are hatcheries all like this?

[funnyfarmmom]

Hmm thats a good idea. I had already thought about posting on their facebook but realized they could just delete it.

 

[mc3681]

They could untag themselves from your post but if you make it public at least a few people will see it before they untag.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

Oh I see . Im not very good with all this computer stuff lol. I prefer animals over the internet; or even some people for that matter hahha.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Im sorry. Maybe I shouldnt have named them? I just dont want anybody else to get chicks through them until/unless they clean it up and take better care of them. I hate to give bad reviews or talk badly about any business. Always have to give the benefit of the doubt. Had they bothered to answer any of my attempts to contact, I never would have. I did take pictures of the chicks, the dead ones, the ones with wounds on their necks, condition I got them in, etc.

Im about 30 minutes west and just a little north of there

. Just one county over.

Sorry - my surprise wasn't that you did name them, it was at the name itself - probably should have worded my post better.

ETA - I'm just a ways in the other direction - in Jefferson County.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

Sorry  - my surprise wasn't that you did name them, it was at the name itself - probably should have worded my post better.

ETA - I'm just a ways in the other direction - in
Jefferson County.

Ahhh I understand now . If they would have answered my emails, I would have just assumed they had an off day with cleaning the cages, had a larger hatch than expected and werent set up for it yet, something. And all of those things may still be true, but when they wont answer it makes it look like they know they have a problem.

We are in Lawrence County. One of the few left without zoning thank goodness .

 

[dheltzel]

I was surprised last year with how hard it was to get good chicks locally, so I started hatching extras and offering them on Craigslist. The response was overwhelming and I have all happy customers (I mean it, not one complaint so far!). This year I expanded a bit and am still getting many requests asking how long I will have chicks available. There is just no good local hatchery, so I'm trying to fill that need. My reason for posting here is to let you know that some of us are trying to help the situation, and yes, I still advertise on CL, I feel like it raises the bar for the less reputable producers to not be the "only game on CL". No way can I meet the demand and I turn away people that just want cheap, generic chicks, they are much better off buying from a hatchery, but if you want to bring your kids out to learn about chicks and pick out a few "new friends", then I can help.

It's fun to hatch chicks and fun to help people get a good start on their first flock, or be able to find the breed they have been coveting. I'm investing in some more "fun" breeds for next year and some of my customers want to buy again just because it was a good experience. There are very few companies/businesses/people out there that are more concerned about making their customers happy than they are with making money. I don't keep any of the money I make anyway, what doesn't pay for feed goes to my niece who cares for the adult flock, on the condition that it is saved for college. I guess you could call it a labor of love or else a hobby that got out of hand, either way, it seems like a win for everyone involved.

I should add that I have had complaints that I am too far away and that I don't ship eggs or chicks (largely laziness, but I don't think it's that good for them either). There is plenty of room in this "market", as long as you aren't expecting to get rich. If you can hatch high quality chicks and sell them locally, you are doing a service to your neighbors. Why not give it a try? Become the supplier you wish you had when you got started.

Come to think about it, I bet if you did any sort of business and really cared about your customer's happiness, you'd find a lot more demand that you could ever supply.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

I was surprised last year with how hard it was to get good chicks locally, so I started hatching extras and offering them on Craigslist. The response was overwhelming and I have all happy customers (I mean it, not one complaint so far!). This year I expanded a bit and am still getting many requests asking how long I will have chicks available. There is just no good local hatchery, so I'm trying to fill that need. My reason for posting here is to let you know that some of us are trying to help the situation, and yes, I still advertise on CL, I feel like it raises the bar for the less reputable producers to not be the "only game on CL". No way can I meet the demand and I turn away people that just want cheap, generic chicks, they are much better off buying from a hatchery, but if you want to bring your kids out to learn about chicks and pick out a few "new friends", then I can help.

