We found 93 results for category 'Ordering chickens'

Q: How can so few chicks arrive at their location safely? A: Most hatcheries require 15 or 25 baby chicks per order because the chicks need one another's body heat to survive their 2-day journey. This is a big... read more

Q: Can you ship chicks to my location? A: We can ship chicks anywhere within the continental U.S. and to some locations in Hawaii and Alaska. (Check "what's my best minimum order?" in the... read more

Q: My chicks are all available on different dates. Will they ship at different times, or all at once? A: All at once! All your birds must ship together for their safety. Alternatively, you can choose to place two or more separate orders, but each one... read more

Q: I live in Hawaii and I'm ordering chicks. What do I need to know? A: First and foremost: we cannot ship chicks to P.O. Boxes in Hawaii, so please provide us your home address. Second, there's additional paperwork... read more

Q: How will I know that my chicks have arrived at the post office? A: Good question! First of all, don't forget that our chicks can arrive any day from Tuesday through Thursday of the week they are shipped, so don't... read more

Q: Can I have two phone numbers printed on my box? A: Yes! During the checkout process you will have the opportunity to give us two different phone numbers, and if you give us two, we will make sure both... read more

Q: When will my chicks be hatched? A: Our chicks are hatched in the wee hours on Monday* of each week during the hatching season, and they're sorted, sexed, vaccinated, packaged and... read more

Q: How come you can only ship chicks when they're one day old? A: Right before chicks hatch, they have just absorbed the last of the yolk. This sustains them during their journey, for up to three days, so that's why... read more

Q: Can I schedule delivery of my baby chicks on a specific day of the week? A: Unfortunately, no! Chick orders are shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the USPS guarantees us they will arrive no later than the end of the day... read more

Q: Can I choose Rushed or Next Day shipping to get my baby chicks faster? A: Neither Fed Ex nor UPS will ship live baby chicks, so all orders of fewer than 15 chicks are automatically shipped via the speediest service that the... read more

Q: How old will my chicks be when I get them? A: They'll be less than 72 hours old. They ship Mondays and Tuesdays as soon as they're hatched and the birds you've reserved have been packed into your... read more

Q: How come you can't ship just one chick? A: Unlike other hatcheries that may add "males for warmth" to fill out a small order, we will never do that because we understand how important it is... read more

Q: Can I mix and match or do I have to buy all the same breed? A: There is no minimum number of chicks per breed or size, although your total order must meet the minimum number for your area, so you can mix and... read more

Q: I already placed my order for baby chicks. Can I change it? A: Yes, in most cases you can**--call us at 888-460-1529 to request an order change--but read on because it can be tricky and there are some important... read more

Q: Can I cancel my order for baby chicks? A: Yes, we will be happy to cancel an order provided your scheduled shipping date is more than 2 weeks away. As you remember from checkout, baby... read more

Q: What happens if a bird I purchase from My Pet Chicken is incorrectly sexed? A: It's always disappointing when a bird isn't sexed correctly, especially if your "girl" ended up being a "boy" and was the family's favorite chick!... read more

Q: What happens if a bird I purchase from My Pet Chicken is incorrectly sexed? A: It's always disappointing when a bird isn't sexed correctly, especially if your "girl" ended up being a "boy" and was the family's favorite chick!... read more

Q: What happens if a bird I purchase from My Pet Chicken is incorrectly sexed? A: It's always disappointing when a bird isn't sexed correctly, especially if your "girl" ended up being a "boy" and was the family's favorite chick!... read more

Q: I want to sell the eggs from my chicks as "organic". Are your chicks organic? A: "Certified organic" regulations vary from state to state and region to region, and (thus far) do not have to do with the way chicks are hatched.... read more

Q: Why don't you offer a vaccine against Coccidiosis? A: Coccidiosos is an infection caused by a protozoan, and it is found in most environments. However, the coccidiosis vaccine administered in the U.S. is... read more

Q: Are your birds "show-quality"? A: We are an NPIP hatchery and all of our birds are purebred. The exceptions are the Easter Egger, which is by nature a mixed-breed bird, and the Red... read more

Q: What if my chick package is late? A: Please notify us Thursday if your package has not arrived by then--but do not notify us before Thursday. The US postal service is very good about... read more

Q: How do you tell if a baby chick is female or male? A: If you have a "sex link" chick, it's easy! Males and females hatch out different colors. read more

Q: Can hens REALLY crow?

A: Yes! It's not even that rare, either! In all-female flocks, or flocks in which the ratio of females to males is greater than 10:1, in many cases one... read more

Q: What time of year should I order baby chicks?

A: You will want to order them as early as possible to reserve the breeds you want on your preferred date. Remember, you can place your reservation very... read more

Q: Do you sell older chickens?

