremely quick which needs plenty of tidy food as well as water. Offer sufficient whatsoever times as well as examine frequently to stop dehydrated and also hungry chicks. Chick food is different compared to grown-up chicken food, and it comes in both medicated and also non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the initial two months, after that switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a somewhat reduced protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Dirt Some chicks prefer to get a running start on taking filth baths, while others will not take up that task until they are older. If you have the space in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or dirt for them to shower in. Focus and love There are a couple of benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will most likely bond with you and not flee as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as see their actions, you can catch health problem or other issues previously. Watch out for wheezing, limping, or various other harmful signs. Make sure to likewise consider their poop, as diarrhea can bring about matted feathers and also clogged cloaca. Lastly, it is important to keep an eye out for social issues, such as the littlest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are now completely feathery and also its time for them to leave the safety and security of your residence as well as move outside into a cage. Look into our part on chicken coops to read more regarding cages and proper coop habitats.Baby Chicks Diet Baby Chickens Outside
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