View Full Version : Baby chicks by mail?
Anyone know a company that sells baby chicks by mail with out a large minuimum. I only want 8 or so.
Miracle Whip
03-06-2009, 04:38 PM
I think most require at least 25 chickens. You could try Theisens or Orshelns, any feed store. The chicks are right there in the store so you should be able to buy as few as you want.
pandorasmom
03-06-2009, 04:43 PM
TSC always sells chicks and ducks closer to Easter. We have ordered from McMurray Hatcher before(been 10 yrs or so) but they had a min. requirement of like 20 I think. Could be wrong.
Yeah, McMurray is 25 min. The local farm store had a mix of male and female. I just want some layer hens.
Miracle Whip
03-06-2009, 04:55 PM
If you are going to have chickens, you need to go through the butchering experience! What fun!
I did want to say that not all chicks will make it. You need to have a pretty safe place for them and a few will die. If you just want layer hens, you might be able to buy some fully grown from a neighbor's flock. I found chicken raising to be ungodly expensive, so I just buy the eggs from the neighbors.
I've had chickens before. I just love having fresh eggs. And I just can;t killl them. I have trouble with predators though.
menagerie
03-06-2009, 05:13 PM
If you have a Farmers Market newspaper thats a good resource to find them local. Or a Co-op, call and ask them if they know anyone that has some to sell.
Toodlestoo
03-07-2009, 07:44 AM
We ordered baby ducks from Tractor Supply. I think you had to buy at least a dozen but they sent 15 and all lived! We had to go to the Post Office to pick them up!
Debbie
03-07-2009, 08:04 AM
Suzi, if you have a livestock auction near you, like we do, you can usually find a seller who's willing to give you a break on a few eggs. The problem we've run into is that they are breeding chickens to lay eggs larger than their bodies can tolerate. We lost over a dozen hens in one week due to this.
zoel_222
03-07-2009, 06:37 PM
I got mine last year from http://www.cacklehatchery.com/
I ordered 20, and by the second week I had them I only had 15. :( They will replace any chick you lose in a certain time frame, but it was still sad to lose them. My favorite breeds are bard rocks and araucanas, and the feed store only had meat chickens and black sex links. This year Wilco got araucanas so we're going to pick out some chicks tomorrow :D
dustys_girlly
03-07-2009, 07:24 PM
most places have a min order of 20-25 i believe. we get them at work but our suppler is having trouble with his hens laying so we are not sure if we are getting them now. my fav breed is Silver Laced Wyandotte. they are so cute and do great in the winter. one thing to remember is when the post office calls and says they have them, drop everything and go get them. work could not pick them up one day and lost all because they where left there with out food, water, or heat.
mouse
03-08-2009, 12:06 PM
mypetchicken.com
you can order as few as three! they have a great reputation!!!!
mouse
03-08-2009, 12:08 PM
If you are going to have chickens, you need to go through the butchering experience! What fun!
why? I have pet layer hens, and have no intention of butchering any of them, ever
mouse
03-08-2009, 12:11 PM
I got mine last year from http://www.cacklehatchery.com/
I ordered 20, and by the second week I had them I only had 15. :( They will replace any chick you lose in a certain time frame, but it was still sad to lose them. My favorite breeds are bard rocks and araucanas, and the feed store only had meat chickens and black sex links. This year Wilco got araucanas so we're going to pick out some chicks tomorrow :D
Zoel, you need to join the PDXbackyardchix yahoo group! I'm a moderator there.
TONS Of breeds at the pdx feed stores even welsummers (chocolate colored eggs) and faverolles (what I'm going to get this year).
Check out the lebanon hatchery, you can get as few as one (have to pick it up there) but they have EVERY breed imaginable! Except blue laced wyandottes and I asked and they will try to get them later this summer ;) also they sell only one to two week old chicks so they won't die of "failure to thrive" like the day old feed store or mail order chicks.
Thanks guys. I was st Tractor Supply last night and they are gettng some in, but he was unsure if they would be seprated by sex. I will try some of the suggestions here, or I may saee if my neighbor wants to split an order.
zoel_222
03-08-2009, 09:02 PM
Zoel, you need to join the PDXbackyardchix yahoo group! I'm a moderator there.
TONS Of breeds at the pdx feed stores even welsummers (chocolate colored eggs) and faverolles (what I'm going to get this year).
