When you decide to venture into the world of chicken keeping, one of the first questions that may come to mind is, “Where can I find the best chickens?”
Whether you’re a first-time poultry enthusiast or a seasoned chicken whisperer, the source of your feathered friends can significantly impact your experience. From local farm supply stores to the convenience of online hatcheries, this article is your comprehensive guide to finding the best places to buy chickens.
We’ll explore the pros and cons of each option, ensuring that your flock gets off to the right start and thrives in your backyard.
Local Farm Supply Stores
One of the most common places to purchase poultry are local farm supply stores. Buying chicks at your local farm supply store can be a convenient way to start or expand your flock. These stores typically offer a variety of common breeds as well as the essential supplies needed to raise them.
In North America we have Tractor Supply (TSC) and Rural King as the two main supply chains, but there are smaller local stores available in most areas as well.
Pros:
- Convenience – Farm supply stores are typically easy to find, and you can pick up chicks, feed, and other needed supplies all in one store.
- Store Associates Knowledge – Since you’re purchasing chicks in a store there will be store associates available that can hopefully answer any questions you might have about chicks, raising chickens, and what supplies you might need. Feel free to ask them questions and access their expertise (if they are knowledgeable – they may not be). They may also have insight into your local laws and regulations concerning chicken ownership.
- Health Check – Buying chicks in person means you perform visual health checks before purchasing.
- Sales – On occasion farm supply stores will have chicks available on sale so you can get them at fairly cheap prices.
- Selection – You’ll notice I have “Selection” in both the pros and the cons. This is because it’s hit or miss and varies wildly depending on your location and what stores you have available to you. Some farm supply stores may only stock a few breeds at a time while others may have a large selection. Most of the time the selection will be much less compared to the online hatcheries.
Cons:
- Poor Selection – Depending on the store, the variety of breeds available might be rather limited. They’ll also usually only sell chicks so if you’re wanting adult laying hens or eggs for hatching then you’ll need to procure them from another place.
- Poor Living Conditions – Chicks are often kept in feed or water trough bins and can sometimes be crammed in with very little space available creating unfavorable living conditions.
- Health Risks – As part of the poor living conditions, chicks at a farm supply store are exposed to many different people and other animals which has the potential to lead to health issues due to transmission of disease. Performing a good health check is important.
- Limited Availability / Seasonality – Chicks are shipped to farm supply stores from hatcheries in boxes via regular mail typically. This makes shipping them during winter in cold conditions very dangerous since chicks need to be kept warm to survive. Because of this, most farm supply stores will only have chicks available from spring to summer and will stop stocking them once fall arrives.
- Out of Chicks – Farm supply stores typically order chicks and have them delivered once a week. So the first day the chicks arrive there should be an abundance of stock available, but as the days go on the stock will dip and they may be completely out of chicks on the day you decide to go pick some up. I call this being OOC.
- Impulse Buying – While I personally don’t see this as a con, it is a possibility that you might go to a farm supply store needing to pick up some feed. But then you hear the cheeping coming from one section of the store. You’re naturally drawn to the noise and then see all of the adorable chicks. And what should have been a pick up a bag of feed run, it’s not a pick up a bag of feed, plus some chick feed, plus 20 new chicks, bedding, heat plates, new feeders, waterers and the whole shebang. It happens to the best of us, and I, for one, do not blame you.
- Minimum Order Requirements – Some stores may require you to buy a certain amount of chicks at one time as a minimum. While this number is typically lower than the minimum order amount for online hatcheries, it may still be more than you were wanting to get.
Note: The chicks available at local supply stores most of the time are shipped from online hatcheries.
Hatcheries – Online
Buying chickens from an online hatchery is a convenient and versatile option for those interested in poultry-keeping.
These hatcheries offer an extensive selection of chicken breeds, from popular choices to rare and heritage varieties, allowing you to curate a flock that perfectly suits your goals and preferences.
Ordering from an online hatchery can be done from the comfort of your own home, providing accessibility regardless of your location.
Reputable hatcheries often offer health guarantees, minimizing the risk of introducing sick birds to your flock. While there are some cons, like potential shipping stress and minimum order requirements, the benefits of access to diverse breeds and year-round availability make online hatcheries a popular choice for chicken enthusiasts seeking to expand or start their flocks.
Pros:
- Wide Selection & Rare Breeds – Online hatcheries offer an extensive range of chicken breeds, including rare and heritage varieties, allowing you to choose birds that match your specific needs and preferences. They may also have breeds that they have created that are only available through their website.
- Convenient Ordering – You can order chicks and hatching eggs from the comfort of your home, making it accessible regardless of your location.
- Breed Information –
- Customer Reviews – One great thing about online hatcheries is the ability to see other buyers reviews of both the individual breeds, as well as the hatchery and its services. These can be helpful in identifying which breeds will work for your flock and whether or not the hatchery is reputable or not.
- Health Guarantee – Reputable hatcheries often provide health guarantees for their chicks, reducing the risk of introducing sick birds to your flock.
- Year-Round Availability – Online hatcheries operate year-round, so you can acquire chickens when it suits you best, rather than being limited to seasonal availability.
Cons:
- Shipping Stress – Chicks can experience stress during shipping, potentially impacting their health. Most hatcheries take precautions to help minimize stress, but it’s near impossible to 100% prevent it.
- Higher Costs – While online hatcheries can offer rare breeds, they may be somewhat more expensive compared to purchasing from a local farm supply store.
- Minimum Order Requirements – Some hatcheries have minimum order requirements, which means you may need to purchase more birds than you initially intended.
