Best hatcheries?

[shadow rabbit10]

Hi,
I was planning on ordering some chickens and I have looked at a few hatcheries. I can only order 6 birds so I need a hatchery that sells low minimum quantities, and has sexed birds. I had the following hatcheries in mind:
- My Pet Chicken
- Cackle Hatchery
- Meyer Hatchery
- Possibly California, but I'm not so sure about that one
What is the best hatchery out of these? Are any of them good? Any other recommendations? First time raising chickens, need help.

 

[bwalden]

I have ordered twice from Cackle and have had excellent luck with them. Just ordered 18 Welsummers (15 Pullets, 3 cockerels) and received them end of last month. I havn't lost one yet. I've never ordered from the others but i'm sure as in most cases there are good and bad situations that have happened to people with them all.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I was looking at Cackle only because it had Turkens, and a town special. (Option to order 3 or 5 pullets instead of 25). They seem reasonable.

 

[LuvinChickens]

I have ordered from My Pet Chicken and am pretty happy with the results. They all survived and had/have no health problems. Unfortunately the Blue Hamburg Pullet ended up being a Rooster, but that can happen with ANY hatchery. Good luck!

Edit: MPC has a spot to calculate the minimum chick number.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I liked them too, but they're extremely expensive. However, Since they are the only hatchery with sexed bantams, I don't have much of a choice.

 

[BlazeJester]

I have used MPC twice now (the only "hatchery" I have dealt with directly). One flock is 3 years and going strong and the other is 6 months and going strong. One columbian wyandotte had bad genetics and didn't make it - one day she stopped eating and three days later she died. The other has a straight comb. I wouldn't order wyandottes from them again, but then I wouldn't order wyandottes again anywhere.

MPC drop-ships from Meyer, so I would go straight to Meyer for your birds if you're going to use them. However, Meyer doesn't sex bantams, so that's a catch.

 

[zookeeptd]

I've ordered from Cackle twice. Last Aug ordered 25 (got 27) Hatchery surprise chicks and 30 guineas. All did great except one Guinea lost on 2ND day.These were my first flock and was all killed but 2 one month before they started laying(Delawares doing great!). 3 guineas lived. I gave them to a friend and they are also doing very well. Got my order 24Th of last month 5 each of 5 breeds. They sent 26 and we did have one loss on 2ND day. I plan to order Bantams in a few weeks. They have been helpful on the phone and I have no complaints.

 

[rmh0508]

The only one I have ordered from is Cackle. I ordered 25 Cochin Bantam chicks last August, they sent 29. I did loose 2 of them but both were my fault (one had pasty butt and one got crushed by the others because I didn't take them out of the brooder when adding shavings and they all freaked). The rest are happy and healthy and started laying on Christmas eve, and now 4 of them are broody. I did originally order Silkies but they were out since I ordered so late in the yr so the Cochins were my second choice. They did offer a wide variety of colors which was a big plus for me

 

[Joe.G]

I ordered 30 Pullets from Hoover ( I split the order between two other people), 10 Barred Rocks, 15 Easter Egg and 5 Black Sex Links, They sent me 33 Chicks total, We have lost two 1 the first night ( Black Sex Link My Friends )and 1 on Day 3 ( BR My Friends ). The others have been going strong Hoover was very nice to deal with on the phone and they were able to ship me my order with in a week of ordering a lot of placees were backed up for a few Months.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Thank you for the input.oh, and has anyone ordered from Chickens For Backyards?