Frustration with hatchery's and their minimum

[susan83]

I am wanting to start raising turkey's and I want a specific type, red bourbon. The problem I'm in countering is their minimum. The least I've found is 10. This is crazy for a small backyard farm. They keep telling me I can order a diff type at the three min. That I want. But all those types will not naturally breed and I'm not wanting to deal with artificial insimination process. Is there a way around this? Same goes for the breed of chickens. I want buffs and the feed stores in my area don't seem to carry them. So buying a minimum of 25 from a hatchery is out of the question. Anyone know a place that doesn't have as big a minimum on either. Pleas help and thanks.

 

[shelbydog]

You can always sell the extras that you have to order to ensure safe shipment for the few you want. Or find someone to go in on an order with you. You can probably find poults or grown birds in your area. I've bought bourbon reds at a local auction.

I wouldn't limit myself in ordering chicks/poults in the number of adults you desire in the end. Raise extra young in case of death or wrong gender. Sell or eat the ones you don't want.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

My Pet Chicken sells as few as 3 day old chicks. The minimum is based on your zip code, judged time to arrive. For my zip code it said min of 7 standard size chicks.

 

[susan83]

Thanks I will check them out again maybe call them. It says 7 for my zip too but when I try to order the small writing say 15

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Right, they have a disclaimer of 15 minimum until March 31st due to winter weather.

 

[popsicle]

Sometimes the feed stores are open to requests or will add your birds into their order. I would ask.

For most hatcheries what minimums for poults and chicks are very different. Poults are well known to be more fragile so I don't think there are any hatcheries that will ship 3. Sometimes the heritage turkeys are drop shipped from somewhere else too.

Is it possible to look local? Personally, I'd be willing to pay a premium price to not have to order the minimum. I learned my lesson. I got the minimum order of 15 poults from Porter's. I was going to sell the extras. I ended up keeping more than originally planned and they drove me bananas. I've finally processed the most annoying birds and am down to four--which is much more manageable--though I really want to get down to two. Props to anybody that can tolerate flocks of these beasts.

I'm always happy to add many more chicks to an order--they're at least manageable!

 

[susan83]

I have looked locally and decided to go ahead and order the 15 chics as I talked my brother into buying the extras. As for the poult we have a sell barn semi local and was trying to avoid buying from them because they don't have bourbon's. But I really don't have $100 for the minimum 10 from a hatchery. I will just have to compromise and not get the bourbons.

 

[popsicle]

I have looked locally and decided to go ahead and order the 15 chics as I talked my brother into buying the extras. As for the poult we have a sell barn semi local and was trying to avoid buying from them because they don't have bourbon's. But I really don't have $100 for the minimum 10 from a hatchery. I will just have to compromise and not get the bourbons.

I think some of the hatcheries will combine poults and chicks. I've gotten two poults in with a box of chicks from Cackle before. Sometimes it's easier if you call in the order though--that way a human can do the entering instead of the computer (which will stick to whatever rules it was told).

ETA: you can ask at the feed store, they might order Bourbon Reds if you request them.