FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
BABY CHICKS-
What should I Feed Them?
I start them on Medicated Started Feed from day one.
Medicated Started Feed contains amprolium, which protects chicks from developing coccidiosis, a common and deadly intestinal parasite that is spread in fecal matter.
Is there a Chick Minimum?
Yes. There is two chick minimum as chickens are flock animals and need a buddy from the same hatch.
Do You Ship Chicks?
No sorry we don't ship chicks. Although we do ship Hatching Eggs.
Do you Vaccinate the Chicks?
No, we do not vaccinate as the vaccines have a short shelf-life and are not sold in quantities that are reasonable for small farmers. Instead, we rely on good nutrition, healthy breeding stock and robust biosecurity to keep my birds happy and healthy.
How Do I Add Littles to
Bigs?
I use a system called the Play Pen Method. Allow the newbies and the original flock members to see each other without having physical contact for a period of time. This allows both groups to familiarize themselves with one another while maintaining a "safe zone" for the new chickens.
Integrating new flock members should be done slowly in order to minimize stress on everyone. The process will take varying amounts of time depending on the flock and individual personalities within the flock.
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At What Age Can They Go Outside?
It depends. Many factors play a role in determining when the right time is to move them to the coop. In the heat of the summer, chicks may require supplemental heat for only a few weeks, in the colder weather, chicks will need supplemental heat much longer.
In general, most chicks are fully-feathered by 6 weeks of age. That means that their chick down is gone and they have grown real feathers, which allows them to regulate their body temperatures.
STARTED PULLETS
What Should I Feed Them?
I have them on Medicated Starter Feed for as long as I can. Until 18 weeks if possible. Then switch over to Layer Feed with a side dish of oyster shell. Everyone's flock situation is different, you might have an existing flock, which in that case you will have to feed everyone a Starter/Grower Feed until the newbies have reached 18 weeks. Have a side dish of oyster shell available for the older hens, as they are not getting calcium from the Starter/Grower Feed. The longer you are able to keep the pullets on Medicated Starter, the better as the Amprolium in the Starter Feed is still protecting their gut health from coccidiosos.
Where are the Pullets Kept While Growing Out?
We have a separate grow-out area in our barn away from the existing flock. We use sand for litter to keep their environment dry and droppings are easily sifted from the sand, twice a day.
The Pullets do not leave the barn in the 2-4 weeks after they are moved from their brooders. They do not go outside on the grass for biosecurity reasons, as the pathogens in our yard are different than the pathogens in your yard.
That puts the pullets at risk, for contracting different Bacterial and Viral Diseases from one yard to the next.
Grow-Out Area Section 1 in Barn
Grow-Out Area Section 2 in Barn
Grow-Out Area Section 3 in Barn
Do You Sell Laying Hens?
Very rarely do we have laying hens available. If we do, it is because we are changing out our breeding stock and they would be over a year old.
If we happen to have some available it would be in late summer.
If and when we have any available, they will be posted at the bottom of the PULLET page.
HATCHING EGGS
Why do You Only Sell One Dozen of Each Breed at a Time?
We only offer one dozen from the same breed as we are a small family farm with a few select breeds. We want the eggs collected, picked up or shipped within a weeks time.
We ship with Flagship Courier Services. You can choose from Purolator, FedEx, Canpar, DHL, GLS and UPS.