Bantam Chicks!!!!

[Lillahimed]

I was interested in a variety of bantam 1 day old chicks. I can find hardly any locally and wondered if anyone knows where to obtain some (not terribly thrilled about shipping, but if I must I must). All help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Pyxis]

If you don't mind ordering from a hatchery, I would recommend Ideal. I've ordered from them several times and have always been pleased, and boy, do they have a variety of bantams! They also do not charge an arm and a leg for shipping like many hatcheries do.

 

[Lillahimed]

The problem I found with hatcheries is that I have to order a minimum of 25 bantams. I want to start out small and work myself up! Otherwise I would have no problems ordering with hatcheries.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Meyer Hatchery has a minimum of 3 bantam chicks, shipping is going to be really high though obviously. My Pet Chicken is a middleman who usually works with Meyer among others also has a min of 3. McMurray has a min of 15 after April 1, as do a lot of the other large commercial hatcheries. Bantams are usually straight run, and if sexed there is usually a pretty high error rate, so you might want to consider buying 15-25, keeping what you want and selling the rest, chicks are usually fairly easy to sell in the spring.

 

[Lillahimed]

If I were to sell excess chicks where would be the ideal place? I don't want them ending up as dinner, but I would like to part with the extras as soon as I discover the gender. Also thanks for the hatchery suggestions.

 

[Pyxis]

Craigslist works pretty well for me. Usually bantams don't end up as dinner, since they're so small. You could also try putting up fliers at feed stores. Most people just like them to look pretty. Ideal is really nice since they have no minimum chick number, just a minimum dollar amount ($25) and the most you'll get charged as far as other fees is $7 for a small order charge if you order under, I believe, 15, and the largest air mail charge I've ever had is, no kidding, less than $3.