Frequently Asked Questions
Explore answers to commonly asked questions and gain insights into the world of poultry raising with Farm Chicken Breeds. From shipping inquiries to poultry questions, our comprehensive FAQ section is designed to provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions and embark on a successful poultry-keeping journey. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or new to the experience, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Shipping
How do you ship?
Since 1918, the USPS has been shipping live day-old poultry via Priority Mail! When birds are hatched, they absorb their yolk sac for nutrition. They have plenty of nutrients to make their journey to you. We bring your babies to the post office the morning they are hatched and they begin their flight to you. Your Post Office will call you when they arrive for pickup.
Started Pullets are also shipped USPS Priority Mail. Orders are carefully boxed for safe arrival, and are shipped with a small amount of fresh produce to provide nutrients and hydration on their route to you. Note: Started Pullets cannot be shipped with day-old poultry, their ship dates vary from hatch dates.
For non-live shipments, we use the most economical as well as quickest way to you.
How long does shipping take?
Our poultry shipments are sent USPS Priority Live and arrive safely within one to three days.
What if losses occur?
In the rare cases losses occur, Valley Hatchery LLC offers a 100% live arrival guarantee. The details can be found here.
Where do you ship to?
We ship to the Contiguous United States. We cannot ship outside of the United States or to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
Will live poultry be delivered to my door?
No. We mark our outgoing live parcels for the Post Office to hold for pickup. We put your phone number (and alternate if provided) on the parcel, noting for the Post Office to call on arrival. However, we always recommend calling your Post Office on ship day to let them know you have a live shipment on the way. They may take your contact info, just to be sure they have it!
In some cases, the local carrier may offer to deliver the chicks to you. We do not recommend this as the carrier vehicles are not heated or cooled and are not free of drafts. We highly recommend pickup.
When will I receive my tracking information?
Shipping day is a very busy day at the hatchery. We enter all shipment details into USPS and extract a report at the end of the ship day with your tracking number. We upload these tracking numbers in the evening after we have finished our ship day. We appreciate your patience. In the case your order does not ship as scheduled, we will reach out to you. We kindly ask not to call the hatchery on ship day to check on your order. With hundreds of orders shipping out, this can really slow down our ship day as it is often all-hands-on-deck. We assure you; we will follow up with you in the case of a delay.
I received my tracking and it estimates late delivery?
It is important to note, that the tracking system USPS uses is NOT a complete, real-time report of the package’s location, and the system is still in its infancy. Please do not panic if the Tracking ID information shows that the package has not moved or doesn’t appear to be making progress, USPS tracking often estimates delivery several days later than they are due to arrive as the tracking system cannot recognize it is a LIVE shipment which is treated priority.
What if my Post Office is closed Saturday?
If your local post office lobby is closed on Saturdays, there’s usually someone working to process incoming trucks. They will contact you to coordinate pickup once the shipment arrives. If your local post office isn’t operational on Saturdays, they might have an arrangement with a neighboring post office that accepts live shipments. It’s advisable to call your post office before placing an order to understand their procedure. If Saturday delivery isn’t possible, opt for Monday shipping dates rather than Wednesday to ensure timely delivery before the weekend.
Ordering
What is the minimum order?
Ordering Day-Old Poultry: Live day-old poultry orders require a minimum of 3 total birds for shipping. (With the exception of Bantams, which requires a minimum of 5 total Bantam birds to ship.)
Minimum purchase quantities vary for each breed, sex, and variety based on type of poultry:
- Large Fowl Chickens (3)
- Bantam Chickens (3 per variety & 5 minimum total)
- Turkey (1)
- Ducks (1 per variety & 3 minimum total)
- Goslings (1 per variety & 2 minimum total)
- Guinea (5)
- Customers can order one cockerel chick with an order of pullets.
A minimum per breed, variety, and sex is necessary due to the time-sensitive process of sorting, sexing, and shipping chicks within a strict timeframe after hatching, particularly with a wide selection of 170+ breeds and varieties offered, ensuring safe and organized delivery.
Orders with fewer than 15 total day-old poultry incur a $25 small order fee.
Started Pullets: There is no minimum requirement for Started Pullets for shipping; you can order as few as one.
When do orders ship?
Day-Old Poultry: Estimated hatch or ship date projections are listed on each breed listing, they are updated throughout each day. When viewing you cart, the first available date for your selections will appear. At checkout, you can select this date or a later date, remember this is an estimate only. Your actual confirmed date may vary when your order is received, we will have our system confirm a date that has all the birds you chose available. We will email you your confirmed hatch date within 3 business days of your order being received. During our regular season, we hatch both Mondays & Wednesdays. We recommend always placing your orders early in the season if you prefer to raise your chicks during a specific time. We try to estimate as best as possible what our hatch will yield.
Started Pullets: Started Pullets ship on Tuesdays & generally ship within 2 weeks of orders being placed. A confirmed ship date will be emailed within 2-3 days of your order being placed.
What is a small order fee?
Smaller orders of day-old poultry require additional handling, heat packs and care therefore a $25 Small Order Fee is charged for orders with fewer than 15 birds. To avoid this fee, add 15 or more birds to your cart.
When should I order my chicks?
As soon as you have a good idea of what you would like to order, you should get it in. We start accepting pre-orders for the upcoming season in December and hatch February-September. At checkout, you can select a ship date that works for you. Our chicks are sold on a first come basis, so it is ideal to get your order in sooner than later to ensure you get what you want.
Why is there a minimum per breed?
We implement a minimum order requirement per breed, variety, and sex to ensure a seamless and efficient process of sorting, sexing, and shipping our chicks promptly after hatching. With our extensive selection of over 170 breeds and varieties, maintaining this minimum helps us manage a timely and organized delivery process, enabling safe arrival of your poultry.
Our dedicated team works within a tight schedule, shipping day-old poultry immediately after hatching and adhering to strict deadlines at the Post Office. This ensures the utmost care and health of your chicks. While we understand the desire for flexibility, orders consisting of only one or two breeds can significantly challenge our ability to provide timely fulfillment, especially on our busiest days.
We appreciate your understanding of our commitment to quality and efficiency. The minimum order requirement per breed is a crucial aspect of our operational success, allowing us to meet the demands of our valued customers while upholding our high standards. Thank you for your support and for entrusting us with your poultry needs.
When will my card be charged?
Your card is charged when you place the order, ensuring the reservation of your birds in advance with payment.