A: Yes! We usually have two or three batches of juveniles available each year at various times. They do sell out very quickly, so keep your eyes peeled... read more

Q: Should I get my birds vaccinated?

A: Marek's disease is a deadly, highly contagious "lymphoproliferative" disease affecting chickens. It is the #1 disease-related killer of chickens. It... read more

Q: Do you have a catalog?

A: Not yet! The best way to peruse our offerings for right now is to browse the category listings on the left hand side of any page on our website.... read more

Q: At what age does a rooster grow spurs?

A: This varies widely from breed to breed, and in fact the hens of many breeds even grow small spurs! Some can appear as soon as three months, while... read more

Q: I got a rooster I don't want. How do I find a new home for him?

A: Great question! Unfortunately, sexing is an art -- not an exact science -- so when you buy day old chicks, errors are bound to happen; it is the risk... read more

Q: How can I tell if my juvenile bird is a rooster?

A: Comb size and redness can be one indicator, but is not usually reliable. In fact, it's one of the worst indicators you can use, as comb size varies... read more

Q: Can you tell the sex of chicks when they're still in the egg?

A: There is no way to tell the difference between an egg that will hatch a female chick and an egg that will hatch a male chick (excluding, perhaps,... read more

Q: There are hawks or owls in our area. Will our chickens be safe?

A: Hawks can most certainly be a danger to chickens (heck, even CROWS can be a danger to juveniles or bantams). However, only a few types usually bother... read more

Q: Can I mix different breeds of chicken in my flock--will they all get along?

A: Yes, in most cases you can mix breeds of chicken in your flock. They generally get on very well. You can even include both bantam and large fowl... read more

Q: Can I hatch the eggs of my chickens if the rooster and hen are different breeds?

A: There are no problems associated with hatching mixed breed chickens. If you have a rooster in your flock, he will try to breed ALL your hens,... read more

Q: My favorite pet rooster has suddenly started attacking me and becoming aggressive--why is he doing this and what should I do?

A: Roosters can sometimes be a bit aggressive! One important thing to remember is that they see themselves as the protectors of "their" hens, so they... read more

Q: Do I need to give my shipped chicks vitamins and electrolytes when they arrive?

A: We don't generally think it is a good idea to offer anything but plain, clean water unless your chicks are exceedingly stressed. When chicks are put... read more

Q: What is my best minimum order?

A: We don't have required minimums per breed, but the total number of birds you order must meet the minimum order for your area. Our... read more

Q: Can you ship my chicks via UPS or Fed Ex?

A: No, sorry! UPS and Fed Ex will not ship chicks - only the United States Postal Service will -- and they've been doing it since the 1800s! (We ship... read more

Q: Why don't you offer vaccinations for bantams?

A: The reason we don't offer vaccinations for bantams is that the vaccine is often ineffective for them because the birds are so tiny that it is too... read more

Q: How long do hens lay eggs ?

A: Chickens usually don't simply "stop" laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying... read more

Q: Are you a member of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)?

A: Yes! Our hatching facility participates in NPIP. If you would like NPIP papers to be included with your baby chick order so that you can show your... read more

Q: At what age does a rooster begin crowing?

A: The age a rooster will first crow varies, but generally speaking, he will begin crowing at about four or five months of age. We have seen roosters... read more

Q: If I order straight run birds, how many of each sex am I guaranteed to get?

A: Straight run birds are an "as hatched" mix of males and females. Therefore, if you were to order eight straight run birds, for example, you will get... read more

Q: If I order straight run birds, how many of each sex am I guaranteed to get?

A: Straight run birds are an "as hatched" mix of males and females. Therefore, if you were to order eight straight run birds, for example, you will get... read more

Q: When I buy a hatchery choice assortment, will you be able to tell me which birds I received?

A: Assortments are often more available than specific breeds are, and sometimes even bargain priced. However, no record is kept of which birds are used... read more

Q: Someone told me to hold my rooster upside down by the feet to calm him down--is that a good idea?

A: No. That's a terrible idea.

Birds' respiratory systems are completely different ours, so holding your rooster upside down can cause him... read more

Q: What does your hatchery do with extra males and other chicks that are not adopted?

A: We do understand that other hatcheries may do things differently than we do--did you know that chickens are not protected by the Humane Slaughter Act... read more

Q: Do your chicks come "beak trimmed"?

A: No. Our chicks are not "beak trimmed." We don't even "beak trim" when we sell started pullets like other hatcheries do.

"Beak trimming"... read more

Q: How will I know which chick is which breed when I receive my baby chicks?

A: The chicks do not come marked or tagged in any way. However, you can compare your chicks to the photos on our site to try to identify which is which.... read more

Q: What if one of my chicks dies on the way to me?

A: Losses are rare (we see them happen about 1% of the time), but they do occur. For that reason, we recommend that if you have children, make sure they... read more

Q: Why don't you sell chicks year round?

