Black Minorca — Day-Old Chicks
Black Minorca — Day-Old ChicksNPIP Certified Hatchery - License #51-770
- 200 Eggs/Year
- Extra Large White Eggs
- 20–24 Weeks to Lay
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Your chicks ship by USPS Priority Mail during the week you choose, in their own box with their own tracking.
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A Mediterranean heritage breed known for extra-large white eggs. Black Minorcas have greenish-black feathers, large white earlobes and an active nature, and they do best in milder weather.
Why backyard keepers love them:
- 🥚 About 200 extra-large white eggs per year — some of the largest white eggs around
- 🖤 Glossy greenish-black plumage — with bold white earlobes
- ☀️ Heat tolerant — handle warm weather well
- ⚡ Active and alert — busy, energetic birds
- 🏛️ Heritage breed — brought to England in the 1800s
What to expect from your Black Minorca chicks:
Your Black Minorca chicks are black with white wing tips, chests and bellies. They grow into hens of about 7.5 lbs, with roosters about 9 lbs. Some white feathers may appear until they're fully grown. Their large combs need protection from frostbite in cold weather. Marek's Disease vaccination is optional and is not included in the chick price. To vaccinate your chicks, check the Marek's vaccine box in your cart. Chicks are backed by our live arrival guarantee.
Weeks to first egg: about 20–24 weeks
Egg size: Extra Large
Egg color: White
Eggs per year: about 200
Common questions about Black Minorca Chickens
How big are the eggs?
Extra-large white eggs, about 200 a year.
Are they cold hardy?
Not especially. Their large combs can get frostbite, so a dry, draft-free coop matters.
Are they friendly?
They're active and not especially docile.
Do they go broody?
Rarely.
Pairs well with:
- White Leghorn: another white-egg layer
- Black Australorp: a calmer black layer from our farm
Big white eggs from a classic beauty — reserve your Black Minorca chicks today.
Shipping and ordering
- The partner box ships at our regular chick rates, and it ships free when you also order 6 or more Chesapeake chicks to be shipped. Partner-hatched chicks aren't available for local pickup. To pick up your Chesapeake chicks, place a separate shipped order for partner-hatched chicks.
- Minimum order: 6 chicks total from our hatching partner. Mix and match any of our partner-hatched chicken and bantam breeds to reach the minimum, as long as they all ship the same week.
- Partner-hatched chicks ship in their own box, separately from our Chesapeake-hatched chicks, and the two don't count toward each other's minimums. If you order both, you'll receive separate boxes with separate tracking.
- Breeds and sexes are packed together and are not marked. If you need to tell birds apart, choose breeds that look different as chicks.
- Hatched by our hatching partner and shipped directly to you by USPS during the ship week you choose. Tracking is emailed to you once your chicks ship.
- Street address required (no P.O. boxes). Your post office will call when your chicks arrive.
- Live-arrival guarantee: if any chicks arrive deceased, email chicks@chesapeake-hatchery.com within 72 hours of delivery with your order number and the number of losses.
Breed specifications
Breed specifications
Production
Maturity
Temperament
Appearance
Adaptability
Chick care overview
Chick care overview
Brooder temperature: Start at 95°F for the first week, then lower it about 5°F each week until they're fully feathered.
Food & water: Offer chick starter feed and fresh water right away. Dip each chick's beak gently into the water on arrival to encourage drinking.
Space: Allow at least 0.5 sq ft per chick in the brooder for the first few weeks.
Watch for: Huddling under the heat source means they're too cold. Panting or moving away from the heat means they're too warm. Active, spread-out babies are comfortable.
For more care tips, visit our FAQs.
Shipping
Shipping
Hatched by our hatching partner and shipped directly to you by USPS Priority Mail during the ship week you choose. Tracking is emailed to you once your chicks ship.
Shipping rates
The partner box ships at our regular chick rates:
6–25 chicks — $34.95
26–50 chicks — $49.95
51–100 chicks — $59.95
The partner box ships FREE when you also order 6 or more Chesapeake chicks to be shipped.
Minimum order: 6 chicks total from our hatching partner. Mix and match any of our partner-hatched chicken and bantam breeds to reach the minimum, as long as they all ship the same week.
Partner-hatched chicks ship in their own box, separately from our Chesapeake-hatched chicks, with separate tracking. The two don't count toward each other's minimums.
Marek's vaccine available: $0.75 per chick, given at the hatchery before your chicks ship. Check the box in your cart.
Not available for local pickup. Street address required (no P.O. boxes). Your post office will call when your chicks arrive.
Ordering more than 100 chicks? Call us at (410) 635-1970.
Live-Arrival Guarantee
If any chicks arrive deceased, email chicks@chesapeake-hatchery.com within 72 hours of delivery with your order number and the number of losses.
