Finding a suitable hatchery to buy and raise your chicks can sometimes be so challenging. An appropriate hatchery will ensure that your poultry keeping journey is successful and less expensive to raise your flock. If you are in Illinois, here are some of the best chicken hatcheries that you can visit and buy chicks.
Chicken Scratch Poultry
If you have been thinking of starting backyard chicken keeping, then Chicken Scratch Poultry is one of the best places you can visit. They have a wide range of chicken breeds that you can choose from and add to your flock. It mainly specializes in providing chicken enthusiasts with high-quality hatching eggs, pullets, and chicks.
The price of chickens at Chicken Scratch Poultry usually depends on the breed that you are buying. Some breeds may be slightly more expensive than others. However, pullet or chick at the farm is worth the money because they will only sell to you those that are healthy and vaccinated. If you want to buy pullets from them, they go for around $40 to $100.
Some of the chicken breeds that you can buy from them include;
- Crested Cream Legbar
- Ayam Cemani
- Rhode Island Reds
- Orpingtons
- Marans
- Light Sussex
- Wyandottes
- Silkies
- Welsummers
If you buy chicks from them, they will guide you on how to take care of them up to maturity. They usually ship their products. However, the costs may not be the same for every place. They usually advise their customers to contact them through their phone number for a quote.
- Phone: 618-643-5602
- Location: 14025 County Rd 975 E, McLeansboro, IL 62859
Johns Fowl Farm
Johns Fowl Farm is one of the best hatcheries in Illinois, where you can get your chicks at an affordable price. They offer good services to the chicken keepers and ensure that you only go away with healthy and vaccinated chicks.
Currently, they do not have a website. Therefore, you will not be able to see the available chickens with a few clicks. The farm has a Facebook page where customers can freely interact with them and any questions about their services. If you plan to buy birds from them, you can send them a message on Facebook to inquire about the available chickens and their prices.
Johns Fowl Farm has a variety of chicken breeds that you can choose from. The price of chickens at the farm will depend on the breed you want to buy and the availability of the birds. Some breeds may be a bit expensive than others. The famous chicken breeds raised at the farm include Cream Legbars, Brahmas, Marans, Orpingtons, and Rhode Island Reds.
With as low as $4, you can buy a chicken at Johns Fowl Farm and add it to your flock. It is usually advisable to buy several chickens. They do not ship their chickens. However, it is worth visiting their farm as you will have an opportunity to pick your desired birds.
- Phone: 815-482-8806
- Location: 22511 IL-113, Wilmington, IL 60481
Sunset Barn Family Farm
As the name suggests, Sunset Barn Family Farm is owned and operated by a family. It is a small farm raising several rare and heritage chicken breeds. Although they do not have a wide range of selections for birds, they have a decent selection. They will ensure that you are going away with healthy birds only that are vaccinated.
Sunset Barn Family Farm raises different breeds of chicken such as:
- Heritage Welsummers
- Legbars
- Blue and Black Copper Marans
- Croad Lngashans
- Olive Eggers
- Gray Broilers
- Easter Eggers
- Lavender Orpingtons
- Lavender Ameraucanas
With as low as $4 up to $12, you can buy a chick at the farm. They do not sell sexed chicks. You will, therefore, have to be ok with straight runs. Sunset Barn Family Farm also does not ship its products. This means that you will have to visit them at their farm to pick your order.
- Location: 28137 E 2900th St, Prophetstown, IL 61277
Cherokee Flats
Cherokee Flats is one of the best places you can visit and purchase chickens to start a flock. In addition to chickens, they also supply local farmers with rabbits. Some of the chicken breeds that you can buy from them include:
- Speckled Sussex
- Silver Laced Wyandottes
- Olive Eggers
- Easter Eggers
- Gold Laced Wyandottes
You can also buy fertile eggs at Cherokee Flats and hatch them at your home. They go for around $25 per dozen. On the other hand, each straight run goes for $2.50. You will hardly regret buying from them as all their chickens are healthy and vaccinated before they are sold.
