I really detest the 'farm supply' chains who still, in this day and age, will sell individual chicks around easter time. But, they still exist. I have taken in those poor babies after kids get tired of them when they are no longer fuzzy and they begin to poop people out of house and home. But, I was going to tell you those places still exist if you want to buy a cheap chick by the each. Problem is, I have found them to always end up being roos. Suspect that is one way hatcheries get rid of male egging breeds.

I order from Ideal Poultry and have had very good luck with them. There are numerous mail-order places that I've heard good things about but I stick with Ideal because they tend to be a tad cheaper and allow you to order pullets on even some of the rarer birds (instead of only straight runs). I had really bad luck with the farm type store last year that Calliope mentions. I had a large ratio of roos even though they were labeled as pullets. I would rather take the chance on mail order and suffering a few losses than to have to cull all those roos and not getting what you intended. Lori

There are good farm supply stores and they order their poultry from reputable sources. I order from my local farm supply when I need new blood in the henhouse and they have always done right by me. The manager even babysits them until the farmers come in to pick them up. They will not split orders under twenty five chicks, however.

What I was talking about are those citified stores who seem to be setting up in shopping centers and order in those poor chicks for the Easter trade to sell by the each. That's why I mentioned it. It's the only place, other than directly from a poultry producer you can get chicks by the each. And being some child's easter distraction is like the kiss of death because they have to end up somewhere, and I have a big sucker on my forehead they all can see. Every year I get calls from strangers to 'adopt' those fluff-less teenager chickens who are growing up. I take them, even though they usually end up to be extra roos and then have to take my time to find homes for them with folks who have hens and might like a roo.

I also use to work the freight dock at a postal facility. When the mail works like it should.....the chicks got through OK but if they missed a connection......they died. This was many years ago and I don't know how they freight them now. Perhaps the express services do a good job of it.