Beginning With Chicks Series: Preparing For Your Chicks

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Today's post is the second part of our five part Beginning with Chicks Series. If you missed the first post you can find it on our series announcement post, which contains all the available links for the series.

http://chickenraisingchicks.blogspot.com/2013/07/new-blog-series-beginning-with-chicks_30.html

We'll be discussing setting up your chicks in their temporary home.

When you first bring your chicks home, or when they come in the mail, they will most likely need food and water as soon as possible, so its good to have this prepared in advance.

During the time your chickens are kept inside (6 weeks) they will need to be kept in a contained space. Some people use a brooder, but you don't have to go to all that trouble. We keep ours in a large plastic container (granted we have never ordered more then 10 chicks at a time). Some people even use a cardboard box, though I personally wouldn't recommend that because they have to be changed out a lot due to the smell. 

Whatever you choose, just make sure they have plenty of room. The usual space needed per chick is 1 square foot for the first couple of weeks and by four weeks they'll need 2 square feet. And you'll need room for the water and food.

You'll also want to keep in mind that some chicks are escape artists and will try to jump out of the cage as they get older. Not all chicks do this. We haven't had any problem with our Silkie Bantams doing this, but every Ameraucana we've owned has tried this at least once.

After you've chosen your cage, container, box, or brooder, you'll need to add some bedding to the bottom of it. You cane easily use hay or grass but we have always preferred America's Choice Bedding Mini Flakes.



It's very easy to use, absorbent, and if your chicks consume these, it won't hurt them in any way.

Why do you need bedding? Well, you don't have to have it, but I definitely recommend it. It will help with the smell and make cleaning out the container/brooder ten times easier.

Now for the feed and water. You'll need to purchase at least one feeder and waterer.

            

There are many different types of feeders available. The two above are often popular choices for those who have a smaller number of chicks.

If you have a larger number of chicks, or would like to fill the feeder less, then perhaps this would be a good option.



As for waterers.



These are some good options.

All of these feeders and waterers can be found on TractorSupply.com for reasonable prices. Most of them can also be purchased at a feed store, or another online source. Shop around until you decide what is best for you.

Chick Starter is our feed of choice.

Medicated feed is what we usually use, though I would recommend organic feed for anyone who wants to sell their eggs. If you use the medicated feed (which contains Amprolium, a vaccine to prevent Coccidiosis, an parasite in the digestive tract of chickens.) you can not label your eggs as "organic".

You might want to do some research on feed options before you make your final decision.

The last thing you'll need is pretty dependent on location and weather.

A heat lamp. Not all chicken owners need these.

We are currently raising chicks and as you can imagine in August in Texas we aren't using the lamp. We used it the first two weeks just as a precautionary, but we haven't needed it since.

If you do need a heat lamp, you don't need to buy anything expensive.

You don't have to buy a lamp that says "Heat Lamp" on the package. Many people recommend a 250 watt bulb, and remember, you can move the lamp further away if you need to. Your chicks will let you know what to do because if they are too hot they will all be around the edge of the brooder/container is they are too cold they will all be really close together.

Just remember that chicks need it to be 95 degrees for their first week, and you can subtract by five for each week until they are ready for the great outdoors.

The lamp you'll be using will probably look like this:



If you have any questions or comments about something I didn't cover please leave a comment below or email me at chickenraisingchicks.cassandra@gmail.com

Thank you for stopping by to read our new series Beginning With Chicks and I hope you'll come back next week for our new post Beginning With Chicks: Bringing Your Chicks Home.

Beginning With Chicks Series: Ordering Your Chicks

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Today's post is the first part of our new blog series Beginning With Chicks. If you're reading this at a later time, the rest of the series may have already been published. Please view the series announcement post to find links to all available posts.

http://chickenraisingchicks.blogspot.com/2013/07/new-blog-series-beginning-with-chicks_30.html

Today I am going to talk about ordering your chicks.

There are four main ways to do this. 

Hatcheries

The first way is directly through a hatchery. There are many to choose from. But there is one thing you need to be aware of. Most hatcheries have a minimum order or 25 chicks. Not all of them, but most do. This is to ensure the safety of the chicks as well as lower shipping costs. But unless you want, and are prepared for, a large flock, this can be a problem. That's where the second option comes in.

Pros

* Some hatcheries offer a free chick bonus when you order.

Cons

* Not always will you have room for 25+ chickens.

I can't truly give very many pros and cons because all hatcheries are different. If their is a certain one you are leaning towards try searching online for reviews.  

Feed Stores

Ordering through feed stores is often the best way if you want a small amount of chickens. Not all feed stores order chicks, but there are quite a few that do. If you are unsure about your local feed store just give them a call.

