We looked at price, shipping, chicken breed options, and of course, live and healthy chicks and pullets to find the 14 best incubators to buy chickens online.
but one hatchery located in missouri stood out. They offer a great selection, but they raise their birds in tune with mother nature.
Find out the name of this hatchery, plus other trusted online chicken sellers below.
where to buy chickens online: the 14 best incubators of 2021
Don’t have time to read the full review? here is a helpful summary of all the hatcheries on our list.
Still wondering where to buy chickens locally? you don’t have to anymore! Our extensive list of the top 14 hatcheries will be delivered right to your door, even when you’re in Canada. speaking of convenience! and keep your worries at bay. These hatcheries take shipping to the next level so your next ball of yellow fluff arrives healthy, safe, and of course, alive.
Stop searching other websites that don’t have what you’re looking for. cackle hatchery, a third generation family business, is the best chicken hatchery for day old chicks and adult chickens. They also have hatching eggs, turkey, game birds, and even bird supplies.
While you only need to order three chicks, you won’t be able to contain yourself once you see all your options.
It is important to check the availability date for when your birds are hatching. cackle hatchery only ships chicks from february to september. however, this is not a bad thing. it means that at cackle’s they follow the rhythm of nature and do not use artificial lights.
cackles is the best place to order chickens online if you are looking for a wide range of breeds from a hatchery in touch with mother nature. however, if you’re looking for birds in the winter, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Stromberg’s Chicks & Game Birds Unlimited is our top choice for your one stop shop for all your chicken needs. they carry hatching eggs, baby chicks and have mature chickens for sale. Beyond that, they have brooders, chicken feed, chicken diapers, chicken coops and more, everything your birds will need as they grow.
So, whether you’re ordering chicks for the first time or supplementing your existing flock, you can order your birds and all the supplies they need. no more searching multiple websites and waiting for multiple orders. you save time and hassle.
and stromberg’s all has locations throughout the us. uu., so your birds will arrive faster and less stressed; less stressed birds are healthier birds. and that’s what you want.
if you’re looking for less stress for you and your birds, shop at stromberg’s. you can order everything you need in one place. And with hatcheries from coast to coast, your chicks spend less time in shipping and arrive healthier.
Having been in the poultry industry since 1917, you (and your chicks) are in good hands when you order from Murray McMurray Hatchery.
instead of a flimsy container, the murray mcmurray hatchery will ship its chicks in a custom reinforced box. that means you will receive your chicks safe and sound! Completely eradicating your worries is the hatchery’s 48-hour live delivery guarantee.
In addition to its wide selection of chick breeds, the Murray McMurray Hatchery also offers hatching eggs, juvenile birds, game birds and more.
The Murray McMurray Incubator is a great option if you want to buy baby chicks online. its careful handling and live delivery guarantee can give you peace of mind.
If you’d like to add some hybrid vigor to your herd this season, check out moyer’s hatchery. their large selection makes them our top pick for the best hybrids.
And they take the health of their birds very seriously at Moyer’s Hatchery. they are one of the few hatcheries that are certified by the bird handling and transportation program. only qualified personnel will handle your order.
Not only that, but they vaccinate all the chicks before sending them home.
If you are looking for high producing hybrid birds, moyer’s is the best hatchery for you. they guarantee you healthy, vaccinated chicks, so you don’t have to worry about anything other than what to do with all those eggs.
While many kennels distinguish themselves by offering a wide variety of breeds, the j&m kennel takes a different approach. Located in Pennsylvania, this family-owned kennel focuses solely on one breed. cute and fluffy white rooster silks.
While this won’t appeal to every backyard chicken owner if you dream of owning a silkie, order from here. the hatchery’s small size and limited selection allow them to provide specialized care and attention to each bird. And better care equals healthier chicks, which is what you want for these adorable chicks.
if you are looking for silkies and don’t want to buy them from a large commercial hatchery, the j&m hatchery is an excellent option.
Do you have a small flock or are you just looking for a few birds? meyer hatery’s super low minimum order allows you to order as few as three birds!
They have over 160 different breeds of poultry to choose from, including chicks and adult birds. you can boost your herd by adding a few layers. Meyer Incubator also sells hatching eggs!
and mail order chickens from the meyer hatchery all year long. so you can add to your herd in any season. however, free shipping is not available for all of your poultry breeds. Free shipping is for Golden Buff, Jumbo Cornish Cross, and Ranger broilers only.
the meyer hatchery is a great option if you want to add just a few birds to your flock. They have a wide selection of breeds and low minimum orders. They also ship throughout the year.
Looking for an ultra rare chick hatchery for sale? check out my pet chicken. they use a network of hatcheries in the usa. uu. to provide a wide selection of chickens and help you find that elusive breed.
my pet chicken is also great for first-time chicken owners because they can get you everything you need, from baby chicks to chicken coops. And if you have questions about your order, My Pet Chicken has super friendly and knowledgeable customer service agents who are there to help.
Whether you’re a first-time chicken owner or someone looking to add that special breed to their flock, check out my pet chicken. My Pet’s wide selection of chickens and knowledgeable customer service agents mean they can help no matter what you need.
For four generations, the Fuchs family has built Ideal Poultry into the largest supplier of backyard poultry in the country. With over 50,000 breeders, they supply over 100 different chicken breeds.
Their large size allows them to maintain the highest standards of quality and innovation in their hatcheries. state-of-the-art facilities mean healthier, higher-quality chickens for you and your family.
With no minimum chick policy, you can order as many chicks as you like, as long as your order is at least $30. you can focus more on the breeds you want and less on the quantity. exactly what you want when looking for a few high-quality chickens.
Ideal Poultry is an excellent choice if you are looking for a hatchery with a long tradition of supplying quality poultry breeds.
