Today, we can have virtually anything delivered to our doorstep with a click of a button. Need groceries? Fill your virtual cart, and they’ll show up at your front door. Need supplies for a school project? Click a button, and the supplies are on their way to you in hours. Need chicks for spring chick days? You can get those in the mail, too!
Mail-order chicks? Yes, you read that correctly—and it’s not just for the guys. You don’t have to head to a local farm or feed store to buy baby chicks anymore. In fact, purchasing mail-order chicks is a straightforward process, but you should follow a few steps to ensure a smooth transaction and a healthy flock.
At Backyard Boost®, we want to ensure that your chicks get off to a healthy start, no matter where you purchase them. The chicken enthusiasts on the Backyard Boost team love our backyard birdss dearly.
Our team has compiled this general guide to make your mail-order chick purchasing experience seamless and enjoyable.
Research Breeders
Look for reputable hatcheries or farms that specialize in mail-order chicks. Make sure the hatchery has a good reputation for healthy chicks and customer service. Some of our favorite hatcheries include:
Decide on Chick Type
Choose the chicken breeds you want based on your goals, such as egg-laying, meat production, companionship or ornamental purposes. Most hatcheries offer both male and female chicks. If you’re only interested in laying hens, make sure to order females. Hatcheries often have minimum order requirements, usually 3-10 chicks depending on the breed.
Check Availability & Timing
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.
Place Your Order
Visit the hatchery website or call them to place your order. When you are ready to order, you will need to provide:
- Your contact details, including shipping address
- Your desired breeds, genders and quantities
Most hatcheries require a deposit to reserve your chicks, so be prepared with a payment type, too.
Prepare for Arrival
Before your chicks arrive, prepare a brooder—a safe, warm space for them to grow. Make sure the brooder is secure from drafts and chicken predators.
This typically includes:
- A heat lamp to maintain a temperature around 95°F during the first week
- Clean bedding
- Waterers and feeders
Shipping & Arrival
Chicks are usually shipped via USPS, and you’ll be notified of the shipping date. The Postal Service has been working with hatcheries for more than 100 years to safely transport mail-order chicks during the spring and summer months.
Chicks can be safely transported without food or water within 72 hours of hatching. In fact, placing food and water inside the hatchery box could jeopardize the integrity of the box and could endanger the health and safety of the animals inside. Thousands of chicks are transported through the U.S. Mail seamlessly every year. They are typically shipped as soon as they hatch, so they’re very young (just a day or two old).
When they arrive, make sure to inspect the chicks. If any are dead or visibly unhealthy, contact the hatchery immediately.
Care After Arrival
- Upon arrival, place the chicks in their brooder with food and water.
- Ensure the brooder temperature is correct and that the chicks have access to clean water and proper food like chick starter feed.
- Monitor the chicks closely for the first few days to ensure they adapt well.
- To ensure they get a good start at their new home and overcome the stress of shipping is to provide them with Backyard Boost® Defense in their water. Backyard Boost Defense is a liquid supplement for poultry designed to support digestion and a healthy immune response. Defense contains AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility and provide nutrients needed in times of stress. Add this green liquid to their fresh water daily to promote water intake and hydration.
Continual Care
As your chicks grow, gradually decrease the heat in the brooder until they are ready to be moved outside. For complete information about caring for your new chicks, check out our Chicken Care Cycle.
Once your birds start to grow and transition to bigger food, offer them Backyard Boost® Daily Essentials, a pelleted protein supplement for poultry designed to maximize digestibility and egg production. Daily Essentials also contains Amaferm and AO-Biotics® EQE, a postbiotic research-proven to enhance egg quality. This supplement also provides nutrients needed for overall well-being.
Get your Backyard Boost Today!
Now that you know that you can get mail-order chicks delivered to your doorstep, you might want to order them more often. Do you know what else you can get delivered to your door? The products that provide boosted eco-friendly nutrition with Backyard Boost!
Ordering Backyard Boost is simple: purchase via our online store or from one of our online retail partners.
Perhaps you prefer to shop in person. You can discover where to buy from the BioZyme dealer closest to you.
Stay In the Know
Do you want to know more about taking care of your backyard birds? You can sign up for our regular electronic newsletter to stay current on our blogs and other education.