Feed stores usually order from hatcheries as well, but since they meet the 25 chick requirement through their own standard order of chickens (usually Rhode Island Reds, Ameraucanas, Orpingtons etc.), you can order as many as you'd like.

Pros

*You'll be able to see the chicks at the feed store before you actually purchase them.
*You can order a small number of chicks and it shouldn't be a problem.

Cons

*Not all employees know what they're doing. We had one person who worked at a local feed store send us home with the wrong chicks.
*If you are ordering bantams and the are in the same shipment as regular chickens there can be a bully in the mix.

Local Farms or Chicken Raisers

The third option is not always available and often depends on your location. If you live anywhere near a chicken raiser or a farm you might be able to purchase chicks from them. Feel free to stop by and ask, the worst thing they can say is no.

If they do sell chicks you may want to ask their price so you can compare it to that of a hatchery or feed store. You'll also want to make sure they have the breed(s) you're looking for.

Another thing you should ask them is if you will be able to pick the chicks out yourself. Many people won't have a problem with you picking out which chicks you want yourself. If they don't want you picking yourself you may want to ask around to see how reliable they were about giving you the correct breed.

Pros
*Most people selling the chicks will let you pick which ones you want. This is often a fun things for kids to do, as well as adults.
*You can personally see how the chickens are being cared for. When you order from a hatchery, you don't always know what's really going on.


Cons
*In a farm where a lot of chickens live together, it is often hard to be positive about the breed of the chick. So if you want a very specific breed and won't settle for a cross-breed, this may not be your best option.


My Pet Chicken.com

The fourth option is a great website called MyPetChicken.com

This is basically the same as ordering through a hatchery, except for one great thing.

You can order (depending on your location) as few as three chicks. So if you really want to order by mail, but just don't need that many chicks, this is your best option.

We have never ordered from them ourselves, but have heard great reviews from people who did.

Pros
*Small minimum requirement
*They are the only company in the nation that offers sexed bantam chicks.
*They have a great "live chick rate" and only 1 out of every 100 chicks has a problem during shipping. And even if you are one of the rare people that does receive a chick that has died, they will reimburse you for it.

Cons
*They are not a hatchery themselves, but a brokerage for Meyer Hatchery. Some people have a problem with this because the feel that My Pet Chicken isn't very upfront about this.
*They have had some negative reviews about not sending the correct breeds.
*Shipping costs can be expensive.

I'm going to walk you through the first and second option, as you can probably handle the third option on your own. (If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email, or leave a comment below.) And the fourth option will relatively be the same as the second when it comes to ordering.

Whether you decide to order from a feed store of hatchery, the first step would be to obtain a catalog from the hatchery you'll be ordering from, or the hatchery your local feed store uses. You can also check online to see if the hatchery has a website. This is so you can look at all of the available breeds and colors they offer and decide what you like. You may also want to research the breeds and check their temperament, egg production rate, and typical life span. And, if you want meat birds, you'll want to know which breeds are best for that.

After you have decided on which breeds you like and how many of each you want you can place you order. Keep in mind that not all breeds, or certain colors, are available year-round, so you'll want to call the hatchery and confirm that your choices are available.

For most hatcheries you can order online, by phone, and by the insert that comes in the catalog.

For most feed stores you can order in person and by phone.

When choosing the amount of chicks you order it is always a good policy to order a couple more than you want. Not all chicks make it through shipping and even if they do you could still lose some in the next few days. This is completely normal and isn't something you did wrong or didn't do right. It happens to everyone.

Whether you order from a feed store or a hatchery you will probably get an estimate for when your chicks should arrive. Sometimes these estimates can be off a day or two, so be prepared.

If your chicks are coming in the mail, you will usually get a call from the post office that they have arrived. When you open the package it would probably be good to do so away from your children (if you have any) because, as I said before, some of the chicks may not have made it through shipping.

Thank you for stopping by to read our new series Beginning With Chicks and I hope you'll come back next week for our new post Beginning With Chicks: Preparing For Your Chicks.

New Blog Series: Beginning With Chicks

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Today I would like to announce a new blog series that Miranda and I have been working on.

Beginning with Chicks is basically a five part series that will publish every Friday in August. It covers everything from ordering your chicks to when they can be transferred to a chicken coop outside.

Below is a list that shows the title of each post. After each one is published I will provide a link for it.

Ordering Your Chicks by Cassandra Hart

Preparing For Your Chicks by Cassandra Hart

Picking Up Your Chicks by Miranda Hart

Caring For Them by Cassandra Hart

Putting Your Chicks Outside by Miranda Hart

I know right now isn't the usual time to order chicks, as many people begin in the Spring. However, I thought that by sharing this now it will better prepare you for when you do own chickens.

