minimum order of 25

[RThomas]

I've only ordered from Ideal. There is only a $25 minimum. There is also no minimum on any one breed. I see a lot of hatcheries where you can only order a minimum of 5 of any one breed. They do charge a $7 "small oder fee" and $1 for each different breed you order. However, the total cost is still significantly lower than most small order hatcheries. They will likely include free male chicks for warmth (packing peanuts) but I've found you can easily give away or sell these on sites like craigslist. I know some people have recouped their shipping costs on just selling the free male chicks.

MPC is also a popular small order supplier. However, their shipping cost will likely be more than the actual cost of the chicks.

I'd say decide what you want to get. Breeds, number of chicks, availability, and then research the hatcheries and find what works best for you. You could also try and find a local breeder.

 

[schmije]

We order 25 and sell the extras on craigslist. It's easy to find people who only want a few, and we've found a surprising number of people who don't want the chicks until they're about 4 weeks old. We've heard everything from not having a good way to brood them when they need higher temperatures to wanting bigger chicks because they have children to being first time chicken owners who are afraid to start with day-olds.

 

[SugaryinMD]

has anyone ordered from these guys...they have a 10 minimum but shipping is included in chick price

http://www.healthychicksandmore.com/

 

[sydney13]

i give the extras to the far next door