2025 Chick Information and Pricing

 

CHICKS AND CHICKENS

Baby chicks are usually hatched weekly in small batches. They are color sexed at hatch, to the extent possible, and marked with sex and breed color codes. 

All birds are fed non-GMO or organic feed, usually from local growers/mills, plus fresh greens when available. Heavy predator pressure and concern for HPAI prevents free ranging, but we use portable enclosed pens when weather allows.

My chicken operation revolves around creating a new breed of chicken, the ChocoMint. One main goal of the ChocoMint is to serve as a sire line that allows anyone to create their own sex-link chicks from hens they already have.

Breeding your non-chocolate hens with a ChocoMint rooster will give you sex-link chicks that will almost certainly lay blue or green eggs. Male chicks are black or have black markings; females are chocolate or have chocolate markings. Some breeds are easier to tell than others. Other benefits of ChocoMints include broody hens (so you don't need to incubate eggs and brood chicks!), pea comb (reduced frostbite), and white skin (dresses out nicely). I am breeding towards early maturity and a nice dual-purpose bird.

ChocoMint

I'll be hatching as many as possible to continue selecting for my breeding program, so a variety of ages will be available. I cannot sex ChocoMint chicks. Sexing of young adults is based on back pinfeather type, and is guaranteed if they are sold as sexed.

Hatch to 7 days: $7 each, straight run only, no sex guarantee.
8 days to 16 weeks: $7 + $1.00 per week of age, up to $25

Pullets laying brown, or untested: $25
Pullets laying blue/green/light olive: $30
Pullets laying dark olive: $40
Hens retired from breeding program $25 - $30

Young cockerels (as soon as can be determined): $20
Proven sires of hens laying blue/green eggs: $35

ChocoLink-WTG

The variable coloring of the Whitings True Green hens results in a wide range of chick colors in the ChocoLink-WTGs, making some of them harder to sex than hybrids with more standardized breeds. Both sexed and unsexed chicks will be available. Over time, my ability to interpret chick color will improve. Meanwhile, chicks sold as pullets are guaranteed...if they crow, I will buy them back for your original purchase price.

I will be changing roosters from time to time. Some hatches may include chicks from two different roosters.

ChocoLinks will not breed true in all traits, but the blue egg trait should breed true, and the chocolate gene will be expressed when a ChocoLink hen is bred to a rooster that carries the chocolate gene (ChocoMint, or another chocolate breed).

Pullets only (sex guaranteed; feather or egg color not guaranteed):

Hatch to 7 days: $9 each
8 days to 16+ weeks: $9 + $1.00 per week of age, up to $25

Straight run: 

Hatch to 7 days: $6 each
8 days to 16+ weeks: $6 + $1.00 per week of age, up to $20

Cockerels only (will consider quantity discount):

Hatch to 7 days: $3 each
8 days to 16+ weeks: $3 + $1.00 per week of age, up to $18

 
Blue Egg Layers

These are the offspring of Whitings True Blue hens from Murray McMurray Hatchery, bred to a Whitings True Blue rooster from Whitings Farm, and their progeny. I am selecting this flock for pea combs, dark colors, barring, and no beards or muffs.

Hatch to 7 days: $7 each, straight run only, no sex guarantee.
8 days to 16+ weeks: $7 + $1.00 per week of age, up to $25

Hens retired from breeding program $20

Young cockerels (as soon as can be determined): $20

 

2025 Hatching Egg Information and Pricing

Fast forward to 2025, after several years of being AWOL from this online space.

I'm back in the hatching business again, after just hatching for my own breeding program for a few years. Chicks are hatching as I type, and folks are wanting to know chick prices and details, so here's my update of the 2021 post, divided into two posts (hatching eggs, and chicks) for quick reference. 

See bottom of post for payment, pickup and delivery information

HATCHING EGGS

Generally available, for pick up or local delivery. Eggs are gathered several times a day, held in moderate temperatures to prevent freezing in cold weather or spoiling in hot weather, and candled (within the limits of colored eggs) before sale to be sure of no cracks or obvious flaws. Cartons are marked with collection dates, hen flock, and rooster. Eggs are accumulated for a week or less in cartons that are turned twice a day.

Hatching eggs should be handled carefully...not jostled, shaken, or dropped. The natural "bloom" on the shell should be kept intact to seal out bacteria, so don't wash them or get them wet. The small amount of dirt that may be present won't affect hatching. They should be kept at room temperature. Let them rest for a day or two after you get them home, before incubating.

I have had hatch rates around 70% with indifferently calibrated incubators and poor humidity control. Rates are looking much better now that I have better equipment, but I haven't done the numbers yet. Some customers have had perfect hatches! No guarantees...just too many variables.

Free hatching eggs (up to 1 dozen) for classroom (or homeschool) hatching. Hatch-and-return is an option if we plan ahead.

ChocoMint: $20/dozen

ChocoLink-WTG: $20/dozen

Pending formal permission to use the name "Whitings True Blue" for eggs laid by my birds...I have a Whitings True Blue rooster purchased from Whitings Farm who is breeding Whitings True Blue hens purchased from Murray McMurray Hatchery, and their eggs are for sale:
WTB x WTB: $15/dozen. 

PAYMENT OPTIONS

I accept cash, credit cards via Square, PayPal. and Venmo. Checks if I know you.

PICKUP OR DELIVERY

I DO NOT SHIP EGGS, CHICKS, OR ADULT BIRDS! Not only am I hearing a lot of horror stories about delayed shipments and dead birds...I just personally hate trying to put things in boxes, do labels, stand in line at the PO, etc.

Pickup at the farm in North Lawrence, by appointment only. Contact me via Messenger (Natalya Pinwheel Lowther), phone (785-979-6786...mailbox is permanently full, but you can text if you don't reach me by voice), or email (natalyalowther@hotmail.com; call if you don't hear back in a couple days).

Please wear clean clothes and shoes when picking up at the farm. Due to HPAI, we are not giving tours of our chicken facilities but you can visit the sheep. Supervised children are welcome; dogs will need to stay in vehicle except brief on-leash potty breaks.

We can also meet up in a local parking lot, if preferred.

Delivery can sometimes be arranged locally.