THE FINE PRINT
Please look over the fine print carefully. We want your transaction with us to be as smooth as possible. All orders at Willow Acres are subject to the following terms and conditions as a prerequisite of ordering. There are no exceptions to these terms and conditions, so please read them carefully and be sure you are willing to abide by them before ordering. If you are unwilling to abide by them without complaint, please do not place an order.
Ordering
Orders for eggs and chicks may be placed right here on our site! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us via the link at the bottom of the page. Please contact us (via the link ) for custom orders, such as trios, quads, or larger orders. We aren’t always able to accommodate these things, but do our best to try!
Shipping Dates
Once you place your order on our site, you are reserved a spot on our list. No one can jump ahead, or bump you out of your place. As chicks and eggs become available, we go down our list and fill orders. We do our very best to try and calculate precise hatch dates and laying rates with our flocks. Because we work with rare breed poultry in smaller numbers, this at times can be a challenge. So please know when placing your order that it could potentially take up to 3 months for your order to ship. This is definitely not the goal for our farm, but it is something we want our customers to be aware of.
We do not use lights or any type of artificial means to keep our hens laying longer then is natural to them. Each breed seems to have their own time of year where they lay better and that fertility is higher. These little divas decide, at their own free will when they are going to give us eggs. There are sooooo many things that affect laying rates and hatch rates. So PLEASE remember, that we do our absolute BEST to get orders out as soon as possible. Your patience is greatly appreciated!
Order Cancellation
If for any reason, you cancel your chick order while we are in the incubation process, you will forfeit 50% of the cost of your order. Please know that there are no exceptions to this policy. Once we are setting eggs for your order, that space is not available for anyone else. If there is ever an issue (on our end) and we cannot fulfill your order in that 3 month time period, we will contact you and give you the option to receive a full refund, or remain on the list.
Shipped Chicks
Chicks require a minimum of 6 to ship. This is for their own safety during transport. Feel free to mix and match, or order all of the same breed as long as there are 6. We ONLY offer PRIORITY EXPRESS shipping through the United States Postal Service (USPS) on any live chicks or birds that we sell. Many places receive chicks or birds the very next day however, it is not uncommon for them to take 2 days to reach their destination.
Please be aware, that by law, USPS has up to 72 hours (3 days) to deliver your chicks, even though we are technically shipping them “overnight”. This is completely out of my hands. They have laws they have to abide by, that truly are for the safety of the animals. Though I don’t ever expect them to take a full 3 days to arrive, I pack well and treat every shipment as if it will take a full 3 days or more just in case.
Shipping fees for chicks are a flat rate of $45.00 anywhere in the U.S. This includes a box approved by the USPS, designed specifically for chicks. All chicks will be packed with bedding, plenty of Gro Gel, 1-2 extra large 72 hour heat packs (depending on temperatures).
A custom quote will be needed for older juveniles and larger birds. Please contact us via the contact form in the footer for shipping quotes.
Once your order is ready to ship, we will email you the tracking number. Sign up for tracking updates from USPS if at all possible. You are responsible for tracking the chicks, and notifying us if there is any issue or delay that needs intervention.
All packages automatically ship to the Post Office nearest to your home. You will receive a call from the Post Office when your chicks (or eggs) arrive. It is VITAL that you are available as soon as the Post Office calls you, to pick up your chicks. Please do not procrastinate, and have a warm brooder with fresh vitamin/electrolyte water ready for your fluffy additions.
Please make sure when checking out, that you leave a note with your full name, address the chicks are being shipped to and phone number for the Post Office to call you when chicks arrive. I do not mind shipping to P.O. Boxes, but I do need a physical address where you will be keeping the birds for my NPIP paperwork. This is a non-negotiable requirement for the NPIP program. Please make it very clear if there is a difference in addresses to assure that they are being shipped to the proper address! We will not be responsible for any mistakes made by the purchaser.
Live Arrival Guarantee
We will never send sick, weak or chicks with poor vigor. In the event of DOA (Dead On Arrival), we will either offer a refund on ONLY the DOA chicks, or we can offer replacement chicks as long as you are able to pay shipping for the replacements. We do try whenever possible to send extras. However, they are not always available, so please do not be disappointed if you receive them on one order, but not another. When picking up your chicks, we ask that you carefully peek in the box of chicks while at the post office so that any issues can be notated. Please notify us right away of any chicks that are DOA. You MUST CONFIRM with the postal employee thats there is an issue and you MUST EMAIL us a photo of the deceased chick(s) before disposal. Chicks are very fragile and raising them takes care. It is your responsibility to take care of them once they are out of our care.
Shipped Eggs
We take pride in the way we package your babies to be! When shipping fertile hatching eggs, it is vital to ship only the cleanest, freshest eggs. Eggs any older then 3-4 days old just cannot handle the jostling that comes with shipping. We standardly send our hatching eggs Priority Mail through USPS with a flat rate shipping charge of $20 for 6-12 eggs, and $30 for 2 dozen. Please contact us for a custom shipping quote on higher quantities. This charge includes the shipping fees, foam egg shippers, and packing materials. We double box, and pack tightly to ensure safe arrival of the eggs. Priority Express is available at an extra cost. We highly recommend adding on the $10 “special handling” service that USPS currently offers. While we don’t require it, we highly recommend it! With the special handling labels, your package will be hand carried through its transit, rather then being subject to those card board eating machines.
Please note, that we truly do our best to ensure safe delivery of our hatching eggs. However, we can not be held responsible for conditions once they leave our hands. There are just to many variables out of our control (rough handling and extreme temps in transit, incubator malfunctions, purchaser error, etc.) There will be no refunds made, no exceptions.
What to Expect in Your Chicks from Willow Acres
Our reputation is important to our farm, and we go to extraordinary lengths to ensure our birds are strong and healthy. We keep detailed records and routinely test to validate they are healthy. Our flocks are spoiled rotten members of our family, not just live stock tossed out to pasture. Our birds mean the world to us, just as yours do to you!
You should expect healthy birds that reflect the fundamental attributes of the breed. You should not expect a cosmetically perfect bird. In fact, you should expect to find some defects in virtually every bird you raise. Just as every child is not destined to become a supermodel, every bird is not destined to win ribbons at shows. We do not represent that every bird we sell is flawless or show quality. Even 2 of the most stunning birds, can throw culls.
You should receive birds that can be the foundation for a breeding program that with enough time and skill can produce show-quality birds. We breed all of our flocks to the Standard of Perfection for their breed. We always cull for obvious defects like crooked toes, crooked keels, cross beaks, low fertility, low egg production, and low parasite or disease resistance. We do not breed, just to breed and sell chicks. We truly desire to breed for improvement and longevity of the breed. If you encounter these challenges when the birds become adults, you will need to address them with your own breeding program as well. Were are always open to offer guidance in breeding birds purchased from our farm. The links of the breed pages are full of lots of helpful information as well.
Last But Not Least
Last but not least! Please remember that we are real working farm. We are family owned and operated. We are incredibly busy taking care of our chickens and other critters. Our family works sun up to sun down and often, beyond that, every single day, caring for our animals. Please be patient with us if there is any delay in responding to your inquiries. We truly do our best to get back to everyone in a timely manner and help out where we can. Some times of the year are better then others. So please be patient. We reserve the right to cancel ANY transaction at ANY moment for ANY reason