can i order just one chick?

[Soleil_A]

hello fellow chicken lovers!!



so I am planning on getting a chick in the spring, But I only want one. Would there be any hatchery that will only ship one that you know of? Maybe I would consider getting two. And which hatchery is the best one?



Also would I be able to introduce my one or two chicks to my three month old hen and my six or seven-month-old hen?


Thank you!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I think mypetchicken.com will ship a single chick... but not really certain.

 

[keesmom]

No hatchery will ship a single chick. The minimum is 3 during certain times of the year, and shipping will be costly.

You would be better off raising 2 or 3 chicks together. They are flock critters and do not like to be alone. Your older pullets won't fill that spot for a baby chick - they are more likely to attack a chick than accept it.

 

[chuckachucka]

Why do you want the chick and why just one? The other hens will probably attack any chicks and you would have to raise it in a heated brooder until it is fully feathered, and even then it would still be picked on by the bigger chickens if you kept them together. If you want to expand your flock I would recommend getting a minimum of two chicks as chicks do not do well alone

What breed are your existing chickens? It may be that they go broody in spring and you could get some fertile eggs for them to hatch instead. If they are broody and you do get a couple of chicks you can try to graft them onto a broody hen and she may accept them, in which case she would raise them for you and they would get along better with your other chickens.

 

[WildCHILD400]

Most sell a mins mum of 3-5 because some die along the way. I would get them from a store and not offline so you can make sure it's the color you want and not sick. Tractor supply and rural king are good options and will replace if a chick dies. If you get one chick it will be harder to introduce and get picked on. Chickens are very sociable animals and need a mate unless you will be with hem 24/7

 

[Lady of McCamley]

You might consider purchasing a started pullet. They do ship those out by single birds, albeit very expensively.

i agree. If you want more chicks, then buy 2 or 3. I recommend 3 in case you lose one.

After they have matured to about 10 weeks of age, you can integrate in with the other hens with a little effort.

LofMc

 

[lazy gardener]

Three should always be the absolute minimum number of chicks started for the reason mentioned by LoM. You also need to be sure you have enough room: Absolute minimum of 4 s.f. per bird in coop and 10 s.f. per bird in run, especially when integrating new birds.

 

[RodNTN]

MyPetChicken doesn't sell a single chick, their minimum is three I believe. But to have an order that small, your zip code and address have to line up. The further you are from the hatchery, the higher up your minimum goes.

 

[Amer]

hello fellow chicken lovers!!



so I am planning on getting a chick in the spring, But I only want one. Would there be any hatchery that will only ship one that you know of? Maybe I would consider getting two. And which hatchery is the best one?



Also would I be able to introduce my one or two chicks to my three month old hen and my six or seven-month-old hen?


Thank you!

(Why would you want one chick when you can have more than that!)

 

[NikAndHerChicks]

Hi fellow Michigander! You've already got some good advice on shipping, so I'll leave that alone. However, the local TSC's have a minimim purchase of 6 chicks. Family Farm & Home has no minimim purchase, so you could get just one if you wanted. That being said, I agree that they would probably be happiest having a little feathered buddy!