Raising backyard chickens is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. Fresh eggs and homegrown meat are just a few of the benefits of keeping chickens. But before you can enjoy these perks, you need to find high-quality chickens to start your flock.
Buying chickens online offers convenience and a wider selection of breeds compared to local farm stores. With just a few clicks you can order live chicks or mature hens delivered right to your doorstep.
However, not all online chicken sellers are created equal You want to ensure you’re ordering from a reputable source that humanely raises chickens and provides healthy birds
This complete guide covers everything you need to know about buying chickens online from the top hatcheries and websites to order from to what to look for in high-quality chickens.
Top Online Stores for Buying Chickens
Here are some of the best online stores for purchasing chickens:
Murray McMurray Hatchery
- One of the largest hatcheries in the US, in business for over 100 years
- Wide selection with over 185 breeds of chicks, ducks, geese and other poultry
- Minimum order of just 3 chicks with no limit on mixing breeds
- Free shipping on all poultry
Meyer Hatchery
- Ships nationwide from Ohio, minimum order of 3 chicks
- Large variety of rare and unique breeds
- Sells chicks, hatching eggs, supplies and coops
- Known for great customer service
My Pet Chicken
- Specializes in small orders for urban and backyard chickens
- Order as few as 3 chicks, no minimum per breed
- Also sells supplies like coops, feed and chicken diapers
- Fun, creative brand for chicken enthusiasts
Cackle Hatchery
- Specializes in rare and unique breeds of chicks
- Minimum orders between 15-25 chicks
- Options for ordering 5-10 chicks in “city packs”
- Family-owned hatchery in Missouri
Freedom Ranger Hatchery
- Specializes in slow-growing birds for free-range and pastured operations
- Sells the sought-after Freedom Ranger breed
- Small, family-owned Pennsylvania hatchery
- High standards of animal welfare
Purely Poultry
- Sells over 100 breeds of chicks and adult chickens
- Also offers ducks, geese, turkeys and gamebirds
- Minimum order of 10 chicks on most chicken breeds
- Family-owned hatchery in California
Buying Baby Chicks vs Adults
One of the first decisions is whether to purchase adult chickens or baby chicks. Here are some key differences:
Baby Chicks
- Cost effective, only $2-5 per chick
- Fun to raise chicks from a young age
- Have to buy supplies for brooding and wait 4-6 months until laying
- Higher chick mortality rate
Adult Chickens
- Laying hens cost $20+ each
- Skip the brooding stage and get eggs right away
- Can see living conditions of the parents
- Lower risk of deaths than with chicks
For first-time chicken owners, starting with chicks allows you to learn hands-on, though adults are lower maintenance. Either way, order from a trusted source.
What to Look for in Healthy Chickens
Reputable sellers will guarantee the health of their chickens. But it’s still important to inspect new birds for any issues upon arrival.
Here are characteristics to look for in healthy chicks and adult chickens when buying online:
- Eyes: Clear, bright, no discharge or swelling
- Nose: Nostrils clean, no discharge
- Feathers: Dry, fluffy and clean for chicks. Smooth and silky for adults.
- Comb/Wattles: Bright red, no paleness or discoloration
- Vent: Clean, no discharge or signs of diarrhea
- Feet/Legs: Scales smooth, no wounds or abnormalities
- Behavior: Active, alert, no limping or lethargy
Do a full hands-on inspection of every bird. Check for lice, mites, scaly leg mites, and other parasites. Be prepared to isolate or cull any birds in poor health.
How Many Chickens to Order
Most online hatcheries require minimum orders of 25-50 chicks to ensure enough birds stay warm during shipping. But you likely don’t need that many chickens, especially for a small backyard flock.
Here are some tips for determining how many chickens to buy:
- Check local ordinances – many only allow 4-6 hens, no roosters
- Allow at least 10 square feet per bird in coops and runs
- Plan for maximum egg production – hens lay 4-6 eggs per week
- Order extra chicks to account for some deaths during shipping
- Split large orders with other backyard chicken owners
Start with 3-6 chicks or hens, then expand your flock gradually over time. Always have multiple birds – chickens are social and need companions.
Choosing the Best Chicken Breeds
With so many options to choose from, narrowing down your chicken wishlist can be tricky! First decide your top priorities: eggs, meat, pets, showing, etc.
Here are some of the top chicken breeds for beginners:
For eggs: Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns, Ameraucanas
For meat: Cornish Cross, Freedom Rangers, Jersey Giants
As pets: Silkies, Cochins, Orpingtons
Heat hardy: Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes
Cold hardy: Brahmas, Chanteclers, Buckeyes
Do your research to select breeds suited for your climate and goals. Mix different types to get both eggs and meat.
