Please help me buy chickens....

[PAChickenChick]

I'm a total newbie and am already having a problem.

After picking eveyones brain on here I've gotten my coop plans laid out, know what breed of chickens I want, know about the feed I want and feel pretty confident in where it's all going.

EXCEPT....I want to buy 2 Barred Plymouth Rock Pullets and 2 Rhode Island Red Pullets. So far every place I can find only wants to sell eggs or livestock in a minimum of 15. As much as I would like to, I simply can't do that many even taking into account possible loss. I can only have 4 total

Are there any places that you KNOW & TRUST that I can actually just get a total of 4 birds?


Thanks guys!

 

[fowltemptress]

One option is to find a feed store that orders chicks from hatcheries and order just a few chicks through them. The hatchery would mark the birds to be put aside for you with the store's regular order.
You could also split an order with other people. If you don't have friends who want chickens, you could put an add on craigslist for people to split an order with. You'd just need to remember to request that the hatchery mark your chicks so you can pick them out from the other orders easily.
My pet chicken sells small quantities, a minimum of three, I think. But I don't know them, so you'd have to ask someone else's opinion of them, and whether they are trustworthy.
At the very least, you could always order the fifteen and advertise the extras on craigslist. Chicks get scooped up pretty quickly that way, so you probably wouldn't be stuck with the extras for very long.

 

[Cheryl]

how about mypetchicken.com ?

 

[peepkeeper]

I've had dealings with Mypetchicken and the woman is a nutcase. Why not split an order or ask your feedstore?

 

[fowltemptress]

What happened that would make you call her a nutcase?


Another thing, the chickens you're wanting are fairly common. I rarely go into a feed store where they don't sell at least the Rhode Island reds. You might want to first check some feed stores, just to be sure they don't already have what you're looking for.

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

I know that at this time of year my feed stores will have extras that people don't pick up or just don't want. I would see if you local feed stores do this and ask if you can get on some sort of a back up list and request what you want. That just might work. Good luck to you.

 

[Portia]

PAChicken,
I don't know where you are in PA, but I'm near Harrisburg and the TSC (Tractor Supply Company) will be getting chicks in a few days (the one in Lebanon, PA). My local feed store will also be getting chicks in on, um, I think Friday. I suggest locating and contacting the nearest TSC or feed store and seeing if/when they will have chicks. BR and RIR are usually in the mix. Get there ASAP after they get them, though, b/c they go FAST!

 

[stilwellchick]

Did you try Craig's list in your area? I looked on it yesterday for this area and saw people selling both chicks and chickens. Also if you do a Craig's list search for eggs, some folks selling eggs will also sell hens or chicks.

 

[tiffanyh]

Post on here......youll find some.

 

[lurky]

PAChicken, Go to www.mypetchicken.com they are actually very nice people and you can order as few as 3
chicks from them. My best chickens are from them.