Buying hatching eggs in Facebook groups
When eBay stopped allowing hatching eggs, a lot of the UK's trade moved into Facebook buy-and-sell groups. They can be a great place to find breeders, but every sale is a private arrangement. Here's how to buy safely, and when a marketplace makes more sense.
How it works
A seller posts photos and a price in a group, buyers comment or send a message, and the two of you agree payment and postage between yourselves. Each group is run by volunteer admins with their own rules, and there is no checkout: Facebook isn't involved in the sale.
What Facebook's own rules say
Facebook's commerce policy says content "may not promote the buying, selling or trading of animals or animal products". Hatching eggs are still sold in many groups, but that policy is why posts are sometimes removed, accounts restricted and groups closed without warning.
How to pay safely
- Pay in a way that lets you claim if the eggs never arrive. PayPal Goods and Services gives you that; PayPal Friends and Family and bank transfers to someone you don't know do not.
- Check the seller's history. Look back through their posts in the group, and ask for photos of the parent birds and of the eggs you're buying.
- Agree the postage in writing. Which tracked service, how the eggs will be packed, and which day they'll be posted.
- Be wary of pressure. Prices far below everyone else's, a seller who will only take a bank transfer, or a push to pay before you've had answers are all reasons to walk away.
The good and the not so good
For buyers
Good
- The biggest choice of breeds and sellers, often including local ones you can collect from.
- Free, friendly and full of people happy to share advice.
- You can see a seller's posts and history in the group.
Watch out for
- No checkout, no structured reviews and no one to step in if it goes wrong.
- Posts and groups can disappear under Facebook's rules.
For sellers
Good
- Free to post, with big audiences.
- Ideal for local collection sales.
Watch out for
- Posts can be removed, and accounts restricted, under Facebook's rules.
- Chasing payments and answering the same questions again and again, with no order tools.
Facebook groups or a marketplace?
| How you pay | If something goes wrong | Seller fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook groups | Arranged privately, usually bank transfer or PayPal ❗Beware of scammers - ask for proof of legitimate business. Never leave deposits. | Only what your payment method covers; Trust your own judgement | Free; But you'll have to work hard and share every day across multiple groups |
| Broody | Card/Apple/Google Pay/Klarna secure checkout through Stripe; the price shown includes postage | Report within 14 days; payment held until dispatch; Broody steps in if you can't agree | 15%, falling to 10% then 5% as you sell more; no listing or monthly fees |
Our verdict
Facebook groups are brilliant for advice, local collection and finding breeders. When eggs are being posted to you by someone you don't know, a marketplace with a checkout is the safer way to pay: on Broody your money is held until the seller dispatches, and there's a set process if a box arrives broken. For every other option, see where to buy hatching eggs in the UK.
Questions people ask
Are hatching eggs allowed on Facebook?
Facebook's commerce policy says content may not promote the buying, selling or trading of animals or animal products. Hatching eggs are still sold in many groups, but posts can be removed and groups closed under that policy.
How do I pay for hatching eggs safely on Facebook?
Use a payment method that gives you a way to claim if the eggs never arrive, such as PayPal Goods and Services. Avoid PayPal Friends and Family and bank transfers to people you don't know.
What's the alternative to buying hatching eggs on Facebook?
A specialist marketplace with a proper checkout, such as Broody, where your card payment is held until the seller dispatches and there is a set process if eggs arrive broken, short or not as described.
More guides
Sources
Checked on 1 October 2026: Facebook commerce policy: animals and animal products, Broody seller agreement, Broody returns and refunds.
Spotted something out of date? Email hello@broodyeggs.co.uk.