Focusing on building partnerships with breeders, Purely Poultry provides the most comprehensive selection of chickens available. from meat birds to show chickens, you can get all the varieties you want in the same order. and all this using 100% sustainable energy.
With their network of breeders, they can supply just about every breed imaginable. and there is the advantage that they are super sustainable.
The townline hatchery takes a hands-on approach to hatching chicks. they deliver the eggs on a tray and even grow their own corn to feed their chickens. that’s how you know someone cares about the quality of your chicks, just like you do.
and they don’t stop worrying when the birds leave the hatchery. when you order during the winter, they will pack extras, so your chicks can snuggle up next to each other and stay warm during transport.
The townline hatchery is an excellent choice if you want a hatchery that takes a hands-on approach to chicks. they are personally involved in everything from growing the corn to packing the chicks. that way you know you’re getting quality, healthy chicks.
Spice up your flock by getting different breeds in one backyard chicken order.
Like other hatcheries, they offer a minimum order quantity of 3 chicks per order. But what makes this hatchery stand out is that you can mix and match! yes, you can have three balls of fluff in different races.
backyard chicken minimums allow you to buy as few as three, and they can even be three different breeds.
Want a bigger herd with a little bit of everything? check out the welp hatchery. you have to order at least 25, but you can mix and match breeds to complete your order – order five of each breed and you’ll get five different birds in the box!
With low prices and free shipping, you may find yourself asking for more chickens! And if you order in winter, don’t be surprised to see more chicks in the box. The folks at Welp Hatery want to make sure you get healthy, live chicks, so they often add a few extra chicks to keep warm in colder weather.
The welp incubator is perfect for someone looking to start a larger and more varied flock. they allow you to mix and match breeds to meet your minimum order. And they have low prices. so you get variety and save money. it’s a win-win.
located in florida, the people of the happy feet hatchery take advantage of its climate. other hatcheries do not breed during the winter or use artificial lights to stimulate spawning. but you can order naturally laid day old chicks in the middle of winter from the happy feet incubator.
They have birds of different ages at the farm shop, but happy feet’s hatchery only sends out day old chicks. either way, you should call them to find out their current stock.
They are always happy to chat with you about any questions you may have about your anticipated arrivals. that way, you’ll be fully prepared when the chicks arrive.
If you want a more personal experience, give the folks at the Happy Feet Incubator a call. they will be happy to answer any questions you have about the chicks while you place your order. And even in winter, you can be sure your chicks hatched naturally.
The oldest hatchery in the united states, the jenk hatchery has over 100 years of experience. All of their chicks are shipped directly from their 200-acre facility in Oregon. if you’re a local, you can still go and pick up your chick in person at their feed store.
jenk’s offers a good selection of breeds and you can mix and match them to meet the minimum order. And oh, every chick comes Marek vaccinated!
if you’re looking for a hatchery with a long tradition of providing quality, healthy chicks, you won’t find an older hatchery than jenk’s. For over 100 years, they have continued to deliver quality, healthy chicks to homes just like yours.
chickens for sale: our guide to buying chickens online
With so many hatcheries, it can be overwhelming to order chicks online. you know you want your chicks to arrive healthy. but what factors actually affect that?
In this guide, we’ll explain the different factors you need to know. and we show you how to know that you are buying your chickens from the best online supplier for you.
Hatchery reputation: how to check it
One of the best ways to check the reputation of a hatchery is to read reviews of that hatchery. or to see what you really get, you can watch unboxing videos like this one with chicks from the crowing hatchery.
Also, read the hatchery’s policies and procedures, so you know exactly where they are. Also contact your local poultry association and ask for a list of qualified hatcheries. You can also contact your local grocery store and ask if they have any references.
shipping and returns policy
People have been sending day-old chicks in the mail for over 100 years (1). this works thanks to the miracle of chicken biology. The extension of the poultry cooperative explains that each chick is born with what it needs to survive the first days. (2)
Even if they have what they need, the shipping process can be stressful for those babies. Some hatcheries add extra chicks to the order, keeping the chicks warmer and ensuring you receive the correct number of live chicks. These additional chicks are usually male.
Other hatcheries will offer a refund or replacements for chicks that are dead on arrival. Often the number of doa chicks must be high for the hatchery to send out new chicks.
You don’t just want your chicks to arrive alive; you also want the right sex girls. most hatcheries will guarantee a certain percentage of correctly sexed chicks.
but mistakes happen. hatcheries generally offer refunds for incorrectly sexed chicks. If sex is a big concern for you, make sure the hatchery has a success rate.
If you are seeking reimbursement for DOA chicks or incorrectly sexed chicks, be sure to apply within the correct time period. should be clearly outlined in hatchery policies.
availability date
Not all hatcheries can provide chicks year-round; they have different poultry operations. The Old Farmer’s Almanac explains how seasonality can affect a layer (3).
Because of this, some hatcheries do not send out chicks in winter. winter storms can delay shipping and that affects the health of the chick. And just like you, hatcheries want to make sure all of their chicks arrive alive and healthy.
Seasonality and weather are just two factors that affect the availability date of your chicks. The most important factor that affects the availability date of your chick is when it hatches.
It takes 21 days for a chick to hatch (4). after the hatchery places the eggs in an incubator, they have a good idea of how many chicks will be available in three weeks.
The hatcheries do count their fertilized eggs before they hatch. many of them allow you to see how many chicks of which breed are available on a specific ship date. once you know when your chicks will be shipped, you need to have everything ready before they arrive.
It’s important to understand that you may have to wait until it’s available if you want specific rare or heritage breeds.
Last but not least, if you already have an existing flock, be sure to read our guide on how to introduce new chickens.