reviews from ideal hatchery - Page 2

I'm thinking about ordering the 25 bantams for .99 cents a piece tomorrow, when you say their birds aren't nice do you mean not good for show??

They are worthless for show.  Most hatcheries do not have show quality birds anyway.  Look at my review on the hatchery review page, for full details.  http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=269351

I've ordered many birds over the years from Ideal and I've been perfectly happy with the birds and the customer service.  My birds weren't for show, just eggs and meat.

I have ordered twice from Ideal. I have been very pleased. Great customer service!

Jen

I have ordered  from ideal many times and love them.  My birds r not show birds, but they are some great laying and very good looking healthy birds.  I would order from them in a heart beat!

I have note received my chicks yet but I am extremely happy with their customer service so far.  My chicks from Ideal shipped today (I can't wait to get them!)  I ordered 10 Rhode Island Reds, 10 Buff Orpingtons, 10 Domineckers, 2 Blue Cochins, and 2 White Cochins.  The cochins were especially chosen by my two DGS 3 and 5 - 5yo wanted a blue or green chicken and 3yo wanted white.

Today Marie from Ideals calls and tells me that they have boxed up my chicks to mail but did not have any blue cochins.  I asked her if it was to late to add 2 different breeds as these were chosen by my DGS and I could not have 1 get his special chickens and the other not.  She replied that she didn't think they had any standard chicks left.  I then said  that I would be forever grateful and would pay any extra $ just so that 2 somethings with a beak and feathers (chicks, ducks, geese, turkey, whatever) and was different than the others arrived in my box.  Oh that it would be super great if the feathered something happened to have blue in it's name.  She called me back about 30 minutes later and said they had found not 2 but 3 Blue Andalusians!  They could have easily told me to bad but instead they went above and beyond!

I have been pleased with them but do not expect to get show birds from them..having said that...many 4-H bird shows don't get really top notch bird folks to judge them so you might be okay...really depends on your local and what is expected from the bird

I have ordered from them and will order from them again.  No their birds are not show quality but that isnt what most people are looking for.

My silkies are happy and healthy and will not huge balls of fluffy they at least look like and act like silkies.  The layers are absolute sweet pies and very friendly birds with excellent rates of lay.

To make it easier, this is the link you should have: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmXAmgx4qOPEdFgtdGk1YVFDXzFSMWRSaTFYUWQweXc&hl=en

I read your review and it seems fair, odd that you lost chicks days after receiving them, nice that they refunded you. How long ago was that? Was that your first order from them? What breeds did you get from them that are such bad quality?

Currently my order count with Ideal is over 800 chicks within the last 12 months, and I have had less deaths than they send extra. My main egg laying flock is ALL from Ideal, they are very healthy and lay great. None of the people that I re sold the chicks or pullets that I started have ever come back to me and complained.

Who would expect to get a "show" bird from a hatchery? That would be like buying a collector car at a used car lot, not going to happen. I want millage out my birds, not for me to pamper them so they can be displayed. 

The Ideal web site states under most breeds, "Our bantams are purebred and represent the breed and variety; however, we do not guarantee or represent that they are of show quality."
At least they are honest about it.