Check out the lebanon hatchery, you can get as few as one (have to pick it up there) but they have EVERY breed imaginable! Except blue laced wyandottes and I asked and they will try to get them later this summer ;) also they sell only one to two week old chicks so they won't die of "failure to thrive" like the day old feed store or mail order chicks.
That's cool! I went to Wilco today and they sold out of their chickies already. :( I'll tell my parents about that place, because Wilco doesn't have very much variety. I think they only have two breeds. I like the exotic ones, though. My cousin has some polish crested ones which are just gorgeous. (well as gorgeous as a chicken can be ;)) I want some of those.
MW, just because you have chickens doesn't mean they have to be butchered. I've been raising chickens for almost 9 years and have never ever butchered a single one. They're my pets and I love them. After years of giving me and my family beautiful eggs I think I'd owe it to them to let them live out the rest of their life just being happy chickens.
shelsnsaus
03-11-2009, 08:00 AM
Most of the feed stores here order them in for you. Just tell them what you want, prepay, and they'll order them for you to pick up there when they come in. You can order St.Run or by sex. Bowman's in Westminster (nearly an hour and half from my house) orders them in in bulk every week and you can go there and pick what you want. They started with "chick days" last Monday and had sold out by Wednesday (I had planned on going Thursday). So this week their order came in Monday 600 peeps, by the time I got there Monday night 10 min before they closed they'd sold out of ducks, all st. run, etc. They only had Arcaunas, Rhode Island Reds, and Golden Comets left. I was getting them for myself, a friend, and my SIL. I bought out the Arcaunas with the exception of 2 who were bought by the lady behind me. I wanted to get started earlier this year than I did last year. Hopefully I have as good a success rate as well. Last year I only lost 1. So far so good! All are happily eating, drinking and all other necessary functions.
Go figure, that one of my hens would start her nest on Tuesday. Hubby wants to let her hatch them out, I do not. I've got plenty of peeps to take over from my gerries that will stop laying this year. In addition, I have the added stress of what to do with the extra roosters. I say we just eat the eggs as she lays them...
Miracle Whip
03-12-2009, 07:38 PM
I know some folks make pets out of their chickens. But I grew up on a farm and I think its an experience that you will remember! I have many happy memories of killing chickens, it was a FAMILY activity. WE each had our own job...and its educational.
If you can afford to feed chickens go for it, for me, its cheaper and cleaner to get the eggs from the neighbor down the road. I tried it once, cleaned them for the first time in 20 years, had no qualms about chomping off their heads, but my help told me NO MORE CHICKENS...
zoel_222
03-12-2009, 07:42 PM
I know some folks make pets out of their chickens. But I grew up on a farm and I think its an experience that you will remember! I have many happy memories of killing chickens, it was a FAMILY activity. WE each had our own job...and its educational.
If you can afford to feed chickens go for it, for me, its cheaper and cleaner to get the eggs from the neighbor down the road. I tried it once, cleaned them for the first time in 20 years, had no qualms about chomping off their heads, but my help told me NO MORE CHICKENS...
:eek:
Petra
03-12-2009, 08:15 PM
I order mine from cackle hatchery too. they have 15 minimum. Don't you have hardware stores around?
They will sell whatever you want. My boss bought just 2 last year.
starkitten
03-13-2009, 06:43 PM
I hope you find what you want. I am personally terrified of chickens (kinda sucks since my BO has many ;) ) Fresh eggs are the best though :)
Miracle Whip
03-13-2009, 07:31 PM
I didn't say chickens had to butchered. Some people do that you know. 30 years ago, farmers butchered their own livestock...life was different. You start petting the chickens and naming them back then you got sent to the funny farm.
Hey Thanks Mouse for letting me know abt my pet chicken. I got my baby chicks this AM and seem to be doing fine. They really packed them well and even through in an extra chick. I can't wait to get fresh eggs !!!!
TacheteTreasures
04-30-2009, 06:57 PM
Ideal poultry has a $25 dollar minimum but if you order a small number they will send extra roos as "packng peanuts" and you can give them away if you can't keep them. I ordered 12 hens, and they sent 9 extra roos and all grew up happy and healthy.
You can also try backyardchickens and see if there is anyone near you that would like to do a split order and order from a place with the 25 min, or order from someone on the forum
TacheteTreasures
04-30-2009, 06:58 PM
Oh wow. Guess I need to look at the post above me lol
But ill leave it there if anyone else comes across it...
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