About Us
It’s been quite the journey to get here, we’ve loved every minute, and the chicken adventure continues.
Who Are Pipinchick?
Pipinchick are a small family run farm in the Mendip Hills of Somerset, specialising in only chickens they have created a beautiful ethos of care and compassion, elevating the welfare standards for back garden poultry across the U.K. Pipinchick was built from nothing by a pair of slightly ‘eggcentric’ Entrepreneurs Michael and Suzanna, and is now the largest pet chicken retailer in the country.
Neither Suzanna nor Michael came from a farming background, they got bit by the chicken keeping 2007 when they decided to build their own bit of the Good Life. Now with over 50 different breeds of chickens available they have come a long way from their first ever black Silkie hen, aptly named Silkie Mumma and have cemented themselves as the UK’s number one most trusted pet poultry provider.
Our Journey
In 2007 we decided to move our family to the countryside for a little piece of the Good Life, we were lucky enough to find a small 2acre plot in the Mendip Hills of Somerset. Not long after we arrived our young daughter requested a fluffy chicken, this is where our journey really began. After hunting the internet for a ‘fluffy” chicken we finally found what we now know as Silkies.
This was a chicken like we had ever seen before and we all instantly became fascinated by her, she was so full of character, so cheeky, sweet and funny then, of course…. chicken maths… more Silkies soon arrived. It was during this time that we could see some huge flaws within the industry and were horrified at what was being offered, not only in terms of a buying experience, but very poor welfare standards. After scouring the country looking for hens it became very clear that there had to be a better way to buy chickens, so we set out to make one!
The French Exchange!
After researching we found a wonderful family run hatchery in France, they had 10 colours of silkies and were just like us, they put welfare first and loved the chickens, we decided that now was the time to change the way people bought pet chickens. The only fly in the ointment, the French hatchery was unable to ship day old chicks to the U.K, so we did what any normal, logical people would do… we saved up and bought a rundown farm in France, we then set up a French rearing farm, what else?! We worked directly with our hatchery for over 7 years raising the chickens in France and bringing them over to the UK as young pullets, this was a huge risk and very exhausting as we would spend nearly 6 months of the year apart, but the hard work paid off and Pipinchick began to flourish. The French hatchery expanded allowing us to offer new, rare and interesting breeds some never seen before in the UK in the numbers we could rear, it was an exciting time.
Eventually the French hatchery found themselves in a position to begin offering chicks directly to the U.K, with a strange mix of sadness and relief we shut down the French farm to start the next chapter of our lives, together, rearing poultry in the U.K. The rest as they say is history, we now work with many hatcheries across the U.K. and Europe, all with our high welfare standards in place, we have wonderful relationships with each of them and still, to this day, work very closely with our first French hatchery.
So, What Makes Us Different?
When we first started raising poultry we had no experience, we did not know a right or a wrong way. We had, however, had many a bad buying experience, so we knew what we didn't want to do.
We started rearing in a way we thought was best, in a way that seemed gentle and considerate to the chickens. We never thought to get big, huge spaces and fill them with 1000s of birds because it just didn’t seem right. We started rearing very much in the same way we still do, often to other industry peoples’ surprise! We gained a lot of experience during our time in France, we were lucky enough to have fantastic poultry vets on our doorstep who were so fascinated by what we were doing and the breeds we were rearing they would regularly pop in with advice and care tips. Often being affectionately referred to by the locals as ‘that crazy English chicken lady on the hill’
Even to this day we find ourselves in the following conversation...
Yes, we raise 1000s of chicks a year, yes, we still use little sheds, yes, we still use natural light and enrichment in every one, yes, we have a LOT of these little sheds and yes, we separate breeds and only raise compatible. It’s just how we do it.
We have learned a lot over the years, and it’s not quite as simple as all that, but we really did start as we meant to go on, with the goal to raise awareness within the industry, that not one glove fits all and to raise welfare standards for pet poultry rearing and we hope our humble little farm has helped to do this.
That’s what makes us different, we were chicken keepers before we were farmers. We truly love them like pets.
Our Promise to You
Caring for your chickens
We promise to never treat your chickens in a way that is inhumane.
We are there for you
To provide you with great customer care and service and to be there for you going forward, to help in any way we can.
The best possible start
To give your chickens the best possible start, so that you can enjoy them for many years to come. Providing you with healthy, happy and well socialised chickens.
Why Choose Pipinchick
Fully Vaccinated Chickens
Great Customer Care
Ongoing Health Advice
Largest Range of Chickens
Delivery To Your Door