It's fun to hatch chicks and fun to help people get a good start on their first flock, or be able to find the breed they have been coveting. I'm investing in some more "fun" breeds for next year and some of my customers want to buy again just because it was a good experience. There are very few companies/businesses/people out there that are more concerned about making their customers happy than they are with making money. I don't keep any of the money I make anyway, what doesn't pay for feed goes to my niece who cares for the adult flock, on the condition that it is saved for college. I guess you could call it a labor of love or else a hobby that got out of hand, either way, it seems like a win for everyone involved.

I should add that I have had complaints that I am too far away and that I don't ship eggs or chicks (largely laziness, but I don't think it's that good for them either). There is plenty of room in this "market", as long as you aren't expecting to get rich. If you can hatch high quality chicks and sell them locally, you are doing a service to your neighbors. Why not give it a try? Become the supplier you wish you had when you got started.

Come to think about it, I bet if you did any sort of business and really cared about your customer's happiness, you'd find a lot more demand that you could ever supply.

I have REALLY thought about doing this. I bought the buffs because I was hoping to get a few good broody hens. You know, self sustaining flock and all that. I dont have room to have a ton of different breeds, but I could certainly work with what Ive got. Id wind up with good egg layers and dual purpose birds, which is what a lot of people around here are wanting. Ah well, something to talk to hubby about for next spring. Craigslist around here is just ridiculous. Mostly people selling older layers and claiming they still have a lot of years left.

 

[dheltzel]

I have REALLY thought about doing this. I bought the buffs because I was hoping to get a few good broody hens. You know, self sustaining flock and all that. I dont have room to have a ton of different breeds, but I could certainly work with what Ive got. Id wind up with good egg layers and dual purpose birds, which is what a lot of people around here are wanting. Ah well, something to talk to hubby about for next spring. Craigslist around here is just ridiculous. Mostly people selling older layers and claiming they still have a lot of years left.

You really should. Buy a GQF Genesis incubator with auto turner and watch CL for used incubators for sale because you will want a second one to hatch in. Or build your own as a hatcher. You will easily make the price back in chick sales in the first year, and have a lot of fun doing it.

The biggest problem you will have is that many people will want pullet chicks and you won't be able to sex the BO's. To get sexable chicks, consider switching to Rhodebars, Welsummers or Legbars. Then you will have the further problem of what to do with the male chicks that (almost) no one wants.

It may be simplist to stick with straight run buffs, I noticed our local TSC was selling only SR chicks for much of their "chick days" this year. TSC sets the bar pretty low for the competition (you and I), so I won't complain about that!

 

[Ironsights]

I'm behind the curve here because you've already gotten good advice. If you buy from a commercial hatchery, (as I understand the individual you found such deplorable conditions and your sick birds at claimed to be), make sure they're NPIP certified, (National Poultry Improvement Program). Also certified as Pullorum-Typhoid free. The closer to your home the better to reduce shipping stress. I won't recommend any here because there are a lot of good ones. If you PM me I'll tell you a couple I've used which have always been very satisfactory. I'd order from a hatchery before I would a farm store. Nothing against farm stores, I spend a lot of time and money there

.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

I'm behind the curve here because you've already gotten good advice. If you buy from a commercial hatchery, (as I understand the individual you found such deplorable conditions and your sick birds at claimed to be), make sure they're NPIP certified, (National Poultry Improvement Program). Also certified as Pullorum-Typhoid free. The closer to your home the better to reduce shipping stress. I won't recommend any here because there are a lot of good ones. If you PM me I'll tell you a couple I've used which have always been very satisfactory. I'd order from a hatchery before I would a farm store. Nothing against farm stores, I spend a lot of time and money there

.

Thank you very much for your advice. Im not quite sure if this hatchery is NPIP certified or not but they were featured in a Mother Earth News article a few years back (found it by googling the hatchery name).

I do want to let everyone know that the owner did finally return my email today and offered to replace all of the chicks Ive lost. She said that she hasnt checked email all week because they have been showing goats in the fair this week. Im on the fence about whether or not to get them. On the one hand, I do need the chicks that I intended to have and I did pay for them but Im worried about possibly reintroducing sickness to the ones Ive already gotten. They seem to be stabilized now, no more losses last night or today! Had a couple pasty butts but got them cleaned up and they are happy now!