Feather pattern is female. Males have solid patches near shoulders. Comb and wattles are advanced which make one lean towards male. If I had to bet, I would say it's female. I have a SLW that was miss identified 4 years ago due to comb but the feathers said female. She is a very beautiful hen.
There are no state laws about minimum chick purchase. The rules come from the point of sale. They want to, not only sell more, but also want to make sure you're serious. I've bought a few at a time because I already had some at home. It's up to the seller.