

Raising Chicks: Week 16
We found this on The Chicken Chick's blog and couldn't resist sharing it! Your Chick Days chick should be 16 weeks old now! Feed: We're still on the Start & Grow Medicated or Non-Medicated. Keep track of how much your chickens are eating. You'll need to switch food in about 2 weeks.
Keep an eye out for some eggs! If your hens have a 1 foot cube/nest, add some shavings or straw and they will be happy to lay their eggs in there.
You can also dust your hens again. It'll be g


Raising chicks: Week 1
If you purchased chicks at our Chick Days event, your chicks should be one week old. Temp: 85 degrees - to make it cooler in your brooder, raise the lights. If you find that your chicks are all gathered under the light, they are too cold. If they avoid the light, they are too hot. Adjust based on their behavior. Feed: Start & Grow Medicated or Non-Medicated Concerns this week: Pasty butt It sounds ridiculous, right? Chicks are prone to a condition called "pasty butt." Basical


Buying Chicks?
Here's what you will need: Sometimes people come in and buy chicks, but have no idea what is involved in raising them into healthy adult chickens. We do what we can to help them see that having chickens will cost more than just the price of a baby chick. We don't encourage people to buy just one chick (it'll be lonely and cry through the night - true story) and we encourage people to set up their brooders before they take a chick home. It's best to calculate the cost and make


Thinking about ducks?
Original post: Eight Reasons Why Backyard Chickens May Be The Wrong Choice By Christine on November 9, 2012 in Backyard Chickens and Ducks You’ve decided you want backyard chickens. You know you want fresh eggs, you think you would enjoy the backyard antics, and some extra bug control would be great. But what if I told you there was a better option for you than the backyard chicken? What if I told you there was an option that was a better layer, more entertaining, and a stra


Family Flock Feeding Guide
Wondering what you should feed your birds? This guide by Purina is a perfect place to start. Have any questions? Stop by the store at 991 W. Amador Ave., Las Cruces, New Mexico. Or give us a call at 575-523-8790. We're happy to help you with all of your flock raising questions. #purina #chicks #poultry


Chicks allowed in Las Cruces city limits!
We're happy to announce that it is now permitted to raise chickens within the city limits of Las Cruces. Here are some of the major guidelines: 1. Anyone wanting to have chickens or ducks and who lives within the city limits, must have a special permit to do so. No roosters or drakes are allowed generally. 2. Only six fowl may be allowed with the special permit – 6 chickens or 6 ducks or a combo adding up to 6 animals. 3. Special permits may be obtained from the Codes Enforce


Baby Chicks Do's and Don'ts
We are gearing up for chick days, and we wanted to get you some helpful tips for making sure that you and your new chicks stay healthy. Do: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after touching live baby birds or anything in the area where they live and roam. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children. Clean any equipment or materials associated with raising or caring for live pou


How To: Sexing Chicks
Have you ever wondered how to tell the gender of your baby chick? Sometimes at our store, we have what they call a "straight run" of chicks. That means that the hatchery sends unsexed chicks. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to sex 1-day old chicks, we can tell you how: Spread the chick's wing out like a fan. Look at the feathers on the outer joint. The bottom row of feathers are primaries, the top row of feathers are coverts. When the bottom row (prima


Chicken Coop Price Breakdown
Factor in your own cost for time spent on labor. Shopping and building can take a while. Plus if you need any additional tools, that is an added expense. But having a coop you like and makes it easy to care for your hens is the most important. 5 pieces of 4'x8' plywood: $100 3 4'x1" dowels: $12 12 8 foot 1x2s: $18 200+ wood screws: $20 2 smaller fixed pin utility hinges: $2 4 larger fixed pin utility hinges: $5 5 hook & eye: $5 1 1x12x8 piece of wood: $15 Chicken Wire: $16 1


How To: Finishing your Chicken Coop
Finishing your chicken coop is the most exciting part of the project. Here you can put in a lot of personality and color. You should paint the outside of the coop to protect it from weather, and the inside floor of the coop to protect your birds from mildew and other elements. Materials needed: Chicken Wire (not much) 1 gallon exterior paint 1 quart accent exterior paint 1 quart primer (we used Kilz Premium Primer) Tools: Paint brushes Rollers Paint pan Drop cloth (for ramp)