Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located?
Our farm is in Indiana, USA!
Are you NPIP certified?
Yes! Our NPIP number is 32-614
What are the order minimums?
Chicks and Turkeys: 6 minimum total (can mix and match turkey and chicken breeds to get up to 6 total)
Geese: 3 minimum total
Ducks: 3 minimum total
Orders that do not meet these requirements will be cancelled.
No minimum for hatching eggs.
How much is shipping?
We charge $30 flat rate to cover shipping eggs via USPS Priority Mail. We charge $60 flat rate for shipping day old chicks via USPS Priority Express. If ordering both eggs and hatchlings, they each will have a separate shipping charge. Sorry, we do not ship birds older than a day old.
How does ordering work?
Because we are a small family farm, we do a pre-order system where you will choose a pre-order delivery date span of 2 months when ordering. This means the order is placed, then the eggs are collected to be sent or placed in the incubator accordingly. Orders are filled in the order they are received. You will receive an email confirmation when the order is placed. For live hatchling orders, please note the incubation time depending on species will be 21-30 days, therefore we cannot fill those orders faster than that. Hatching eggs are able to be shipped out quicker than hatchlings. If you would like an update on the status of your order, feel free to email us at info@homesteadandcohatchery.com. If there are any issues where we believe your order may not be able to be shipped within the 2 month span chosen, we will email you to discuss options. When your package is dropped off, you will receive an email with the USPS tracking number.
When do you start selling?
We only ship during mild weather spring-fall, with a break during the worst heat of the summer (usually July/August). While I understand chick fever starts early, we will not ship during winter. We love every baby that leaves the farm and want them to have the highest chance of success; they're well worth the extra month or two of waiting!
How do you ship?
USPS is currently the only carrier willing to ship live birds. For live chicks, we ship priority express and ship Monday-Wednesday only to ensure delivery before Sunday. Priority express is more expensive, but it decreases chance of delays versus regular priority. We use sturdy, ventilated cardboard poultry shipping boxes with textured liners to keep the chicks from slipping during transport. Heat pads (if needed depending on current weather) and grogel are included to keep the chicks warm, hydrated and fed during their travels.
For hatching eggs, we ship USPS priority. We use foam to provide as safe of a trip as possible.
We put the buyer's phone number on every box so the PO can call you for immediate pickup.
Boxes are labelled with fragile stickers.
We also try to include a fun gift in each order :)
Can I pick up locally?
This is sometimes an option when we have an excess hatchlings too old to ship. These will be clearly marked as Local Pick Up Only on the shop. To order these, you will complete checkout and we will email available pick-up date/times! Pickup is only available on certain monday-wednesday afternoons at a public space in Cloverdale, IN. Sorry, we cannot meet elsewhere or deliver. Orders not picked up on agreed upon dates/times will not be refunded.
Do you have social media we can follow?
Find us on facebook.com/homesteadandcohatchery
and our Youtube channel The Homestead Trail!
Are the pictures on the website your actual birds?
Yes! and if you were wondering how difficult it was to get a tom turkey to stand on a stool in a studio for a photograph, the answer is VERY HARD lol!
Could we visit the hatchery?
Sorry, but due to the biosecurity required to maintain our NPIP certified status, we cannot do hatchery tours in person. BUT you CAN see our set up and birds on our Youtube channel, The Homestead Trail!
Where do you ship, are there any exclusions?
Right now, we can only ship to the contiguous United States. Any order outside of this will be cancelled. We encourage everyone to look into your local laws and ordinances before ordering.
A few current restrictions:
Rhode Island- Due to state laws, minimum order of chicks or ducks must be at least 12. Any order less than that will have to be cancelled.
How is it possible to ship live chicks?
When chicks hatch, they have 3 days worth of nutrition and hydration stored in their residual yolk sac. In nature, this allows time for all the chicks to hatch before momma hen has to lead them away from the nest to eat
and drink. In a hatchery, it allows us the ability to safely ship chicks within 24 hours of hatch to be delivered within 2-3 days. We do not ship chicks that are older than 24 hours and only ship early in the week (typically Monday, but no later than Wednesday) to ensure they are delivered prior to Sunday.
Why do you only sell straight run/Why don't you sell sexed chicks?
The major hatcheries will tell you (but only in small print and in an obscure part of their site!) that vent sexing is only accurate 90% of the time. We feel that when customers are under the assumption they have all females but get a surprise male without being prepared for that possibility, it causes a lot of stress especially for backyard enthusiasts that are under local restrictions. We want our customers to go into the purchase knowing males are a possibility and to plan accordingly from day 1.
What's that green jelly stuff in my chick box?!
That's Grogel! Grogel is similar to jello but specifically made for hatchlings; it provides the chicks with hydration, nutrients and probiotics to give them a jump start while on their trip.
How often do you update your website?
We update weekly! We are constantly monitoring egg production and with some of our birds only laying seasonally (turkeys and geese) we want to make sure our availability is accurate. If you aren't seeing what you're looking for, check back in later and be sure to sign up for our emails so you can be updated! We also update on social media, so be sure to "like" our pages!