Contact Us

Frequently asked questions

Visiting the Farm

Do you offer farm tours?

We offer guided farm tours to the public in spring and summer. Pleas purchase your tickets online in advance. Private farm tours can be booked online. We also accept a limited number of requests per year for free tours for school classes and agriculture clubs.



Do you have coops on display to look at?

All our coops are built to order. We do not have a showroom to display coops to keep them safe from weathering, so we do not have displays available at the farm. Please visit our Coops page for details and pictures of each of the coops we offer.



Can I come to the farm to purchase chickens, coops or supplies?

Please make your purchase for chickens, coops, or poultry supplies online and you'll be promted to select a pick up time during your order process. If you need assistance with your order, contact Customer Service by email at customerservice@dare2dreamfarms.com or at 805-735-3233 We do not accept walk-ins.



How can I purchase your eggs or vegetables?

You can visit our Farm Stand, visit us at the Farmer's Market, or sign up for a Farm Box Subscription.



Chicken Care

How long do chicks need heat lamps?

Baby chicks need heat lamps until they are fully feathered - or around 6 to 8 weeks old. For more information on raising baby chicks, you can visit our helpful blog.



When are chicks ready to go into a chicken coop?

As soon as chicks are fully feathered, around 6-8 weeks old, they can go directly into a chicken coop without any supplemental heat.



When should I switched the chickens feed from chick feed to adult feed?

You can switch the chickens from chick feed to adult feed around 16-20 weeks old. We recommend layer pellets as they incur the least waste and promote the most well-rounded diet. You can also choose layer crumbles or layer mash.



Do you vaccinate your chicks?

Yes, all our chicks are vaccinated for Marek's with HVT vaccine in ovo or before they're 24 hours old.



Can I add new chicks to my old hens?

You cannot integrate baby chicks to a flock of older laying hens unless one hen is broody and prepared to be a mother. Chicks can be seriously injured and killed by older birds that are not their mother. When integrating chickens into an existing flock, add chickens that are 6-8 weeks old at the very least, and do not need heat lamps. The older the chicken is, the more prepared it will be to defend itself during the pecking order. The greater the number of chickens you add at a time, the better secure they will be with safety in numbers. Try to add at least two chickens to the flock so that one is not ostracized when integrated alone. When adding a single chicken, set aside time to monitor the integration.



When will my new chickens start to lay?

Chickens begin to lay around 6-8 months old, depending on the breed. Few backyard chicken breeds lay as early as 5 months. If chickens reach maturity during Fall, Winter, or early Spring, their reproductive maturity may be postponed until the number of daylight hours reaches 12-14 hours per day.



Chicken Deliveries

Can I meet you somewhere to avoid the delivery fee?

We offer meet-up locations in certain counties based on your location, and orders are subject to just a handling for each chick. All other orders for delivery are subject to a delivery fee. To minimize the delivery fee, you may order with a friend or family member for delivery to one location so you can split the cost between the parties. You are also welcome to make an appointment to come pick up your chicks at the farm.



Do I have to be home for the delivery?

If you are ordering baby chicks, someone must be home to receive the delivery and put the chicks safely in their new brooder. If you're ordering older birds that can go directly into the coop, our driver can deliver them directly to a coop, pet carrier, or contained space with permission and instructions.



Can the delivery driver evaluate/help me with my chickens or my coop?

Our drivers are on a strict schedule to get all the birds in transportation to their new homes in a timely manner. Please have everything ready for your new chickens prior to your arrival and direct all questions to our excellent customer service team at 805-735-3233; or customerservice@dare2dreamfarms.com. Our drivers are not at liberty to complete coop assembly, assist with monitoring the integration process, or evaluate existing chickens or coops. They should not be relied upon for accurate sexing of your existing birds, identifying illnesses in your existing chickens, or determining the safety or appropriate size of your coop.



Can I tip your drivers?

Yes, our drivers can accept tips upon delivery. Thank you for your kindness.



Eggs

What determines the color of the egg shell?

The color of the egg shell is determined by the breed of chicken that lays it. Beautiful blue and green eggs come from our Easter Eggers. Dark brown eggs come from our Welsummers or Marans. Gigantic white eggs come from Leghorns. Most other hens lay light to medium brown eggs.



What determines the color of the yolk?

The light yellow yolk seen in most store bought eggs is a result of the hens diet lacking in nutrients, mostly from their inability to free range. When a flock is truly free range, or pastured, they lay eggs with dark yellow or orange yolks because they can forage for leafy greens. Veggies such as carrots and corn can also contribute to the rich orange yolk. If a hen eats more than her share of green grass, or acorns, the yolk turns olive green or red.​



What determines the size of the egg?

