There are so many good reasons to buy chicken online, but which poultry is worth the premium price? We tested multiple services to find the best-of-the-best chicken delivery.
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A decade ago, the idea of ordering chicken online would have seemed absurd. You can buy chicken online these days, just like you can buy clothes or tech stuff. And why not? Chicken is not only one of the most consumed meats in the U. S. , but it’s also extremely versatile. It can be grilled, roasted, sauteed, braised or deep-fried, and leftover chicken can be shredded to make tacos, sandwiches and salads.
It costs more to order chicken online than to buy it at the store, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Though the best chicken to order online comes at a price, the taste puts cheaper supermarket chicken to shame. The best online butchers offer healthier meat from humanely raised birds that have been sourced from small American farms, making ethical eating easy. I cooked and taste-tested chicken from the most popular online meat stores and found that these butcher shops are the best of the best.
Porter Road was founded by two chefs who were aggravated by how difficult it was to source high-quality meat for their restaurant kitchens. The pair stepped out from behind the stove to open a butcher shop in Nashville in 2010, partnering with small, local farms raising the most flavorful meat and poultry in the region. A smashing success, Porter Road began its chicken delivery services (along with other meats) in 2017 to make the best meat in the business available to everyone, no matter where they live.
Sourced from farms in Kentucky and Tennessee, Porter Road’s poultry is pasture-raised, feeding on a diet of fresh grass and wild bugs. The difference in quality compared to factory-farmed chicken is immediately evident. In our testing, we found the chicken breasts are tender and juicy, with a flavor that supermarket chicken simply can’t touch. It would be a shame to cover up this chicken with overly potent marinades or robust sauces—keep things simple, and you shall be handsomely rewarded.
ButcherBox is a subscription-based butchery that partners with small, sustainable farms to bring superlative grass-fed meat, sustainable seafood and organic chicken straight to your doorstep. They offer three different curated box options (beef and chicken, beef and pork, or a mix of all three), as well as the option for a custom box that can be filled with whichever cuts you’d like. As for chicken, ButcherBox offers many different options:
In our testing, we found that ButcherBox chicken is remarkably delicious and needs little more than salt to be stupendous. Roast one of these birds, and you may never be able to go back to store-bought rotisserie. For more info, read our full ButcherBox review.
Rastelli’s meat delivery has been in business for over 40 years, starting as a one-room butcher shop and growing into a thriving mail-order operation specializing in premium, sustainable meat and seafood. It’s also one of the best places to order chicken online, with several excellent ready-to-eat options in addition to raw cuts of meat. Rastelli’s offers the following:
Raising backyard chickens is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. Fresh eggs and homegrown meat are just a few of the benefits of keeping chickens. But before you can enjoy these perks, you need to find high-quality chickens to start your flock.
When compared to local farm stores, buying chickens online is easier and has a wider range of breeds. You can have live chicks or hens brought right to your door with just a few clicks.
However, not all online chicken sellers are created equal You want to ensure you’re ordering from a reputable source that humanely raises chickens and provides healthy birds
There is a lot of information in this guide about how to buy chickens online from the best hatcheries and websites, as well as what to look for in good chickens.
