Looking to start or add to your flock of backyard chickens and live in Arkansas?
You need to find a farm or chicken hatchery in Arkansas if you want to pick them up in person.
I’ve done some digging, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of options for reputable hatcheries but you do have some options.
Check out the businesses below to see if you can find some chicks or chickens.
Table of Contents
Chicken Hatchery Arkansas Listing
| Hatchery/Farm Name | Location | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muddy Feathers Farm | West Fork, AR | 479-409-2607 | NA |
| John Wesley Poultry Farm | Springfield, AR | 501-893-6300 | NA |
| Gabbard Farms | West Fork, AR | 866-235-1885 | NA |
Muddy Feathers Farm
Address - West Fork, AR
Phone - 479-409-2607
Contact - NA
Website - NA
John Wesley Poultry Farm
Address - Springfield, AR
Phone - 501-893-6300
Contact - NA
Website - NA
Gabbard Farms
Address - West Fork, AR
Phone - 866-235-1885
Contact - NA
Website - NA
Buying From an Online Hatchery
There aren't a lot of options to buy chicks locally in Arkansas as far as I was able to validate at the time of putting this information together.
If you want all the safeguards of buying from a hatchery while being able to find just about any breed and have them delivered to your door, I recommend buying from an online hatchery.
Personally, I've always found Cackle Hatchery to the most professional online hatchery. They have the smallest minimum order numbers I've seen, free shipping on some orders, and all around great pricing.
I recommend checking Cackle Hatchery if you're looking for a specific breed you couldn't find locally or just want the convenience of having chicks, hatching eggs, or chickens delivered to your door.
Additional Resources
If you can’t find what you’re looking for in any of the hatcheries I listed above, I recommend browsing the poultry classifieds on ArkansasOnline.
Please keep in mind that by buying from classifieds you don’t get the safeguarding that you would from a hatchery.
They might not be 100% right about the breed and age. Plus, they will not be NPIP certified and checking for diseases etc.
NPIP Certification
You may have noticed some hatcheries, breeders, and poultry farmers advertising they are NPIP certified.
NPIP stands for the National Poultry Improvement Plan and was developed to eliminate pullorum disease which was causing huge problems for the poultry industry, and baby chicks in particular
It’s a voluntary certification that poultry sellers take to show they are testing their flocks and doing everything right to ensure they are breeding and selling healthy chickens.
Tips When Buying Chicks for the First Time
If you’re buying chicks for the first time, it’s the start of an exciting and fun experience. Here are some important things to consider:
- Don’t forget to check you can legally keep chickens in your area, and what the rules are if any.
- Arrange to see some chicks in person if you can travel to the farm or hatchery.
- Make sure the business you’re buying from looks like they take excellent care of their livestock.
- Check the chicks you’re buying over carefully. Look at their nostrils, vents, and eyes for any signs of discharge as this is a sign that they are not well.
- Breathing with their beaks open or labored breathing is a sign of disease too. Check they are breathing normally and moving around well.
- Talk to the seller about vaccinations. What they’ve done, and if they recommend anything.
- Once you’re happy with the little bundles of joy, take them home and introduce them to their new home.
You’ll find it hard not to keep visiting, playing with, and bothering them for the first few days. Don’t worry, this is normal - you have the bug, you’re now a chicken keeper!