When Spring makes its glorious return I'll be sure to share this again.

Thank you all for joining me, and I hope to see you back this Friday for the first part of Beginning With Chicks.

Got Eggs? Candling Eggs To Check for Fertility

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Many people who own chickens, at least at some point, discover that one of their hens has decided to go "broody".  AKA You know how, every morning when you've collected eggs, you've been wondering why one of your chickens isn't laying? Well..... she has been! 

And now, you have before you the chance for some free chicks.

Maybe.

You see, not always are the eggs fertile. Most of the time at least some of them are, but some hens (especially Silkies)  go broody for any eggs. Fertile or infertile.

The best way to check for egg fertility is through candling.

Candling has been used for the longest time and seems to be the best method. But you can only candle the eggs after the have been incubating a minimum of three days. Freshly laid eggs can look the same as an infertile egg. 

All you need is a bright flashlight and your egg. (You might also want a store bought egg for comparison.)

I am providing you with this tutorial from WikiHow because there are pictures for you to compare to.

There are a lot of people who say that another way to check the eggs is by placing the egg in water. DO NOT DO THIS. Eggs are porous, which means that placing one in water can kill the chick. DO NOT DO THIS. 

So far candling is the safest way.

And, when all else fails, sometimes the best thing to do is just let the hen take care of the eggs for 21 days and see what happens. 

We often find that this is the best way to do things. It usually doesn't hurt anything to leave her be and wait it out.

I hope this helped and have a great day,

Happy Fourth of July

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

We just wanted to wish ya'll a Happy 4th!

Keep safe and have fun!

Roosters, yea or nay?

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Today I would like to address a popular misconception about raising chickens.

You need a rooster for your hens to lay eggs.

WRONG

You only need a rooster to fertilize the eggs, the hens will lay eggs on their own whether or not you own a rooster.

Roosters are good to own for many reasons. Visit this wonderful website to view some of those reasons: Hazel Tree Farm: Good Reasons to keep a Rooster

But the thing you need to remember is that owning a rooster is completely up to you.

There are many different breeds of roosters and each breed has a typical behavior. Some people say that their rooster is their favorite chicken in their flock, and others have had to say goodbye to their roosters because of his bad behavior.

We have a docile rooster named Willie (he is a Silkie Bantam) and he rarely even acts like a rooster. He doesn't crow often, and it isn't very loud. He sits on eggs for the girls quite often, and pretty much just minds his own business. (Not that there is any way possible he could boss most of our hens around, they seem to think they are the queens!)

But we also had another rooster who was the most awful chicken ever! He picked on the girls and pushed Willie around. He was even mean to the baby chicks. We had his butt hauled off for sure.

Sometimes roosters are a great addition to your flock. Sometimes they're a bit too rambunctious.

Either way, the choice is yours.

Chickens Can't Fly! Or Can They?

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Today I am addressing a commonly made assumption. Chickens can't fly. 

Well, actually they kind of can.

Now don't get me wrong. They can't "fly" the same ways as birds can. They can't soar high into the air and stay there. More like, they can flap their wings and make it a few feet into the air before plummeting.

We once had a rooster that was able to get up a tree about thirty feet in the air. He would fly from branch to branch until he got as high as he wanted. Most of our hens can jump the fence with ease. I would say they can "fly" five to six feet in the air.

Some chickens such as Silkies and Cochins can't fly. A Silkie's wing is made differently from most chickens, so the most they can usually do is a jump. Cochin's are usually too heavy to fly, so they wind up just jumping as well.

According to Wikipedia "Domestic chickens are not capable of long distance flight, although lighter birds are generally capable of flying for short distances, such as over fences or into trees (where they would naturally roost). Chickens may occasionally fly briefly to explore their surroundings, but generally do so only to flee perceived danger."

Our chickens must just tend to be nosier, because they more often fly to explore than to run  away from danger.

So now you know, chickens can fly. Some chickens never will fly, others will fly all the time. Either way it's good to be prepared. I remember the first time Randi and I saw our Ameraucana's perched on the edge of their pen, we freaked out. We since then have learned to always make sure our chicken pen is secure.

Thanks for stopping by and come back and see us again for more chicken raising tips!

5 Reasons to Own Chickens

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Today I would like to share with you  reasons you should own chickens.

1. They are probably the most productive pets you could own.

Chickens can regularly supply you with eggs. In fact the record for the most amount of eggs goes to an Australorp who, in the 1920's, layed 364 eggs in 365 days *.  And (If you live in a place where this is possible) you can sell your eggs!

