close

Baby Chickens for Sale in Topping, Virginia

Baby Chickens for Sale in Topping, Virginia

Chicks & Ducklings Have Landed

Box’O Chicks
Every year or two we order chicks. Generally we order from . They’re a bit more expensive than some places but they offer a wide selection of heritage breeds. We have hatched our own both in a brooder I built and by hens setting but have not used either method for replacing our flock in the spring. In the fall we tend to cull down hard so as not to over winter too many birds. This means virtually all the roosters go to the pot as well as many hens.

This year we got , , , , and . These will be ready to start laying eggs in about four to five months, joining the hens we wintered over.

Hope Checking Chicks

The purpose of having so many chickens is they eat insects, break apart manure patties and smooth out the soil. This is the same function they serve out on the plains with wild livestock. We have a marsh down below us in the floor of the valley that sends us mosquitoes. Without the chickens we would have lots in the air. With the chickens we get almost none. Same for the flies that grow on the manure patties out in the fields. The chickens are an organic pest control and they also break up parasite life cycles, all naturally.

As a side benefit we get a lot of eggs during the warm seasons and some during the cold seasons. Eggs make an excellent source of food for the piglets, weaners and sometimes growers as well as for the dogs. If you cook the eggs it doubles the available protein. Two-for-one! We’ve found that the piglets, and dogs, can eat the shells without problem so we don’t shell the boiled eggs. Actually, I can eat the shells too – gritty but no harm done. Sometimes when I’ve been really hungry, e.g., short on food, I’ve eaten chicken bones so there’s another myth to put to rest.

Sponsoring Ads:
Box’O Ducklings
In addition to the chickens we also get ducks. The ducks are great for stirring up the various pig ponds, eating algae and mosquito larva in the water which further helps with pest control. Ducks also eat slugs.
Chicks in Brooder
Following my sketch Will built a great brooder in a third of a stall out in the south field shed. This is by far the best brooder setup we’ve ever had, for one simple reason, it’s not in the kitchen! It’s great for other reasons too but not having chicks in the kitchen is really, really nice. They are amazingly noisy at times. In fact, almost all the time to some degree. With our move from the old farm house three years ago to our new tiny cottage one of the objectives was not to have livestock in the kitchen. We’ve mostly succeeded in that.
Sketch of the Brooder
The brooder is about 8′ long by 4′ wide which gives the chicks plenty of room to expand. There are 100 chicks in there plus the baker’s dozen of ducklings. With the heat lamps it stays nice and toasty in there even when it is -13°F outdoors. It is important to ventilate it a bit every day to keep the humidity from getting too high. Otherwise we have chicks with spikey punk hairdos.
Ducklings and Chicks in Brooder
Feathering friends.

Outdoors: 36°F/2°F Sunny Tiny Cottage: 64°F/59°F

Daily Spark: “I was wrong about veganism. Let them eat meat — but farm it properly.” –, former vegan proponent

Sponsoring Advertisements:

Related posts:

Baby Chickens for Sale in Topping 
VA

Baby Chicks Facts in Topping, Virginia

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Topping 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. Topping Virginia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Topping 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 Topping VA.

Baby Chickens Habitat in Topping, Virginia

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Topping 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. Baby Chickens for Sale in Topping 
VATypically 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 Topping 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 Topping 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 Facts in Topping, 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 Topping 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 Topping, Virginia Baby chicks are very cute and hard to stand up to, yet it's finest to plan for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first by gathering not only the right materials, yet additionally the proper understanding to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably straightforward, you just have to provide them with the following: A tidy and also warm and comfortable habitat Lots of food as well as water Focus and also love Habitat Your environment could be a straightforward box, aquarium, feline carrier, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels and also blankets (without any loose strings!) to start, and after a few weeks make use of straw over newspaper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs could expand malformed. You also need something to dish out food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and also water dish from the feed store, or a pickle jar lid for food and also a pet dog bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Likewise, as the chicks get older you could present a perch right into the environment to get them trained on perching. Heat To keep your chicks warm you should supply them with a heat resource. This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat bulb likewise work very well (my referral). Chicks require this heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is replaced with feathers (which could occupy to 2 months). The newly hatched require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 levels, and also weekly this can be minimized by roughly 5 levels or so. The heat resource must get on merely one side of the cage to allow chicks a variety of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermometer- if they are concealing in the other corner of your warmth lamp, you should lower the temperature level. If they are surrounding each various other under the heat (not merely cuddling), you should put some warmth. Housekeeping Tidiness is essential and it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to change the bed linen usually and also consistently supply tidy food and water Food and also water. Chicks grow very quickly which calls for a lot of tidy food as well as water. Offer enough at all times and also check often to stop thirsty and also hungry chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the very first two months, after that switch over to a grower food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for another 2 months, and after that to a somewhat lower healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a head start on taking dirt baths, while others won't occupy that activity until they are older. If you have the room in your chick room, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Attention and also love There are a few benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will certainly more than likely bond with you and also not flee as grownups. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and watch their actions, you could capture illness or other issues previously. Keep an eye out for wheezing, hopping, or other unhealthy signs. Be sure to likewise consider their poop, as diarrhea could lead to matted plumes and stopped up cloaca. Lastly, it is necessary to watch out for social issues, such as the tiniest chick obtaining teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your chicks are currently fully feathery and also its time for them to leave the security of your home as well as relocate outside into a cage. Have a look at our part on chicken coops to learn more regarding cages and also correct cage environments.
Baby Chicks On Sale     Baby Chicks Order
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Blacksburg, Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mc Gaheysville, Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Criders, Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Davenport, Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Townsend, Virginia