Top Online Stores for Buying Chickens
Here are some of the best online stores for purchasing chickens:
Murray McMurray Hatchery
- One of the largest hatcheries in the US, in business for over 100 years
- Wide selection with over 185 breeds of chicks, ducks, geese and other poultry
- Minimum order of just 3 chicks with no limit on mixing breeds
- Free shipping on all poultry
Meyer Hatchery
- Ships nationwide from Ohio, minimum order of 3 chicks
- Large variety of rare and unique breeds
- Sells chicks, hatching eggs, supplies and coops
- Known for great customer service
My Pet Chicken
- Specializes in small orders for urban and backyard chickens
- Order as few as 3 chicks, no minimum per breed
- Also sells supplies like coops, feed and chicken diapers
- Fun, creative brand for chicken enthusiasts
Cackle Hatchery
- Specializes in rare and unique breeds of chicks
- Minimum orders between 15-25 chicks
- Options for ordering 5-10 chicks in “city packs”
- Family-owned hatchery in Missouri
Freedom Ranger Hatchery
- Specializes in slow-growing birds for free-range and pastured operations
- Sells the sought-after Freedom Ranger breed
- Small, family-owned Pennsylvania hatchery
- High standards of animal welfare
Purely Poultry
- Sells over 100 breeds of chicks and adult chickens
- Also offers ducks, geese, turkeys and gamebirds
- Minimum order of 10 chicks on most chicken breeds
- Family-owned hatchery in California
Buying Baby Chicks vs Adults
One of the first things you have to do is choose whether to buy adult chickens or baby chicks. Here are some key differences:
Baby Chicks
- Cost effective, only $2-5 per chick
- Fun to raise chicks from a young age
- Have to buy supplies for brooding and wait 4-6 months until laying
- Higher chick mortality rate
Adult Chickens
- Laying hens cost $20+ each
- Skip the brooding stage and get eggs right away
- Can see living conditions of the parents
- Lower risk of deaths than with chicks
If you’ve never had chickens before, starting with chicks is a good way to learn by doing. However, adults are easier to take care of. Either way, order from a trusted source.
What to Look for in Healthy Chickens
Reputable sellers will guarantee the health of their chickens. But it’s still important to inspect new birds for any issues upon arrival.
Here are characteristics to look for in healthy chicks and adult chickens when buying online:
- Eyes: Clear, bright, no discharge or swelling
- Nose: Nostrils clean, no discharge
- Feathers: Dry, fluffy and clean for chicks. Smooth and silky for adults.
- Comb/Wattles: Bright red, no paleness or discoloration
- Vent: Clean, no discharge or signs of diarrhea
- Feet/Legs: Scales smooth, no wounds or abnormalities
- Behavior: Active, alert, no limping or lethargy
Do a full hands-on inspection of every bird. Check for lice, mites, scaly leg mites, and other parasites. Be prepared to isolate or cull any birds in poor health.
How Many Chickens to Order
Most online hatcheries require minimum orders of 25-50 chicks to ensure enough birds stay warm during shipping. But you likely don’t need that many chickens, especially for a small backyard flock.
Here are some tips for determining how many chickens to buy:
- Check local ordinances – many only allow 4-6 hens, no roosters
- Allow at least 10 square feet per bird in coops and runs
- Plan for maximum egg production – hens lay 4-6 eggs per week
- Order extra chicks to account for some deaths during shipping
- Split large orders with other backyard chicken owners
Start with 3-6 chicks or hens, then expand your flock gradually over time. Always have multiple birds – chickens are social and need companions.
Choosing the Best Chicken Breeds
With so many options to choose from, narrowing down your chicken wishlist can be tricky! First decide your top priorities: eggs, meat, pets, showing, etc.
Here are some of the top chicken breeds for beginners:
For eggs: Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns, Ameraucanas
For meat: Cornish Cross, Freedom Rangers, Jersey Giants
As pets: Silkies, Cochins, Orpingtons
Heat hardy: Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes
Cold hardy: Brahmas, Chanteclers, Buckeyes
Do your research to select breeds suited for your climate and goals. Mix different types to get both eggs and meat.
Safely Transporting New Chickens
One concern when buying chickens online is safely getting them home after delivery. Here are some tips:
- Schedule delivery for mild weather, avoiding extreme heat or cold
- Have housing prepped and ready for new arrivals
- Open box immediately and inspect chicks/chickens
- Provide food and electrolytes for rehydration
- Transfer chicks to brooder, adults to coop and run
- Limit environmental changes to reduce stress
- Monitor them closely for the first 48 hours
Proper handling when transporting chickens reduces losses and gets your new flock off to a healthy start.
Is Buying Chickens Online Right for You?