Safely Transporting New Chickens
One concern when buying chickens online is safely getting them home after delivery. Here are some tips:
- Schedule delivery for mild weather, avoiding extreme heat or cold
- Have housing prepped and ready for new arrivals
- Open box immediately and inspect chicks/chickens
- Provide food and electrolytes for rehydration
- Transfer chicks to brooder, adults to coop and run
- Limit environmental changes to reduce stress
- Monitor them closely for the first 48 hours
Proper handling when transporting chickens reduces losses and gets your new flock off to a healthy start.
Is Buying Chickens Online Right for You?
Ordering chickens online is convenient but does come with some risks. Chicks can arrive stressed or weak. Shipping delays can happen.
However, reputable hatcheries guarantee live delivery and healthy birds. Go with a source known for premium products, customer service and humane practices when buying online.
The advantages of wider selection and breeds plus buying convenience will likely outweigh potential drawbacks. Just do your homework to find the best online seller.
Starting your backyard flock with quality chickens from a trusted internet hatchery will lead to years of enjoyment and bountiful homegrown eggs and meat. Do your research and order wisely online. Soon you’ll be on your way to chicken farming success!
Best for Chicken Sausage
Pros:
- Premium quality
- Sustainably raised
- Fully-customizable subscription boxes
- Shipping included in price
Cons:
- Requires a subscription
Good Chop is an online subscription butchery that brings high-quality free-range chicken from the farm to your front door. Everything they sell is raised responsibly without the use of hormones or antibiotics and is sourced from small farms in Nebraska and Iowa that are committed to using sustainable agricultural practices. The company offers two different sizes of fully customizable subscription boxes, which ship out every four weeks. You can pause or cancel at any time. Good Chop offers the following cuts of chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs
- Organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Organic ground chicken
- Organic chicken wings, thighs and drumsticks
- Chicken wings and drumsticks
- Organic bone broth
How We Found the Best Chicken Delivery Services
For the best chicken delivery service, we ordered frozen chicken from multiple mail-order companies. We first researched which companies were most likely to catch customer’s eyes when looking for online meat delivery services. We were eager to see if the top results warranted their perceived popularity or if they’d invested more money into their advertising budget than their products. If you’re wondering why you aren’t seeing some of the best-known mail-order meat brands on this list, it’s because they didn’t meet expectations when put to the test.
Additionally, we also ordered meat from several upstart companies that have yet to achieve the national notoriety of the well-established mail-order meat brands but have built plenty of buzz and solid reputations in the short time they’ve existed. Apart from that, we tested a mix of conventional chicken raised without much in the way of transparency, as well as chicken raised to the highest standards regarding humane treatment. These cuts keep eco-consciousness and the use of hormones, antibiotics, steroids and other substances top of mind.
Once the chicken was in the kitchen, it was tested using varying cooking methods, including roasting, grilling and air-frying. We stuck to simple preparations, initially cooking with little more than oil and Kosher salt so that the full flavor of the chicken could shine through. To judge texture, we cooked some to absolute perfection so that we could see if they were juicy and flavorful on the inside.
Our tester intentionally overcooked some chicken because we know that accidents happen, and you shouldn’t pay a premium price for something that can easily be destroyed if you’re distracted by a phone call, boisterous children or any of the other surprises life can throw your way while making dinner. We wanted chicken that remained delicious if your attention was temporarily pulled elsewhere or if it desiccated into a dud.
We tracked our findings in a detailed testing spreadsheet and then assigned each brand a rating. Only the top results made our final list.
Hoovers, Meyer, Cackle? Best Online Hatchery for Ordering Baby Chicks? 7 Popular Sites Compared!
FAQ
Can I order live chickens online?
Yes, it is very safe when you order chickens online from a reputable hatchery, like Freedom Ranger. It’s even safer than buying chicks at an auction or flea market, as you don’t know if the chicks came from an NPIP-certified hatchery or if they’ve had vaccinations.
Can you get chickens delivered to your house?
Many hatcheries offer seasonal shipments – spring is usually the most popular. Check the hatchery’s availability and confirm when the chicks will be shipped. It’s important to plan ahead, as chicks require immediate care upon arrival. You want to make sure that you are home to care for your chicks upon their arrival.
Can I have chickens shipped to me?
With a vast assortment of breeds, ordering online is simple. Meyer Hatchery can ship as few as 3 chicks from April through November and 8 from December through March.
Which company is best for chicken?
Suguna Foods Pvt. Ltd, India’s leading poultry conglomerate, has grown to become a INR 9380+ crore turnover company, over a period of 40+ years.