close

Baby Chickens for Sale in Diana, West Virginia

Baby Chickens for Sale in Diana, West Virginia

Brooder Box for baby Chicks: A Tutorial

  • 09/26/2012

Our little darling chicks have arrived!  We ordered from mypetchicken.com and found the selection and service to be excellent.  The chicks shipped super fast and were all healthy and well when they arrived (oh and so soft and cute!).  Our little gal chicks will live in their brooder box for about 4-6 weeks, then transition to their chicken coop outdoors, where they will have free range of our backyard once they are full grown.

Investing in chicks can start to get expensive if you don’t DIY.  I considered just using a large cardboard box to keep them in for those first 4-6 weeks, but all the sources I read about chick care said that a large cardboard box would soon be too small for the growing chicks (and potentially too short as well for when they try flying).  Mypetchicken.com sells a  for $72 shipping; however to save some cash, I decided to copy the idea using left over moving boxes I had laying around.

You will need:

2 Large cardboard boxes of the same size

cutting tool

strong tape (duct tape works)

It’s so simple: cut a side open on the two boxes, open them up and then tape the edges together, folding the bottoms in together so they sort of weave and interlock.  You can choose to tape those inside flaps together for added stability.

Added bonus for this design: when the chicks get bigger and can start jumping and trying to fly, you can fold up the top flaps of the boxes and tape them together to add 5 plus inches to the height of your box – cool!  You can also grab a couple long sticks or dowels and punch holes in the sides of the cardboard to set up roosting perches for the chicks about 1-2 inches off the ground.

To make removing and cleaning the pine bedding easier, I picked up a painters drop cloth at the hardware store for $8, size 5×5, and laid it inside the pen before putting down the  bedding.  This will allow me to wrap up the entire bedding/poop mess inside the drop cloth and carry it out to the compost pile.

Other items needed for our 6 little birds were purchased at a local feed store:

  • $5.50 – buy the large one so you don’t have to buy it later when the birds get bigger and try to knock over a smaller sized one you may have bought at first.  Saves you money and time!
  •  $4
  • 3 cubic feet of compressed  $8
  • 25 lbs  $12
  • From Amazon I purchased a  for $11.20
  • and from Amazon also I purchased a $12

My home-made “package” cost $55.70, compared to the starter kit from mypetchicken.com priced at $72 plus shipping.  As an added bonus, I purchased 5 times as much food, got a larger watering device and a metal feeder instead of plastic.  I also was able to get 20 times as much pine bedding and a much sturdier heatlamp.  I’d say that’s a win!  Plus, I do think my recycled cardboard chick house ended up being larger than the size of the packaged one.

And man, are they cute!  My son loves going in there during the day with me to check on them.

For more information on raising baby chicks, I recommend

You May Also Like:

Tags: , ,

Baby Chickens for Sale in Diana 
WV

Baby Chickens Near Me in Diana, West Virginia

We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Diana West 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. Diana West Virginia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Diana West 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 Diana WV.

Baby Chicks Price in Diana, West Virginia

Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Diana West 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 Diana 
WVTypically 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 Diana West 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 Diana West 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 Bedding in Diana, West 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 Diana West 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 Diana, West Virginia Baby chicks are really charming as well as tough to resist, however it's finest to plan for their arrival before you obtain them. Prepare first by collecting not only the proper materials, however additionally the appropriate expertise to care for them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably basic, you just have to provide them with the following: A tidy and also cozy environment Lots of food and also water Interest and love Habitat Your habitat can be a straightforward box, fish tank, feline service provider, or guinea pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as coverings (with no loosened strings!) to start, and after a few weeks use straw over newspaper. Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other slipper surface areas-- or your chicks legs can grow malformed. You also require something to provide 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 an animal bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Likewise, as the chicks get older you can present a perch right into the environment to obtain them educated on perching. Warmth To keep your chicks warm you should offer them with a heat source. This can be as basic as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat light bulb likewise work effectively (my suggestion). Chicks require this warmth 24/7 until their downy fluff is changed with feathers (which can occupy to two months). The recently hatched require a temperature in between 90 and also 100 levels, and every week this could be decreased by about 5 levels approximately. The warmth source ought to be on just one side of the cage to enable chicks a range of temperature levels. The chicks are your best thermostat- if they are concealing in the opposite edge of your heat light, you need to minimize the temperature. If they are surrounding each other under the heat (not just cuddling), you have to put some warmth. House cleaning Sanitation is essential and also it maintains your chicks healthy and balanced. Be sure to alter the bed linen typically and also constantly give clean food and also water Food as well as water. Chicks grow really quick which needs plenty of clean food and water. Give enough at all times and also check often to prevent thirsty and also hungry chicks. Chick food is different compared to adult chicken food, and it can be found in both medicated and also non-medicated selections. Feed chick food for the first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and afterwards to a slightly reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking dust bathrooms, while others will not use up that activity till they are older. If you have the area in your chick unit, present a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Interest as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending time with your chicks. To start with, they will certainly most likely bond with you and also not run away as adults. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily as well as watch their behavior, you could catch illness or various other troubles previously. Watch out for hissing, limping, or other undesirable signs. Be sure to also consider their poop, as looseness of the bowels can cause matted plumes as well as blocked cloaca. Finally, it is very important to watch out for social problems, such as the tiniest chick obtaining teased. Empty nest syndrome So your chicks are now totally feathered as well as its time for them to leave the safety and security of your home as well as move outside right into a cage. Check out our section on chicken coops to find out more concerning coops and proper coop environments.
Baby Chicks Coop     Baby Chicks House
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Capon Bridge, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Alloy, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Davis, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Anawalt, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Coxs Mills, West Virginia