Chicks...by mail...really?

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
Not necessary, but it does help. Any hatchery or breeder is going to send you birds over night, or at least two day air....

 

[ODS-n-ENS FARM]

I live in NH I received an order of 25 last week from Welp in Iowa. All are alive and healthy! I have an order of 15 chicks coming from Ideal in October.

 

[ChickaD]

I agree with everything already posted here. Mail order is the only way we've gotten chicks through the years, and we just got our fourth order 8 weeks ago. Our experiences with both Murray McMurray and My Pet Chicken have been excellent, with no chick losses - just very healthy, perky, HUNGRY little peeps that grew like crazy. It's so much fun being able to pick out just what breeds you want, based on their availability, of course. This past summer we used My Pet Chicken, because they have devised a safe method of shipping a smaller number of chicks (I think their minimum is either 3 or 5), but you do pay more for this. We got the order the day after it was shipped, and I alerted our P.O. about the expected order, so they knew it was OK to call me ASAP in the early morning. Murray McMurray is a very established hatchery, further away, but also with great results. Sometimes the "extra" bird is the most fun, being a bit of a mystery. Both companies have excellent websites that include helpful photos of both chicks and adults for each breed.

I've found it well worth the extra cost to buy Quik Chick (chick vities and electrolytes for their water) and this year we added Gro-Gel (both from Murray McMurray), something you feed them for the first few hours to help them make up for the trip and really get going...guess what? It worked! In no time, they were HUGE! Too bad we don't keep "baby books" for them! Good luck, and have fun!

 

[sweetcorn]

My pet chicken is in conneticutt , which is closeby , they allow smaller orders and they are still selling chicks . Like someone said, some of the hatcheries are sold out for this year and thats probably the closest one to you

 

[ChickaD]

I believe it's common for the hatcheries to ship early in the week, so you will get your chicks well before the weekend...they are also concerned for the chicks' safety and well-being.

 

[ChickenLuva]

How wonderful it is to get so much information in such a short period of time. Thank you all for your responses. I've check out a couple of websites and am getting excited to place an order very soon.

We currently have 3 ISA Browns and a Buff Orpington (2yrs old). I was thinking of getting additional Buff Orps, since the browns occasionally wander off together and leave her lonely in the yard. I thought she might appreciate having another like her. Hmmm...or would she not care for that?

I was looking at other available breeds, like the Easter Eggers. I'm not sure how I'll choose. I'd love any recommendations for adding to my small backyard flock. I would also LOVE to add a couple of silkies, but wasn't sure how they would do in the same coop with larger birds.

We really rely on our hens for eggs. I know the bantam eggs are small. Do people eat them?

I'm sorry...I think I'm asking too many questions!

 

[crtrlovr]

I think your buffy would enjoy having a buddy of her own type to pal around with. I found it odd that our diferent breeds do tend to stick with each other. The buffies will hang out more with the barred rock and the RIR roo, but the younger RIR pullets and the AustralOrps pretty much stay with their own breed. The only time they all mix up together is when they first come charging out of the coop in the morning, and when they go to roost at night.

 

[ChickaD]

We had noticed that "hanging out together" thing with some of our birds too, and I always wondered if I was imagining things...our Silver Spangled Hamburgs used to do that (probably not the brightest breed, but definitely FAST).

Have fun choosing! We're also from the north and chose sturdy gals who can take an uninsulated coop. Recently we got BR, GLW, SLW, BA, NHR, and one white leghorn. Also have older gals, including Anconas, BO and a crabby white mystery chicken. The BO is 6-7 yrs old and still laying sometimes!

Thankfully, my DH adjusted nicely to our sudden plan this summer to keep going with chickens.

 

[scubagirl]

I ordered from Cackle Hatchery and all my chicks arrived healthy and happy.

The Post Office called and said hey we got some birds here peepin that they wanta go home.


They live off the eggsack the first day or two. They peep so Post Office knows to handle with care.

I was happy with it and will do it again in the future as well.

 

[Jessika]

I ordered from McMurray Hatchery with grand results. All 25 were alive and they threw in 2 extras for free. One died at 2 weeks...but the rest are doing grand and over 3 weeks old now.