1. Fill out our Wait List Request Form (below). 

2. We will contact you via email or text to discuss the details of your reservation. 

3. After we have contacted you and discussed your reservation, payment will be required to hold your position on the waiting list. See current pricing in the table above. 

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More Information and FAQ

 Are you disease tested (NPIP certified)?

Yes. We are tested clean of Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza through the NPIP program (NC NPIP flock #55-1701). In March 2023, we also tested our entire breeder flock through Rollins Lab for Mycoplasma Gallisepticum and Mycoplasma Synoviae (leading causes of respiratory disease) and tested clean, putting us among the exceptionally rare fully tested flocks in the US. Our state's NPIP program currently lacks the funding to test flocks for MG/MS, so we are not "certified" MG/MS clean through the the state. We are working hard with state officials to make changes. If they acquire the funding, we will participate through the state. 

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When is payment required?

After we have reached out to you about the details of your reservation, payment will be required to hold your reservation. Your payment reserves dates on our hatching calendar and we accept PayPal (watercolorcreekfarm@gamil.com) or Venmo (@watercolorcreekfarm). If for any reason we can't fulfill your reservation, your payment will be refunded in full. 

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Are chicks/goslings sexed?

No. Sexing is quite difficult and potentially dangerous, to the health the the chicks/goslings. t's not a risk we are willing to take. For that reason, all of our chicks and goslings are sold straight run (random mix of male and female). Hatches will generally be a 50/50 split for males and females. The larger the hatch, the closer it will be to an even ratio. I understand receiving cockerels can be a challenge for many, but we appreciate those of you who are ready to jump into all parts of chicken keeping! You are viscerally participating in the continuation of standard and heritage bred poultry!  If you must have sexed birds, consider contacting us in the winter when we are more likely to have sexed juveniles. 

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How much does shipping cost and how are my eggs packed?

We do NOT ship chicks or goslings a this time. As we attempt to hatch every goose egg that's laid, we do not ship goose eggs. Chicken hatching eggs are a flat rate of $21 for shipping per box plus the cost of your eggs. We can fit up to two dozen eggs in a box. They are packed in foam shippers cut to the size of the eggs. We generally ship Monday-Thursday to avoid having eggs sit at the post office over a weekend.

We are very experienced shippers and rarely do eggs arrive with damage, however, the post office's handling of the boxes is beyond our control. Rough shipping conditions can effect the hatchability of the eggs. We will discuss this more in detail with you when we receive your reservation and give you guidance on how to get the best hatch rate possible from your shipped eggs.

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When will I receive my eggs, chicks, or goslings? 

If reserving hatching eggs, we generally try to give you an expected shipping date based on our current egg lay rate and flock size. We contact those that send in waiting list requests in the order we receive them and early requests get first choice of dates. We do get very busy during the hatching season. If you need to pick a new shipping date, please let us know as soon as possible. Our calendar gets booked up quickly, but the sooner you can let us know about the date change the higher likelihood we will be able to find a new shipping date for you.

If reserving chicks or goslings, we will give you an expected hatch date a minimum of three weeks prior to their arrival. We will discuss a pickup date, but you can expect to pick them up within 3 days of hatch.

Please understand that we are working with small flocks and egg lay rates can be effected by predators, weather, and many other circumstances beyond our control. If we can't fulfill your reservation for the time we discussed, we will reach out to you to make new arrangements.  

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Chicks and Gosling Options:

Chicks/goslings are on-farm pickup only

We are located just a few miles outside the town of Linden, NC. We will reach out to you when your chicks/goslings are ready for pickup to arrange a pickup time. Minimum order is two chicks/goslings. If you need shipping, consider hatching eggs! We pack them carefully and have successfully shipped them all over the country. 

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"Blue" breeds (wyandottes, Watercolor Blues, and Easter Eggers) are sold straight run for color.

Blue breeds do not breed true. Meaning, a "blue" bird bred to another "blue" bird will have offspring in three colors- blue, black, and splash. Depending on the breed, the colors can be difficult to distinguish at hatch. We distribute the shades as evenly as possible between orders, so it is very possible to get some of each color. Our 2024 flock will yield higher percentages of blue and black.

 

Marek's Vaccine Option:

 We DO offer the option of the Maerk's vaccine for chicks at a flat rate of $20 an order. This covers our cost of materials, but the service is free. The vaccine is not necessary for goslings.

The vaccine we use is a serotype-3 vaccine that is not "leaky". Chicks will not be carriers of Marek's by virtue of being vaccinated. The decision to vaccinate or not is absolutely the choice of the flock keeper and their goals. Because we interact with many other chicken keepers and pasture our birds and they have exposure to wild birds, we vaccinate the chicks we intend to grow out for our personal flocks. Chicks hatched here come out of sterilized incubators and brooders and have no access to outdoors. 

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