*The standard number of eggs from an Australorp per year are 250

If you choose to own meat chickens, they'll also provide you with food as well.

And, another way chickens are productive is that they can help you recycle. Your chickens can eat pretty much all your food scraps. (Notice I said "pretty much all" so if your questioning a certain kind of food, look it up.) And once they've eaten the scraps they provide you with nitrogen-rich fertilizer, AKA chicken crap. And you can compost it with leaves.

And, finally, chickens are great at pest and weed control. They will munch on those bugs that are trying to eat your garden plants. And they will eat most weeds so give your arms a rest from weed pulling.

2. They truly can be great pets.

My favorite chicken is a Buff Silkie Bantam and she is the sweetest thing. She is gentle and docile. I can call her name and she'll come over to me. Usually she'll even let everyone pet her. We've had a little 2 year old girl come visit and she loves to pet Cleo (she calls her Clelo and Boodiful Gicken).

Cleo

3. There is a huge variety of chicken breeds out there!

You can call up a hatchery (and maybe your local feed store if they take chick orders) and order whatever breed you want.

You can choose from "normal" chickens like:

 

   Rhode Island Red

 

 Orpington

 Ameraucana

Or you could go for a more "exotic" looking chicken such as:

 

           Silkie Bantam  

 
 Sultan

 

Sebright Bantam

Cochin

 (All chicken photos, except for Cleo's, courtesy of My Pet Chicken)

 4. Most adult chickens are hardy.

Unless you have chosed a delicate breed, chickens can usually go for a few weeks just drinking water and scrounging around the yard for bugs and edible plants.

And, most chickens (again, unless you've chosen a delicate breed) can handle climate changes quite well. Our chickens have been through 120°F in the summer to -6°F in the winter. We just make sure they are in their coop with plenty of food and water.

5. You know exactly what's going on.

When you purchase chicken from the store you have no idea what that chicken went through. Most chickens live out their lives in a tiny little cage. Their only purpose is to lay eggs so that big name companies can sell them.

If that isn't enough reason to make the switch from buying store bought eggs to owning chickens, maybe this'll do it for you.

When you take care of your own chickens, you make the choice to eat healthier.

Your chickens are eating either natural chicken feed or they are eating plants and bugs. That turns the color of the egg yolk turns a bright orange, which means your chickens have a healthy diet. Most eggs you buy from the store have very pale yellow yolks.

In fact, Mother Earth News conducted a study in 2007 and came to this conclusion.

"Most of the eggs currently sold in supermarkets are nutritionally inferior to eggs produced by hens raised on pasture. That’s the conclusion we have reached following completion of the 2007 Mother Earth News egg testing project. Our testing has found that, compared to official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:

• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene"


Wowza! What a difference.

It shouldn't really be that surprising that when you take care of your chickens, (let them run around, and eat natural food) then they'll produce better eggs.


So, now that I've given you 5 reasons to own chickens, hopefully you'll consider it. And, if you already own chickens and have another reason please comment and share it!

Thank ya'll for stopping by, and now........ I've got chicken eggs to hunt for.



Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!

Hello Chicken Raising Chicks!


This is Cassandra and Miranda Hart on our new adventure in the land of blogging!


Cassandra says: "Hello and welcome!

Miranda and I have started a new blog together. This blog is about all things chickens.

You may recognize the name, as when Miranda first started out her blog name was "Chicken Raising Chick", but she later decided that she would rather run a craft blog. However, when we deleted Chicken Raising Chick, we found out that people were searching for it. So Miranda decided to start it back up, this time with me, her sister.

I also thought an all-chicken blog would be a great idea, as I have had people ask me questions and express their desire to possibly begin raising chickens.

So this blog is for all those gals. All those who want to be (or already are) Chicken Raising Chicks. On this blog you will find: chicken raising tips, tutorials, funny stories, ideas, features from other blogs, and pretty much anything else we think will help you on your chicken raising journey.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestians please feel free to email me at chickenraisingchicks.cassandra@gmail.com

Thanks for visiting us and please come back soon to hear more."

Miranda says: "Hi this is me, Miranda!

Thanks for coming to our blog. I hope ya'll gals will enjoy it.

I can't wait to share some of our chicken raising adventures with you. In the future I will feature articles from: Mother Earth News, Homestead Blessings, Grit Magazine, and other blogs that I will find along the way.

We hope to give ya'll easy, simple, ways to raise chickens.

Chickens are great pets and they're also moneysavers. They produce eggs which over time can be costly. Sometimes, chickens can be really stubborn and complicated, but in the end it is always worth the trouble."

We both thank ya'll so much for coming and can't wait to get some chicken raising tips on here right away!