Cherokee Flats does not ship its products. However, it is possible to reserve from them if you have interests in their products. You can visit them to enquire about their products and choose your desired breeds. Besides, you can call on their phone number to book an appointment with them.
- Phone: 309-530-4206
- Location: 14976 LeRoy Rd, Farmer City, IL 61842
Belmont Feed and Seed
Belmont Feed does not produce the same breeds from time to time. If you plan to buy a particular chicken breed from them, it would be good to check back more often. They have won a reputation over the years because of their top services and products. They provide chicken keepers with vaccinated and healthy birds.
Belmont Feed and Seed usually have a wide variety of chicken breeds. Some of the popular ones include:
- Silkies
- Buff Orpingtons
- Barred Rocks
- Golden Laced Wyandottes
- Silver Laced Wyandottes
Since Belmont Feed and Seed does not have the same breeds always, you can expect the prices of their chickens to vary as well. You can also buy chicken feeds from them at a fair price. They will guide you on how you can raise your chickens at a lower cost.
They only sell female chicks. Since they do not ship, you will have to pick them up on specified dates.
- Phone: 773-588-1144
- Location: 3036 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
Gaumer Family Farms
If you are looking for a more affordable hatchery, then Gaumer Family Farms is one of the best options for you. It is operated and owned by a family. They sell healthy and vaccinated pullets at an affordable price.
They have a variety of chicken breeds, such as Black Stars and Cinnamon Queens. A pullet at Gaumer Family Farms goes for $15. Although they do not ship, you can pre-order their bird if you want. You will therefore be able to get your desired breed once they become available.
- Phone: 815-626-4380
- Location: 24562 Como Rd, Sterling, IL 61081
Gage’s Poultry Plus, LLC
The last hatchery on our list where you can visit and buy chicks to keep at your home is Gage’s Poultry Plus, LLC. They have all kinds of birds that you can keep, such as pheasants, quails, and turkey. They raise their birds in the most natural ways. If you buy from them, they will ensure that you go away with healthy and best quality birds of your desired breed.
If you are interested in keeping meat chickens, then you can get Cornish Crosses at their farm. They also have several others breeds that you can buy and add to your backyard flock. Some of them include Barred Rocks, Orpingtons, and Jersey Giants. The price of chickens at the farm usually varies from one breed to another. Some breeds may be slightly expensive than others.
Like most other hatcheries, it might not be possible to see the prices and availability of birds at Gage’s Poultry Plus, LLC. Therefore, you will have to contact them through their phone number or Facebook page to transact with them.
They also sell poultry feed and equipment such as drinkers, feeders, and incubators. They will advise you accordingly and guide you to raise your chickens at home at a lower cost easily. The farm does not ship its products. If you are interested in buying from them, you will have to visit their store and select your desired products.
- Phone: 217-364-7505
- Location: 10000 Bell Fountain Rd, Dawson, IL 62520
Things to Consider When Buying Chickens In Illinois
Being successful in chicken keeping will depend on several things, such as the choice of hatchery and how you raise your chickens. If you are in Illinois, there are a few things that you will have to consider when buying chickens.
Rules and Regulations
Before deciding to keep chickens at your home, it is advisable to look for the rules and regulations in your locality concerning chicken keeping. Some places in Illinois, such as Wilmette and Monmouth, do not allow residents to keep chickens.
Capacity and Commitment
The next thing to look at is your commitment to the task. You should check your capacity and commitment to keep chickens.
Hatchery
Another vital thing to consider before buying chickens is the choice of the hatchery. You must go for hatcheries that can be trusted and are certified by NPIP.
Conclusion
There are several hatcheries in Illinois where you can buy chickens and raise them at your home. It would be best if you considered hatcheries that are reliable and offer good customer service.
