Hatching Egg and Live Chick Policy
By ordering or pre-ordering hatching eggs or chicks, for local pickup or shipping, you are agreeing to our Hatching Egg and Live Chick Policy.
At White Barn Farm LLC, our hatching eggs and chicks come from carefully selected breeding groups focused on health, vigor, egg color, and breed traits. Every egg and chick represents intentional breeding decisions, not just surplus from a mixed flock.
Hatching Egg Policy
-
Freshness & Handling: Hatching eggs are collected fresh daily and are no more than 3 days old when packaged and shipped or picked up whenever possible. Eggs are unwashed to preserve the natural bloom necessary for successful hatching and kept in an environment below 70 degrees to prevent premature development and above 50 degrees to prevent embryo death.
-
Fertility & Hatch Rates: Fertility naturally varies by season, weather, and individual breeding groups. We cannot guarantee hatch rates once eggs leave our farm. We do check for fertility weekly by cracking eggs to look for the germinal ring or by incubating them for 24 hours and checking for the same (can be easier to be sure with this method, which is our go-to assuming incubator space is open).
-
Packaging & Shipping: Eggs are packaged carefully for transit, but we are not responsible for damage caused by shipping delays or mishandling by carriers.
-
Genetic Variation: Specialty crosses may produce variation in chick feathering, comb type, or adult appearance. By purchasing, you accept that eggs represent genetics and potential, not guaranteed outcomes.
Live Chick Policy
-
Chick Type: Chicks are sold as straight run unless otherwise noted.
-
Trait Variation: While we select for specific traits and egg colors, no chick can be guaranteed to develop exactly as expected, especially in mixed or specialty crosses.
-
Health & Responsibility: Chicks are checked for overall heath and vigor before leaving the far. Once in your care, brooder setup, feed, heat, and predator protection are your responsibility.
-
Returns & Mortality: We do not accept returns on live chicks, because of biosecurity and our NPIP status we simply cannot, and mortality after pickup or delivery cannot be refunded.
Reservations & Payment
-
Orders are fulfilled in the order deposits or full payment are received.
-
Deposits secure your hatch date or chick reservation and are non-refundable unless we are unable to fulfill your order.
-
Hatch timing may shift due to flock fertility, weather, and seasonal or equipment factors.
Breed & Color Notes
We breed rare purebreds and intentional crosses, including olive eggers, blue egg layers, dark brown lines, and select novelty pairing. Nature allows for surprise, which is part of the joy of hatching. Chicks may vary in feather, comb, and egg color despite our best breeding intentions.
Local Pickup vs Shipping
-
Local Pickup: Chicks and eggs can be picked up in person at our farm in Piermont, New Hampshire. Pickup buyers are responsible for immediate care and transportation safety. No access is permitted to our chicken area of the farm for strict biosecurity reasons, but if time and previously made arrangements with us allow, you may view those areas outside of our line of separation. Otherwise pickup will be on the other side of our farm at our farm stand.
-
Shipping: Eggs and live chicks are shipped using best practices, but we are not responsible for carrier errors, extreme weather, or delayed transit. Buyers must provide proper brooder and care immediately upon arrival.
Farm Standard
We hatch and breed intentionally, seasonally, and sustainably. We value healthy birds, careful breeding, and the magic of nature. By purchasing from us, you join a community that respects life, growth, and the natural unpredictability of poultry.
Rooster Take-Back / Drop-Off
We currently offer a rooster take-back / drop-off 1-2 times per year to coincide with our meat bird program. Delivery must be arranged prior to drop-off for a specific date and time range. There is a specific area of our property you will be directed to for drop-off to ensure significant separation from our laying and breeding flocks. For biosecurity reasons, no access to our flocks is allowed, even when visiting our farm or dropping roosters off. We are not a sanctuary, the roosters will be processed for food. We may cap, pause, or discontinue this service without notice.
Marek’s Vaccination
All live chicks hatched on our farm are vaccinated for Marek’s Disease, unless you specifically opt out. If you opt out, you MUST pick your chicks up within 1 week of hatch or they will be isolated and re-homed off of our farm. Once we hold off on a vaccination, we cannot give it later.