FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We ship hatching eggs - within the United States, chicks and pullets are local pickup only

For Hatching + Incubator Info See our helpful resources page

Testing the Flock, Regularly MA NPIP#1362

Our Flock is tested annually for Pollorum Typhoid, and 2x a year for H5/H7 Avian Influenza Clean. We have a small closed flock!

When we bring in new genetics - it’s exclusively from ONE breeder a year.

We maintain an AI CLEAN status with the state of Massachusetts - which allows us to ship nationwide.

Learn more about NPIP Here.

BIOSECURITY/ FARM VISITS

Sorry, due to overall flock biosecurity, we can not host poultry guests near the coops to visit the birds. Biosecurity measures include regular cleaning and disinfection of chicken coops. Feeding fresh food free of mold. Isolating any new flock members for at least 30 days. Limiting exposure to wild birds. Not borrowing equipment or poultry supplies from another flock owner. Designated Farm Boots. Boot Dips. If you’d like additional photos / video, or have questions about our flock please reach out via email opengatepoultry@gmail.com

CLUBS

We are members of The Marans Club, and the Ameraucana Breeders Club. I recommend checking out The American Poultry Association and The Livestock Conservancy (The heritage Delaware breed - are on one the livestock conservancy list - a breed we love).

PARENT STOCK

Our stock has taken many years to build up. We started with hatching eggs from show quality birds, and specific breeders around the United States in 2016 and began sharing our flock in 2019. We consider the standard of perfection (SOP), temperament, and egg color when selecting our birds. Our breeding roosters all have big personalities, and have never shown aggressive behavior.

CHICKS

We feed our chicks Nutrena Medicated from Chewy. It comes as a 50lb bag and they get that exclusively for 6-8 weeks before switching to Poulin Chick Starter and then Poulin Turkey - from our local grain store. There’s a separate bowl for grit and free choice oyster shell.

Our farm has been 100 percent solar powered since 2015, and this includes our incubators! All of our chicks up to two weeks old, are sold straight run. “Straight run” can be male or female. With each hatch, there’s a 50/50 chance of the chicks being male or female, and in birds it’s the female that decides the gender of the chick. If your goal is 5 hens, it’s best to get extra chicks. We believe in a balanced flock, and a rooster is the key. Cockerels that are not placed, will either be sold for food, or they’re harvested at Open Gate once they’re 16-22 weeks for our freezer.

We do not vaccinate our chicks for Mareks. If you keep a vaccinated flock - it’s best to only purchase vaccinated chicks or go the route of hatching eggs and vaccinate your chicks upon hatch.

I do recommend giving your chicks Medicated grain for a minimum of 6 weeks to help prevent coccidiosis. After that time, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics for flock maintenance. I would also give them some B-12 vitamin after the 5-6 weeks of medicated grain. I have some more info on the Helpful Resources Page.

Hatching Eggs

We are part of the National Poultry Improvement Plan, NPIP certified: Pullorum Typhoid + H5/H7 AI Clean, and can't legally ship hatching eggs or birds without this certification, all breeders and hatcheries should have the certificate.

We ship eggs on Monday + Tuesday

We are sending fresh, clean, fertile eggs, from a flock that is tested for NPIP + AI CLEAN. Like all other small scale breeder + hatchery, we do not guarantee your hatch rate. There are too many factors that affect hatch rate (shipping, incubation methods). Our eggs are constantly tested for fertility. Shipped eggs are always a risk, but we do our best to save fresh eggs, and ship them in air pockets (new for 2026) for maximum safe travel! We have success shipping MA > CA.

Refunds

As part of our customer purchase agreement - we do not provide refunds if a customer changes their mind - all sales are final. Life happens: we can delay your order or create a store credit to use towards a future order.

If we are unable to fulfill your order - Yes a refund will be given.

Shipping

The customer chooses UPS. We can fit up to 2 dozen per box - in air pockets, double boxed. If you’d like additional, please place a second order.

As someone who has been shipping hatching eggs since 2019 - A lot has changed! USPS is now the less favorable option - and I prefer to get eggs to the customer in 2-3 days.

**IF THERE IS AN INSTANCE OF TOTAL FAILURE BY UPS, SEND PROOF, AS THERE MUST BE EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. IF YOU PAY FOR SHIPPING - I CAN RESEND EGG.

THERE HAS TO BE VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE BOX + EGGS - FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. STRICTLY A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

Unpacking Your Eggs

Each order comes with an information sheet about unpacking your eggs, getting them ready to set, egg labeling info. Upon arrival, unpack your eggs, let them settle, fat side up, at room temperature (65-70 degrees) for 12-24 hours before putting them in the incubator. Do have your incubator on for at least 24 hours before adding eggs to it. Please don’t wait to put the turner on - start it from day 1 once you add the eggs.

MITES/ LICE

We recommend Elector PSP, as it’s the most efficient, effective, and easy solution to treat mites and lice. It should work the first time you use it, unlike other products (Permethrin) which are less affective and require multiple treatments. Spray the entire coop - all the cracks and such too. Do check the dose. No egg withdrawal with Elector PSP.

If there are bugs in the coops - they are also on the birds - and they are weakening them, draining their blood - if left untreated - they will stop laying and die.

Many people also use Ivomectin on the birds 1ML per large fowl bird - apply by parting the feathers near their neck. Egg withdrawal time 7-14 days.

CANT KEEP COCKS

I would like you to try to keep at least one! I understand some towns say you can’t - but unless the neighbors complain it’s not an issue.

You can look online - There are rooster sanctuaries - and sometimes people are looking to add to their flock. See Facebook.

Facebook Groups: MA Backyard Chicken Owners, Rooster Rehoming - MA.

If you just want to turn them over - Mary - 508-558-6717 in Westport - will harvest them.

MINERALS / PROBIOTICS / VITAMINS

Our birds are regularly given probiotics in their feed, vitamins, and minerals. They also get some organic sea kelp, meal worms, and black soldier flies. They welcome table scraps

Some products to add:

4x Concentrate Oregano Oil for Chickens & Turkeys 8oz (Amazon)

HealthyGut Probiotics for Chickens & Poultry (Amazon)

Rooster Booster Liquid B-12 - if you’ve dewormed or had any mites/lice instances (Amazon)

Wound Care (always good to have on hand)

DEWORMING

We use Aquasol, Safeguard (fendbendazole) Goat Dewormer in water, Panacur (fendbenazole) Horse Dewormer Paste (pea size amount in the mouth). Each product has different egg withdrawal periods. I put a link in Helpful Resources if you’d like to test for worms, and read about different dewormers - prior to doing so.

SANITIZE + WATER CARE

We use Oxine. It has many uses, and is a great addition to poultry water and overall flock health and care. It is even safe for fogging, equipment and more. Compare to Virkon S and Bleach. Here is a great oxine article for its many safe uses.

I order: 1 Gallon from Revival Animal Health and a little goes a long way.

If you’d like to clean the dirty Odoban is pretty popular, and then follow with Oxine.

Get in touch if you have questions!