single-order chickens

[SeattleAeris]

I have a big Plymouth White Rock hen. She is very loving and clingy and is my only chicken. When she is put away in her coop (she is an outdoor chicken) she cries for a good ten minutes. She also follows me everywhere I go. She definantely needs a friend. Seattle laws forbid us from having more than 4 chickens, and I am already partially in ownership of a silkie bantam. That is, I am waiting for the owners to get back from vacation before I get it. So we've decided that we want a barred plymouth rock. But we only want one and chickens sell in sets of 7 or 8. So, how do I get just one chicken? Also, how severely can I break the 4-chicken law?

 

[4H kids and mom]

I can solve this one for you!

Option #1. Buy the breed of chicken you want (you'll never be happy until you do. Trust me on that!) in the set of 7 or 8 or however many you have to get. Brood them in your house until they are feathered out (about 6-8 weeks). You will not be in any violation as long as they are kept inside your home. They'll be considered "pets" not livestock. Anywho, once they've feathered out, pick your favorite one or two and find homes for or sell the rest.

Option #2. Find a member here on the forum that is near you and has the bird you are seeking. If they're a member here, your sure to get a happy, healthy bird!

Option #3. Find someone that can go in on the order minimum with you. Like someone that can take 5 of them and you take the other 2 or something.

Option #4. Find someone around your area by posting ads or flyers or stopping at local farms, to find the breed you are seeking.

Option #5. Find someone that will sell or ship a smaller number of chicks. Or better yet, find a place you can buy them in smaller numbers, like a feed store.

 

[andischickenfarm]

I know of this hatchery in Cameron, Texas that sells chicks by the order total and not the chick minimum. They said that they will put a few roos in there for warmth. Or you can tell them you don't want them, but then if they get to cold and die they won't refund you.
Here is the website: www.ideal-poultry.com

Good Luck!
Andi

 

[SeattleAeris]

Thank you! I was hoping there was an order place that sent single chickens but your right, they would probably die. I'll order a set of chickens and give away the rest.

 

[ChicksinBoise]

Hi Seattle,
I am Boise Idaho which isn't terribly far from you. I have 3 barred rocks almost a year old. You are welcome to one of them if you like. I suppose getting them to you would be the hardest part though. If you want to research that, just want to give you another option. I have pics of them posted somewhere in the forum, I think in the Breed section. They were rescued from a local hatchery.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

You can order as few as 3 from My Pet Chicken. The packaging costs more, but it's an option. http://www.mypetchicken.com

4H kids and mom gave you a lot of great ideas. To look for someone on this forum, try posting a message in the buy/sell/trade section of the forum, letting people know where you are and what you are looking for.

In Wisconsin, there are also county fairs in the summer and poultry shows, where you can meet people with chickens.

Good luck with your chicken search!

Edited to add http://www.seattletilth.org/ Maybe they can help you with some local resources or people that might want to split an order, also. They're getting ready to have a coop design class and coop tour in July, so there will probably be more people interested in getting chickens.

 

[V Chic Chick]

Normally you can buy chickens singly from breeders. They often sell from the farm gate. I have bought all of my chickens one at a time, except for the first two.

 

[Motherhenandflock]

How about adopting a chicken from Petfinders.com?
Here's a link to a rescue place in Washington:

http://search.petfinder.com/shelter...contact=&name=&shelterid=WA232&sort=&preview=

She has chickens listed, young, old, roos and hens.

 

[SeattleAeris]

Thanks, everyone. Its a little hard for me to get to farms because I live in the middle of the city. But I suppose it IS worth a daytrip.

 

[silkiechicken]

Hello from Everett! I'll be raising a new batch of chicks next spring if you wait till then. I go to the UW so head towards Seattle a lot. I sell them for various prices depending on age, sex and breed. Alternatively, I have 3-4 week old black and black brown mixed silkie babies available for 6 a piece. I cant say what gender they are though which is a problem for a seattilite. Check seattle.craigslist.org as they often have people selling chickens in the pet section. As long as you keep your birds clean and depending on your yard size, I'm sure you can probably pull off 6 or 8 birds easily. There are also quite a number of people out in monroe with birds and the Monroe Farm and feed store may still have chicks available too. You only have to buy one at a feed store and you won't have to pay a redicious 25 dollars on shipping heat pack in addition to another 20 or so for the shipping/box on a 3 dollar bird.