Ordering chickens online is convenient but does come with some risks. Chicks can arrive stressed or weak. Shipping delays can happen.
However, reputable hatcheries guarantee live delivery and healthy birds. Go with a source known for premium products, customer service and humane practices when buying online.
The advantages of wider selection and breeds plus buying convenience will likely outweigh potential drawbacks. Just do your homework to find the best online seller.
Starting your backyard flock with quality chickens from a trusted internet hatchery will lead to years of enjoyment and bountiful homegrown eggs and meat. Do your research and order wisely online. Soon you’ll be on your way to chicken farming success!
Best for Chicken Sausage
Pros:
- Premium quality
- Sustainably raised
- Fully-customizable subscription boxes
- Shipping included in price
Cons:
- Requires a subscription
Good Chop is an online subscription butchery that brings high-quality free-range chicken from the farm to your front door. Everything they sell is raised responsibly without the use of hormones or antibiotics and is sourced from small farms in Nebraska and Iowa that are committed to using sustainable agricultural practices. The company offers two different sizes of fully customizable subscription boxes, which ship out every four weeks. You can pause or cancel at any time. Good Chop offers the following cuts of chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs
- Organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Organic ground chicken
- Organic chicken wings, thighs and drumsticks
- Chicken wings and drumsticks
- Organic bone broth
How We Found the Best Chicken Delivery Services
For the best chicken delivery service, we ordered frozen chicken from multiple mail-order companies. We first researched which companies were most likely to catch customer’s eyes when looking for online meat delivery services. We were eager to see if the top results warranted their perceived popularity or if they’d invested more money into their advertising budget than their products. Yes, some of the most well-known mail-order meat brands aren’t on this list. That’s because they didn’t live up to the hype when we tested them.
Additionally, we also ordered meat from several upstart companies that have yet to achieve the national notoriety of the well-established mail-order meat brands but have built plenty of buzz and solid reputations in the short time they’ve existed. Besides that, we tested both chicken that was raised in a way that wasn’t very open and chicken that was raised to the highest standards of humane treatment. These cuts keep eco-consciousness and the use of hormones, antibiotics, steroids and other substances top of mind.
When the chicken got to the kitchen, it was cooked in a number of different ways, such as roasting, grilling, and air-frying. We stuck to simple preparations, initially cooking with little more than oil and Kosher salt so that the full flavor of the chicken could shine through. To judge texture, we cooked some to absolute perfection so that we could see if they were juicy and flavorful on the inside.
Our tester intentionally overcooked some chicken because we know that accidents happen, and you shouldn’t pay a premium price for something that can easily be destroyed if you’re distracted by a phone call, boisterous children or any of the other surprises life can throw your way while making dinner. We wanted chicken that remained delicious if your attention was temporarily pulled elsewhere or if it desiccated into a dud.
We tracked our findings in a detailed testing spreadsheet and then assigned each brand a rating. Only the top results made our final list.
Hoovers, Meyer, Cackle? Best Online Hatchery for Ordering Baby Chicks? 7 Popular Sites Compared!
FAQ
Can I order live chickens online?
Yes, it is very safe when you order chickens online from a reputable hatchery, like Freedom Ranger. It’s even safer than buying chicks at an auction or flea market, as you don’t know if the chicks came from an NPIP-certified hatchery or if they’ve had vaccinations.
Can you get chickens delivered to your house?
Many hatcheries offer seasonal shipments – spring is usually the most popular. Check the hatchery’s availability and confirm when the chicks will be shipped. It’s important to plan ahead, as chicks require immediate care upon arrival. You want to make sure that you are home to care for your chicks upon their arrival.
Can I have chickens shipped to me?
With a vast assortment of breeds, ordering online is simple. Meyer Hatchery can ship as few as 3 chicks from April through November and 8 from December through March.
Which company is best for chicken?
Suguna Foods Pvt. Ltd, India’s leading poultry conglomerate, has grown to become a INR 9380+ crore turnover company, over a period of 40+ years.