A: We do sell chicks most of the year round, but there are a variety of reasons baby chicks aren't available for purchase at all times. Chickens... read more

Q: How much does shipping cost?

A: You can check the exact shipping cost to your location by placing the virtual items in your online basket and clicking the "calculate" link. You can... read more

Q: What methods of payment do you accept?

A: We only accept credit card payment at this time. We do not accept checks, cashier's checks, money orders, purchase orders, PayPal, cash or any other... read more

Q: I want to breed chickens, so can you tell me how to get my rooster interested in mating and how to tell when the hens go into heat?

A: When a female animal is "in heat," she is ovulating and/or ready to be mated. In some animals mating induces ovulation, but this isn't the case with... read more

Q: Do you send extra chicks with every order?

A: No, we do not normally add extra chicks, especially with small orders, although it may happen occasionally (usually only if someone miscounts). For... read more

Q: Some of my chickens will be vaccinated for Marek's Disease, but others are not vaccinated. Can my unvaccinated chickens get Marek's from my chickens who did get vaccinations ?

A: The Marek's Disease vaccination is attenuated, which means, in most cases, it's not even developed using the Marek's virus. Instead, it's developed... read more

Q: Can I choose what breeds I get when I purchase an assortment?

A: No, we're sorry. If you want specific breeds, you will need to purchase each breed you want and construct your order that way. The assortments are... read more

Q: When I am ordering baby chicks, when am I charged for the order?

A: You pay for your order as soon as it is placed; that is what holds your reservation. We don't keep your payment information on file--this helps... read more

Q: I want to order chicks to be delivered to me, but use a broody hen to raise them. Is there anything special I should know, or will the hen take care of everything?

A: When you are having a broody hen raise new baby chicks that have been shipped to you, first remember that your hen has to be currently broody. If she... read more

Q: The website says the breed I want is available for a date I want, so why isn't that a choice when I'm checking out?

A: In most cases, that will be because you are ordering more chicks than are available for your preferred date. When you place virtual chicks in your... read more

Q: I want to get a chick for Easter for my son's basket, and then find a farmer to adopt it when it has grown. How do I do that?

A: No, no, no... you don't want to do that. It's is a bad idea for many reasons. First, one chicken raised alone will often die of loneliness--they are... read more

Q: Is it possible for several roosters to coexist peacefully together in our flock?

A: We normally recommend one rooster for every ten hens or so. In a large flock, there is often more than one rooster, with no problems. In smaller... read more

Q: Should I choose "no substitutions" and "no hatch day substitutions" when I place my order for chicks?

A: Well, the truth is that it simply depends on how you want us to handle any problems with your order. Some customers will wait many months for just... read more

Q: In your website description, it says the breed I want comes in a mix of bearded and unbearded chicks, but I only want bearded. Can I order them that way?

A: You're right that some breeds like Polish and silkies can come bearded or nonbearded, but there is no way to choose which.

The same goes... read more

Q: We have both bantam and large size hens. If we want a rooster, should we get a bantam rooster or a large rooster?

A: The answer to that question will depend on exactly how large the hens and roosters in question may be as well as what your personal preference is.... read more

Q: We have both bantam and large size hens. If we want a rooster, should we get a bantam rooster or a large rooster?

A: The answer to that question will depend on exactly how large the hens and roosters in question may be as well as what your personal preference is.... read more

Q: Which breed of chicken has the quietest, tamest roosters? I need a friendly rooster that doesn't crow much.

A: I'm afraid there is no pat answer on this one. Firstly, ALL roosters crow. I happen to love the sound (to me it's far preferable to yapping dogs or... read more

Q: Do you ship eggs or chicks internationally?

A: No. If you want to purchase live birds or eggs, you will need to find a local supplier to help you; we do not ship internationally. (We don't even... read more

Q: I got Marek's vaccinations for my chicks from another hatchery, but they got sick and some died within two weeks. When I asked them if it was Marek's disease, they just denied it and asked about whether their brooder was set up right. Is this Marek's... am I right to be upset?

A: You're not wrong to be upset at the loss of your pets, of course, but if you're upset at your hatchery for suggesting that deaths weren't related to... read more

Q: Will I be notified if my shipment has to be delayed for some reason? I'm asking because I'm going to be taking time off work to look after the chickens at home, so I don't want to ask for the wrong week off!

A: Well, that's a more complex question than you may think. If there should be a problem on hatch day, of course we will contact you just as soon as we... read more

Q: I'm looking at hatchery choice assortments, and I see some breeds listed as possibilities, but they are sold out (if I wanted to order them individually). Does that mean the sold out breeds aren't a possibility to be included in an assortment anymore, or can I still get those breeds in my assortment?

A: Breeds that are not available individually may still be used to fulfill assortments, since the assortments consist of breeds that have hatched better... read more

Q: Will the chicks I buy from you be related to each other? I want to breed my rooster with my hens, so I don't want them to be related.

