Baby Chickens for Sale in Stanwood, Washington
Baby Chickens for Sale in Stanwood, Washington
Things No One Told You About Raising Baby Chicks On The Homestead
There are as many ways and opinions about how to raise chickens as there are chicken breeds. It is amazing at how passionate people are about their chickens and how they raise them. As the little chicks develop you can literally see them changing day to day. One day they had no wing feathers, and the next day they had visibly sprouted. Merissa over at shares raising baby chickens – a beginners guide to baby chicken care.
Raising Baby Chickens & Baby Chicken Care
Who can resist this cute little fuzzy baby chickens at the local farm supply store? They look so sweet and innocent and are just begging for you to take them home.
Even though having raising baby chickens seems easy enough (feed water = happy chickens!), it’s a little more complicated than it appears. Thankfully once you have a few tips and tricks under your belt it will be a breeze and your birds will stay happy and healthy and become the nice, producing flock you hope they will be.
I’ve raised chickens for many many years. When I was little we would have so much fun heading to the feed store and picking out our special birds that we would raise for the 4-H Achievement Days. Then we would spend weeks obsessing over our little birds and watching them as they slowly outgrew their fuzz and gain lovely feathers in all different colors. Of course, not every batch of birds turned out perfectly and there were many bumps along the way, but hopefully you will learn from our mistakes!
Let’s start in the beginning with that trip to the feed store. Most feed stores carry the basic breeds that will grow to be healthy meat and laying birds. You can check out . If you want to raise birds for laying eggs, make sure to get pullets (hens), if you don’t care as much or are raising birds for butchering, you can stick with the cheaper straight run. I’ve personally had one too many roosters chase me across the yard so I stick with all pullets. *Remember, there is always a chance that you may have some roosters, even in a pullet bunch…sexing chickens isn’t always accurate when they are so young.
- Tip! Ask your feed store what day they get chickens in from their source and come pick out your birds a few days later. That way you know the birds made it through the shock of being transported and have a higher chance of being healthy.
While you are at the feed store, make sure to pick up several items. You will need a feeder, a waterer, chick starter, wood shavings, and a heat lamp set up. You will also need some kind of rubber or plastic tub if you don’t have one. A plastic tote works well for a small batch of birds, as does a rubber animal waterer. If there is someone around to help you, you can also ask them about baby chicken care, especially if you are getting a specialty breed.
Baby Chickens Care in Stanwood, Washington
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Stanwood Washington, 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. Stanwood Washington also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Stanwood Washington, 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 Stanwood WA.Baby Chickens By Mail in Stanwood, Washington
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Stanwood Washington 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
Stanwood Washington * 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 Stanwood
Washington * 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 Buy in Stanwood, Washington
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 Stanwood Washington 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 Stanwood, Washington Baby chicks are very charming and also tough to resist, however it's finest to plan for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare initially by gathering not only the right materials, however additionally the correct knowledge to care for them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably straightforward, you just need to provide them with the following: A clean and also warm and comfortable habitat A lot of food and also water Focus and also love Environment Your habitat can be a basic box, fish tank, pet cat service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (without any loosened strings!) to begin, as well as after a couple of weeks use straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing just newspaper or various other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You likewise need something to provide food and also water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water dish from the feed shop, or a pickle jar cover for food as well as an animal bird water dispenser from an animal store. Also, as the chicks age you could present a perch into the environment to obtain them trained on perching. Heat To keep your chicks warm you need to supply them with a warmth source. This could be as simple as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth light bulb also function very well (my suggestion). Chicks need this warmth 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which can take up to two months). The newly hatched out require a temperature in between 90 as well as 100 levels, and every week this could be decreased by roughly 5 degrees approximately. The heat resource must be on simply one side of the cage to allow chicks a variety of temperatures. The chicks are your finest thermometer- if they are hiding in the opposite corner of your warmth lamp, you need to minimize the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not simply curling up), you have to include some warmth. Housekeeping Cleanliness is essential and also it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Make sure to transform the bedding usually as well as consistently provide tidy food and also water Food as well as water. Chicks expand very quickly which needs lots of tidy food and also water. Supply enough whatsoever times and check typically to prevent dehydrated as well as starving chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % healthy protein) for one more 2 months, and after that to a somewhat lower protein feed or a layer feed (if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks want to get a running start on taking dirt baths, while others will not use up that task up until they are older. If you have the space in your chick enclosure, introduce a tray of sand or filth for them to bathe in. Interest as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. First of all, they will more than likely bond with you and not escape as adults. Second, if you examine your chicks daily and watch their habits, you can capture disease or other problems earlier. Watch out for hissing, limping, or various other undesirable indicators. Make sure to likewise check out their poop, as diarrhea could result in matted plumes and clogged up cloaca. Finally, it is important to keep an eye out for social issues, such as the littlest chick getting teased. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are now fully feathered and also its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home and also move outside right into a coop. Check out our section on chicken coops to learn more regarding coops and also proper coop environments.Baby Chicks In The Mail Baby Chicks Baby Chickens
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Benton City, Washington
Baby Chickens for Sale in Burley, Washington
Baby Chickens for Sale in Centralia, Washington
Baby Chickens for Sale in Mattawa, Washington
Baby Chickens for Sale in George, Washington