When chickens are first starting to lay, they squeeze out very small eggs... sometimes only the size of a nickel! As they grow, so do their eggs. The breed also plays a factor in the size of the egg. Cochins, for example, are one of the largest chicken breeds but lay only a medium sized egg because they have been bred to be a fluffy chicken for show, rather than for production.



What does it mean if my egg has more than one yolk?

You have twins! :D Just kiddin...
Double yolks are actually a fairly common mistake that happens in a hens reproductive system. When a hen ovulates twice before laying an egg, the double yolk occurs. Many times this happens when hens are just beginning to lay, and their system is still trying to figure out how it works. Laying double yolks can also be hereditary. The most eggs ever found in a single egg is nine yolks!​



What does it mean if my egg has no yolk?

Eggs with no yolk are often called "wind", "dwarf", or "fart" eggs. This usually occurs when a pullet lays her first egg. Very rarely, if a piece of reproductive tissue breaks away in a hen, her system might treat it like a yolk and wrap it and lay it. If this happens you will see the small piece of gray reproductive tissue where the yolk should have been. This egg is also safe to eat. Consider it a naturally separated egg white!



What is the stringy white material in my egg? Is it safe to eat?

This is called chalaza! This structure holds the yolk in the center of the egg. There are two chalazae in a chicken egg, one on the top, and one on the bottom. The prominence of the chalazae is an indicator of the freshness of an egg. They are safe to eat; however many cooks choose to remove them to obtain a uniform look of their eggs upon serving.



How can you tell if an egg is fertile? Is it still okay to eat?

A fertile egg will have a very small white dot on the yolk that looks similar to a bullseye. All of our chickens are allowed free range of all our property, including the roosters who protect the hens against predators. Naturally, there are lots of fertilized eggs because the roosters and the hens coexist together. Not all of our eggs will be fertilized, but many of them will be. A fertilized egg does not change at all until it has begun incubation. The egg must be incubated with a very precise process (specific temperature, humidity, and number of turns per day for 21 days) before an embryo will develop in a fertilized egg. We collect our eggs 3 times daily giving the hens no chance to begin this incubation process with their eggs. Fertile eggs are completely safe to eat. And you can also put your mind at ease because you are not taking the life of an embryo in any way.



What does it mean to have a spot of blood in the egg?

The blood spot in the yolk is often confused with being an indication of a fertilized egg. In fact, the blood spot occurs when a small piece of tissue or blood is released while the egg is developing, and before the egg shell is formed. This can be genetic, or it can simply be an indication that the hen is deficient in vitamin A. An egg with this spot is completely safe to eat!​



What does it mean to have a wrinkled egg?

There are many reasons for an egg to be wrinkly including: reproductive mistakes, watery albumen (egg whites), illness, age, and nutritional deficiencies. They are safe to eat, but just look funny. For a more comprehensive description of these kinds of abnormal eggs, visit our blog on Wrinkled Eggs!



Ordering & Purchases

Do you sell meat birds or other animals for meat?

Our farm offers chickens for the primary purpose of egg laying. However, many of these breeds are known as "dual purpose," meaning they are bred to be used for egg laying, but grow large enough that cockerels and older hens can be used for meat. We do not grow animals to sell for meat.



Do you raise any other animals besides chickens?

Raising free-range chickens for eggs, and selling young hens for the purpose of egg laying is our primary business. However, we do also keep some ducks, cows, and goats as part of our farm's permaculture; and these animals are offered for sale very rarely.



Can I be put on a waiting list for the chickens I want?

Our farm does not offer waiting lists for chickens. They are sold "first come, first served" in our Online Store or by making an appointment to visit the farm. We are not able to contact you when we have the breed you're looking for in a specific age or sex.



Can I reserve chickens?

We do not reserve live animals for purchase on a later date. Our birds are sold "first come, first served". Online purchases for chickens are delivered within 10 business days. Orders that cannot be received within 10 business days are subject to change or cancellation.



What should I bring to take my chickens home in?

Please bring a pet carrier to bring your chickens home in. You may also use cardboard or plastic boxes with ventilation holes cut in the sides for the chickens. Live traps have also been used successfully. It's best to line the bottom with rags, paper towels, or bedding to help prevent the chickens from laying in their droppings or slipping on smooth surfaces during transportation.



What form of payment do you take?

We accept all forms of payment: cash, check, and credit cards.



Do you sell fertilized eggs?

We do not have fertilized eggs for sale.



Address

890 La Salle Canyon Road, Lompoc, CA 93436