- Limited Access to Expertise – Unlike local stores or breeders, online hatcheries may not provide as much region-specific advice.
When buying from an online hatchery, ensure you choose a reputable and well-reviewed source, and be prepared to provide proper care upon the chicks’ arrival.
For more in-depth information on local farm supply stores and online hatcheries check out this article –> Buying Chicks: Farm Supply Stores vs Online Hatcheries
Hatcheries – On Site (In Person)
Depending on where you live, you may have a reputable hatchery that sells chicks in-person near you. Hatcheries are typically specialized facilities that provide carefully controlled environments for incubation and hatching of eggs into chicks. There are smaller traditional family-owned hatcheries as well as larger tech-driven hatcheries throughout the U.S. and other parts of the world.
Pros:
- Hands-On Selection – You can personally inspect the birds, evaluating their health, size, and overall condition to ensure you get healthy, quality chickens.
- Access to Experts – Hatchery or breeder staff can provide valuable insights and advice on breed selection, care, and maintenance, tailored to your specific needs and location.
- No/Less Shipping Stress – Since you’re acquiring birds in person, they don’t undergo the potential stress associated with shipping through the post office, which can be a concern with online purchases. They will, however, still need to make it home in your own vehicle, which can still cause some stress.
- Customized Experience – You can discuss your goals with the breeder and potentially find birds that suit your particular preferences, whether you’re looking for egg layers, meat birds, or exhibition poultry.
Cons:
- Regional Availability – The hatchery or breeder’s location may limit your choices, especially if you’re searching for rare or specialized breeds not commonly found in your area.
- Limited Selection – While not always the case, the selection of breeds and varieties on-site might be more restricted compared to what’s offered online by hatcheries. When orders are placed online you typically need to choose a date range (a good bit off in the future) for the chicks to ship. This allows hatcheries to plan for chicks of the wanted breeds to all hatch around the same time and be shippable.
Auctions
Purchasing chickens from auctions offers a unique and often community-oriented way to acquire poultry. These settings allow you to see the birds in person, assess their health and temperament, and engage with other poultry enthusiasts.
Pros:
- Community Interaction – These venues provide a social and community-oriented experience where you can connect with fellow poultry enthusiasts, share knowledge, and network.
- Variety of Ages & Breeds – Auctions can offer a diverse selection of chicken breeds and ages, potentially allowing you to discover unique or rare birds. You might also come across barnyard mixes resulting in some beautiful and unique birds.
- Competitive Bidding For Good Deals – Competitive bidding can sometimes lead to favorable prices, making auctions an economical option for acquiring chickens.
- In-Person Health Checks – You have the opportunity to physically examine the birds before purchase, helping to ensure that they are healthy and meet your expectations.
Cons:
- No Health Guarantees – Typically auctions and swaps will not guarantee the health of the poultry they sell. Chickens from auctions may be exposed to various health risks, including diseases or parasites, which can affect the health of your existing flock.Due to this, it’s important to inspect the chickens and see if they are in good condition before placing a bid.
- Competitive Bidding Driving Prices High – While competitive bidding can lead to good deals, it can also drive up prices, potentially making it more expensive to acquire chickens.
- Additional Costs – Be prepared for additional costs such as travel expenses to the auction or poultry shop.
- Difficult to Find – Depending on where you live, poultry or farm auctions could be common-place or they could be completely unheard of. You may need to drive a considerable distance to find an auction close to you. But before you do that, you’ll probably need to spend a good bit of time researching auctions near you, when they’ll be held, and how to get there etc.
Online Markets
Online markets provide a platform for sellers and customers to get in contact and also make and complete transactions. Examples would be Amazon or Ebay. Both of these platforms allow users to create accounts on their platform and then sell or buy items. It’s important to note that both do not allow for the sale of live animals in their policies (minus a few exceptions like worms). Instead, hatching eggs are available for purchase.
Pros:
- Hatching Eggs – While online markets typically restrict the sale of live animals, they do allow for the sale of fertilized eggs for hatching and you can typically find a decent selection of hatching eggs.
- Price – Buying hatching eggs from an online market can be cheaper than buying them from an online hatchery. It’s a good idea to shop around for the best deal while keeping in mind the reputation of the seller as well.
- Convenience – Like all online markets and shops, there’s an extra level of convenience since the entire transaction, on the buyers part, can take place from their couch. All that needs to be done is to make the transaction and then wait for the goods, in this case hatching eggs, to arrive.
- Variety of Hatching Eggs – Some online marketplaces may provide an even larger selection of rare breeds and types of chicken hatching eggs. Ebay, for example, has a rather large selection of mini chicken breeds like Serama and Kikiriki.
Cons:
- No Live Animals – Most online marketplaces do not allow for the sale of live animals and have policies in place strictly
- Cracked Eggs – While chicks themselves are fairly fragile, eggs are even more so and require good packaging to make it through the postal service and to your home. Even if the seller carefully packaged the eggs, they could still potentially break from rough handling at the post office.
- Scams – While most of the larger online marketplaces have policies in place to help deter scammers, there is still the possibility of falling prey to a scam. Make sure to check the reputation or rating of the seller and avoid prices that seem too good to be true. Also check the refund/return policies before making a purchase. If a delivery of eggs arrives cracked and no good, you want to make sure you can get your money back.
- Lack of Customer Service – Some of the online markets will have little to no customer service. If you need help with a refund it may be difficult to get in contact with the seller and get the refund you deserve since you’re buying from individual online sellers, which, unlike online hatcheries, don’t typically have a good customer service policy in place.
