If you plan to start raising chickens in your backyard your first step will be to buy chickens. The process of buying chickens is fairly straightforward, depending on why you intend to raise them in the first place. Some chicken farmers are particular about the type of breed they get, the age of the chickens when they get to their new home and even the color of the eggs they lay.
Many factors will determine if you need a specific type of chicken, but no matter where you get them or how many you need, you should make sure you can find a place to purchase chickens for sale.
Noise
If you are looking to raise chickens in your backyard then you might want a less noisy breed. Many urban and suburban areas have noise ordinances that many chicken breeds are likely to violate so this is something you must consider before you actually purchase your chickens.
Confinement
One of the reasons we recommend you buy chickens before you build a chicken coop when you learn how to raise chickens is because not all breeds are great with confined spaces. If you choose a chicken breed that needs to spread her wings, that will affect the size of your coop. Even if you only get 4 to 6 chickens you will need to find a coop design that accommodates 8 or more chickens.
This is a really important factor to consider if you plan to eat the eggs or the chickens because a chicken confined against its will won’t be happy, which can impact the health of your entire flock. There is a reason that people are seeking out free range chickens and eggs, and this is it.
Temperament
When you find a place that has chickens for sale you will want to find out the general temperament of the breed you purchase. No matter why you buy chickens you will likely be the one dealing with them on a daily basis so you want a breed that isn’t aggressive and reacts well to people. Between cleaning the chicken coop, feeding and gathering eggs and fertilizer you will develop a pretty close relationship with your chickens, so you want to select a breed that can coexist with you and your family.
Where To Find Chickens For Sale?
Today it is no longer required that you drive hours to a big farm in order find chickens for sale, because the internet has just about everything you need. You can simply choose a website like CaliforniaHatchery.com or BirdTrader.co.uk, place your order and get the chickens delivered right to your door.
When you start looking you want a site like California Hatchery that will provide you with plenty of information and even allows you to choose the hatching date of your baby chicks. They let you know which chickens will lay brown versus white eggs, which chickens are good for meat production and personality type.
Of course making purchases online comes with its own set of risks but you should always read reviews and double check the return policy before placing your order.