Chicken Help

Educate Yourself

Huzzah! You're here to learn about raising baby chicks, which is more than some people do! (You'd be... read more

Q: At what age do baby chicks began to roost? A: It really depends on the individual personality of the bird as well as how quickly they develop. Birds that feather out quickly may begin to roost... 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: Could my baby chicks really drown in their waterer or water dish? A: It seems like a strange question... but the answer is YES. Baby chicks can actually drown in a waterer, particularly if it is larger and designed for... 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: 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: 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.

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Q: How will I know which breeds are which on my waterfowl order?

A: Congratulations! You've received your order of waterfowl from My Pet Chicken and now you want to know which breed is which. No problem! Using the leg... 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: How will I know which chick is which breed when I receive my baby chicks?

A: Most chicks do not come marked or tagged in any way. However, females of certain rare breeds now come with colored leg bands applied so they can be... read more

Q: Is it ever okay to help a chick out of the shell?

A: Generally speaking you will NOT want to intervene in the hatching process when incubating read more

Q: Why do my baby chicks poo so much?

A: Your baby chicks poo so much because they have to eat a lot to grow as fast as they do!

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Q: How do I help a chick that isn't eating or drinking?

A:

Well, first remember that if you hatched these babies at home, chicks don't actually need to eat or drink for the first two or three... read more

Q: How can I incubate eggs that will hatch female chicks only?

A: The question of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in chickens has been an important subject for scientific study over the last several... 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 because they are not sorted... read more

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

A: There is no reliable way for the average home hatcher to tell the difference between an egg that will hatch a female chick and an egg that will hatch... read more

Q: What is this black spot or thin string attached to my baby chick's rear end?

A: It's your chick's umbilical cord, and if you notice, that black, scabby spot or string will be below your check's vent or "pooper." Be SURE not to... read more

Q: Can I use a fan to cool the brooder down? My chicks are arriving in the heat of summer, and my brooder is in a hot room.

A: Baby chicks need it very warm to be comfortable--most people would call it hot. For the first week of their lives, they need temperatures of about 95... read more

Q: Why is my chick growing her feathers in so slowly?

A: Sometimes you'll get a brood of chicks and notice that while many have grown in most of their feathers by eight weeks or so, one or two are slow... read more

Q: How can I help my young children understand the wait to have our baby chicks delivered?

A: There are a few things you can do together to help ease the frustration of waiting!

One thing you can do with a child when waiting something... 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... read more

Q: My chick's toes are all curled up--what's wrong with her?

A: Sometimes a chick will develop or hatch with a condition called curled toes or curly toes in one or both feet.

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Q: How do I transition my juvenile chicks to their outdoor coop when it's cold outside?

A: There is no perfect age to transition your chicks to their outdoor coop, but generally by the time they are 5 or 6 weeks old, they're getting large... read more

Q: What does "straight run" mean?

A: Straight run chicks are an "as hatched" mix of male and female chicks.

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Q: Can I order chickens from an out-of-state hatchery like yours?

A:

My Pet Chicken's breeders and hatcheries handle all the state-level permits required to get the chicks safe and sound to you. So when you order... read more

Q: What is an overhatch and why do you advertise it?

A: Well, let's start with the idea that we literally count our chickens before they've hatched. :) The exhortation against doing that is pretty good... read more

Q: How much does shipping cost?

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

Q: How do I dispose of a dead chick or chicken?

A: This is a difficult question to answer definitively, since what to do with a dead pet or animal can vary depending on your your state, city and even... 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: There are so many different terms for chickens--juvenile, cockerel, pullet, chick, hen, rooster, peep, biddy, started pullet, point-of-lay pullet, broody, brood, flock---what do they all mean?

A:

There ARE a lot of different terms for chicken, aren't there? It can be a little confusing, especially when you're just starting out. So let's... read more

Q: What do I need to know about ordering fertile hatching eggs from My Pet Chicken?

A: My Pet Chicken absolutely guarantees that the read more

Q: At what age can my chickens begin eating treats?

A: We don't really recommend feeding your new baby chicks treats right away, because they should first learn what their feed is so they will be able to... 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 and orders that ship in the colder months (December 1... 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: 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: Do you ship eggs or chicks internationally?

A: No. If you want to purchase live birds or 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: Will all of my blue chicks actually be blue?

A: It's possible... but in general, no. The color blue just doesn't hatch true in chickens. The genes for "blue" are actually more like diluting genes.... read more

Q: My hen was vaccinated for Marek's disease as a chick, but I still lost her to this illness. How could this have happened?

A: Marek’s disease is very common and will eventually end up in most backyard flocks, whether or not the flocks have been vaccinated. It's strange but... read more

Q: All about Encephalomalacia disease

A: Unlike most diseases, Encephalomalacia (try saying that three times quickly!), is not caused by a virus, bacterium, or fungus. Also known as "crazy... read more

Q: What happens if a chick 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: Are there special preparations I should make if I want to have a broody hen adopt and raise my shipped chicks?

A: There is little more beautiful than a mother hen sheltering chicks beneath her wings.

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Q: What is medicated feed all about--do I need it?

A: Medicated feed is formulated for chicks to help them combat read more

Q: How do I introduce new geese into my flock?

A: While geese generally get along well with one another, adding a new goose or gander to your gaggle can be a stressful time for them--and for you!--as... 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 read more

Q: What happens if a duckling or gosling 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 bird!... read more

Q: My chickens run away whenever they see me. Can I tame them?

A: In general, chickens can be tamable and friendly by the same sorts of general methods you would use with a dog or a cat. Presuming they are healthy... 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: 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: How many chickens should I get?

A: We'd like to answer this question, "dozens and hundreds!" because keeping chickens is so wonderful--but for the health and safety of the birds (and... 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: Why is my chick's beak getting crooked, and what should I do?

A: Usually, chickens with crossed beaks or scissor beaks lead long, normal lives.

In most cases, this defect is caused by the chick... read more

Q: What is a pasty vent, and how do I treat it?

A: A pasty vent, or "pasting up," "pasty butt," or "vent gleet," is a stress-induced condition in which droppings dry and cake up around the read more

Q: Can I give my chickens moldy bread, moldy leftovers or moldy feed?

A: No, your chickens should not eat anything with mold on it. Just as moldy or rotten food can make you sick, it can make them sick. Sharing some... read more

Q: How can I keep my brooder warm during a power outage so my baby chicks don't die?

A: Power loss can happen at any time due to storms, fallen trees, traffic accidents, construction, lightning, and more. A prolonged power outage can be... 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: All about Omphalitis disease

A: Imagine a belly-button infection--that's basically Omphalitis. Developing or newly-hatched baby chicks are susceptible to infection of their navels... read more