A: Our breeding flocks are very large. We can't know which chicks hatch from which eggs. Even if we could, we don't keep track of which hen laid which... read more

Q: Are your flocks pasture raised?

A: Our breeding flocks are raised by Amish farmers in the Ohio countryside, but they are indoor birds for reasons of biosecurity. Large hatcheries are... read more

Q: Why should I choose My Pet Chicken over another reputable hatchery?

A: There's nothing wrong with buying from other major hatcheries! Before My Pet Chicken was around, we bought from a number of reputable hatcheries, and... read more

Q: How do I figure out whether or not I'm allowed to keep chickens in my area?

A: That can sometimes be a little complex. First, we recommend you contact both your local health and zoning boards to see if there are any regulations... read more

Q: I have a hen that I have been using to breed, but now she's developed wry neck. Is this a genetic weakness that I should be worried about seeing in her offspring?

A: Probably not. Torticollis is the medical/technical term for wry neck; it is an abnormal head position where the bird may not be able to hold her head... read more

Q: I want to end up with five hens, but I don't know how many chickens usually survive to adulthood. Should get extras just in case, and then give away the ones I don't want? Or should I just order five and hope for the best?

A: Normally you will want to order the number of chickens you want to end up with. However, how many you lose over the course of bringing them to laying... read more

Q: Two bantam chicks is all I have room for, but the minimum order for bantams is five in my area. Can I pay for five, but have you only send two?

A: I'm afraid not. The minimums are based on how many chicks are safe to ship, not how many we would like to sell. You can't give us extra money to send... read more

Q: I want quiet hens. Which breed should I get?

A: Hens of most breeds are rather quiet except for right before and right after they have laid an egg. Then they may make a loud "announcement" about it... read more

Q: I have a twelve week old rooster that has trouble keeping his balance, and sometimes staggers when he is walking. He otherwise seems healthy with nice, shiny feathers and bright, alert eyes. Any idea what his problem is?

A: That's a tough one. A problem like this could be caused by many things.

The first thing that comes to mind is that it could be a fungal... read more

Q: I want all my eggs to hatch, so is there any type of chicken breed that has a higher hatching rate for their eggs?

A: This is one of those questions where it's hard to tell what exactly you're asking, a question that tells us you're probably a beginner at incubation.... read more

Q: How can you send chicks through the mail when they sometimes die? And if there is a risk that some chicks die on the way, then how can you justify staying in business?

A: Of course we hate it when chicks die along the way; every bird is an individual, and every loss is a tragedy. However, when it comes to shipping baby... read more

Q: I am concerned about importing chicks into my state, because I'm not sure what I need to do. Whom should I contact about this?

A:

Don't worry! My Pet Chicken's hatchery handles all the state-level permits required to get the chicks safe and sound to you. So when you order... read more

Q: Why don't you sell Red Star hatching eggs?

A: "Red Stars" are hybrid birds; the rooster is one breed while the hen is another. Because of the genetics of the two breeds, the Red Star chicks are... read more

Q: The breed I want is sold out--is there any hope I can order some?

A: We're sorry the breed you want is currently sold out, but yes--there is hope if you are diligent!

Our website always has up to date... read more

Q: For my laying flock, should I buy fertile eggs to hatch, or should I start with baby chicks?

A: In almost every case, starting a laying flock with baby chicks will be easier and less expensive than starting one by hatching eggs at home.
... read more

Q: Are the color of a hen's eggs determined by the color of her earlobes?

A: Not exactly, although ear lobe color seems to be related to (not determined by) egg color most of the time. Breeds with white earlobes lay white... read more

Q: I’ve heard that a hen can turn into a rooster. Is this true?

A: No, that's not true. It IS true that hens can sometimes crow, and you may have a crowing hen more often if you don't have a rooster. You can read... read more

Q: Our rooster is pecking the backs and heads of two of our friendliest hens. How can we stop this behavior?

A: Unless your rooster is causing the hens injury, that sort of pecking is no cause for concern. It is courting behavior. He pecks them on their backs... read more

Q: If I order straight run bantams, will I get a 50-50 mix, or do you use your extra cockerels as straight run?

A: We do not use sexed birds as straight run. (No hatchery we know of does that--how dishonest would THAT be?!.) It does not pay us to sex all our baby... read more

Q: If I order straight run bantams, will I get a 50-50 mix, or do you use your extra cockerels as straight run?

A: We do not use sexed birds as straight run. (No hatchery we know of does that--how dishonest would THAT be?!.) It does not pay us to sex all our baby... read more

Q: Is it true that modern, purebred chickens can't hatch their own eggs?

A: No, that's not true.

First, broodiness is not tied to whether a chicken is purebred or not. Broodiness depends more on a chicken's breed,... read more