Short answer: Buying from a Maui seller is usually the simplest route, because shipping birds into Hawaiʻi takes permits. Decide whether you want eggs or meat, pick chicks, pullets or laying hens, and ask the seller the questions below. Browse local sellers in our free chicken directory.
Why buy local
Every shipment of poultry, day-old chicks or hatching eggs into Hawaiʻi needs a Poultry and Bird Import Permit, requested at least 10 days before shipping. During bird flu outbreaks on the mainland, permits may be denied for shipments from affected areas (Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity). Local birds skip all of that, are already used to the climate, and you can see them before you buy.
Chicks, pullets or hens?
| Age | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Chicks (days to weeks old) | Cheapest; tame if handled | Need heat and a brooder; months before eggs |
| Pullets (young hens) | Past the fragile stage | Cost more |
| Laying hens | Eggs right away | Cost most; ask their age |
ISA Browns: the egg machine
The ISA Brown is a crossbreed, not a heritage breed, developed in France in 1978 for commercial egg production. It is known for about 300 eggs per hen in its first laying year (Wikipedia). Its coloring is sex-linked, which lets hatcheries tell hens from roosters at hatch. Sellers describe them as docile and easy to handle (Buchheit).
They’re a good fit if you want lots of brown eggs from a small, friendly flock, and less ideal if you want birds that keep laying for many years or that breed true.
Local supply: as of November 2026, Chicken Dude (on Facebook) has about 200 ISA Brown chicks around two weeks old. See the listing in our directory.
Questions to ask any seller
- How old are the birds, and are they sexed (hens only) or straight run?
- Vaccinated? Started on medicated or unmedicated feed?
- Where were they hatched, and have they been near wild birds?
- Can I see the flock and the conditions they’re raised in?
- Price per bird, and any discount for larger orders?
- Pickup location and times?
Selling chickens?
Listing is free. Add your flock to the directory.