Chicken Terminology Female chickens are referred to as both hens and/or pullets Male chickens are referred to as both roosters and/or cockerels A straight run is a combination of both male and female chickens. FAQÆs How are baby poultry shipped? We ship them out Priority Mail through the US Post Office. Do you ever have birds older than a day old? We are a hatchery specializing in baby poultry. Periodically throughout the year we do offer 17 week old pullets limited to the following varieties, Golden Buff, Black Sex Link, and White Leghorns. IÆm picking my birds up at the Hatchery. Do I need to bring a box with me to take them home in? We will have your order of baby birds already packed up and waiting for you when you arrive at the hatchery. You will need to provide your own crates or boxes for 17 week old pullets. Do you offer custom hatching if a customer provides the eggs? We will not do custom hatching due to Biosecurity risks. How much room do I need for my chickens? You will need an area of approximately 1 to 1 + feet per mature bird. My birds are pecking at each other. How do I stop them from pecking? Make sure the birds are not overcrowding each other. Also stress, feed deficiencies, illness and boredom all cause feather pecking. Add grass clippings or leafy alfalfa hay to the pen to eliminate boredom. If this does not work, you may try an anti-pick spray or anti-pick device which fits over the beak. Can I have the beaks trimmed on the baby chicks? We no longer offer beak trimming service for the simple fact that the beak will grow back if the procedure is performed on birds under 6 weeks old. If you decide to have the beaks trimmed we recommend having it done before the birds start to lay as the stress may stop them from laying for a period of time. When will my hens start laying eggs? It varies from breed to breed. Some breeds will start to lay as early as 17 weeks old and other breeds may take up to 30 weeks before they start to lay. Can I put the new chicks in with my existing older chickens? It is not recommended as the older, larger birds may peck on the smaller, younger birds. They can be put them together if you wait until the birds are similar in size. Some pecking may still occur in the beginning, but after a few days the birds should settle into a new pecking order. How many roosters do I need for my hens in order to have fertile eggs? We recommend 1 rooster for every 10 hens. Keep in mind, hens will lay eggs without a rooster present but the eggs will not be fertile. Do I need a permit to raise game birds? Regulations vary from state to state. Check with your local extension office or game warden. Can I put Turkeys in with my chickens? We do not recommend mixing breeds of poultry together in the same pen due to the fact they can pick up a disease called blackhead. How many nest holes do I need for my hens? Figure on about 5 hens per nest box hole. Do you ship out of the country? No! Federal and custom regulations make it too difficult to ship live birds out of the country. Also, the amount of time involved in shipping makes it prohibitive. Do you recommend the MarekÆs Vaccination? Yes! It is a good idea to have them vaccinated as it helps build up their antibodies. A single vaccination confers lifelong immunity, but is not 100% foolproof. About 5% of the chickens vaccinated can still get the disease anyway. My eggs are soft and keep breaking what can I do? This comes from a deficiency in their diet and you need to increase the amount of calcium or vitamin D the hens are receiving. Adding Oyster shell to their feed will also help harden the shell. Should I medicate my birds for worms right away? You can do it before they start laying, but if you medicate them after they start laying, you must wait 30 days after treatment before you can use the eggs. How much light do my birds need once they begin to lay eggs? For maximum egg production, it is recommended that hens get 14 hours of continuous light each day. They need periods of darkness as well. It is best to monitor the amount of light they receive with a timer set to turn on and off consistently at the same time every day. How do I get my chickens to lay in the nest box and not on the floor? In order to coax your chickens to use the nest box, it should be located 18 to 20 inches from the floor. Also, try to eliminate any dark corners as they like to hide in dark spots to feel protected while laying an egg. What is causing my chickens to loose their feathers? Chickens go through a normal molting stage at about 18 months old. This molting period usually lasts for 3 to 4 months. Egg production will cease during the molting period, but will resume at a slower rate after the birds end molting. When will my credit card be charged? Your card will be charged at the time your order is placed. What is the longest time I can store my eggs before I set them in the incubator? Your eggs can be stored up to 7 days and will not significantly affect the hatching, but up to 14 days can definitely decrease your hatch. Can I set my eggs as soon as I receive my shipment? We recommend you let them set for 6 hours at room temperature before setting them. Is there a proper way to set my eggs in the incubator? Yes! Eggs should be set blunt end up to maximize hatchability and your eggs should not touch each other. Should I candle my eggs? Egg candling early on is a good idea, because it helps you find the rotten eggs and remove them so that quality of the other eggs do not become contaminated. By day 3 blood vessels can be seen, and by day 7th movement can be seen, remove the bad eggs. What temperature should I set my incubator at? Keep in mind every incubator is different depending on the air flow in the incubator. A good temperature should be 99.5. What should the humidity read in the incubator? A good hatch humidity reading should be 60%, but keep in mind this also depends on the type of incubator you may have.
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