Best hatcheries?

[WoodsmithFarm]

I've ordered from My Pet Chicken and unfortunately have had a really hard time as they've gotten older. We were looking for a hatchery that would allow for low orders and could send us females (we're in a small ... very small city that has restrictions on the number of chickens we can have, and no roosters are allowed). We ordered three Salmon Faverolles. The first passed due to ovarian cancer at two years old (vet verified), and we just lost the second one, also likely cancer, at 4 years old. The third one appears to be having issues, also likely related to cancer. The birds were beautiful, friendly, and a great choice for our family, but these health issues are really traumatic. They are and were, I suppose, relatively older and that might speak to the health issues. They also continued to lay (and our remaining bird is also still laying), so all of those things are good. But I'm not sure I'd order from them again. Our experience is, of course, anecdotal. Many people have had very good experiences. I just came across your feed as we're trying to track down an alternative hatchery that allows for low numbers and can send us females. It's been a rough week.

 

[Bill Matthews]

Everyone should keep in mind that MY PET CHICKEN, BACKYARD CHICKEN, and STROMBERG"S are Website Resellers and do not hatch any chickens...You are just paying someone for nothing but arranging an order for you...Stromberg's does have access to really high quality breeders and in the old days was the largest hatchery company in the Midwest....

 

[kzims]

can anyone tell me if they know any hatcheries that would be delivering fertile eggs/chicks to Asian countries such as Pakistan?

 

[JUGG3RNAUT]

I BOUGHT MY CHICKENS FROM THE FEED STORE AND TRACTOR SUPPLY COMPANY AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT. BUT NOT ALL FEED STORES AND TSC HAVE THEM AVAILABLE BUT ITS WORTH A TRY IF YOU'RE NOT TOO PARTICULAR ON THE BREED

 

[JUGG3RNAUT]

I ORDERED PHEASANTS FROM STROMBERGS. HATCH DATE IS JULY 7 I'LL TRY TO POST ABOUT THEM WHEN THEY COME IN

 

[skyfilly]

I was looking at cackle as well, do they ship to Canada?

 

[unix_micki]

I just ordered from mcmurray hatchery and am very disappointed with the 26 chickens I received, they started out great but at week 2 stopped growing and dying off. I have an order in with cackle and should receive them in about 3 weeks. hope I have better luck.

 

[CrazyTalk]

Ordered 15 Apenzaller Spitzhauben (straight run) chicks from Cackle, got 16. This is a breed that has had some serious population issues, and tons of outcrossing has been done to polish birds, so hatchery birds are expected to be a bit off breed standard.


The good:
They shipped fast, they arrived looking healthy, great, and eating immediately.
They all survived, and I got an extra one.
They communicated well, billed what they were supposed to, etc.

The bad:
I think I have about 10 roos... which can happen.
I have a bunch of roos that look fantastic - and a bunch of hens that look terrible, as far as breed standards go.


So, mostly good, and the bad is kind of the things that you expect when you buy straight run birds of a rare breed.

 

[Holdren Farm]

I buy from Ideal poultry every year to add to my flock. I am located in Northern California and from texas not to far to travel, seem to do well and be healthy. I also have them vaccinated for Mereks.

 

[gilcamp4]

I learn so much from this site! I didn't know My Pet Chicken drop ships from Meyer? However, I am not sure, but I couldn't find the chicks I wanted at the end of October of this year (2012) and think I looked at Meyer, but anyway, MPC is sending them, so I am happy to hear so many satisfied customers. I am going to look at Hoover too.

I ordered 50 "rare and unusual" pullets from Murray McMurray last Spring and was happy with them. All were alive, although two were splay legged and I brought them inside and tried to fix them with the wonderful advice given here. Unfortunately, I had to leave for awhile and though I thought they were safe, my terrier managed to kill both. I also lost two others. Don't know why. I got only a handful or cocks out of the group, so was very happy. I would not hesitate to order from them again.

They do not send money as a refund for my lost chicks though. They did put it on as a credit for my next order.

i got a order from mcmurray and one died next day 5 of them only have fuzz no feathers, they are 1 1/2 yrs old and look so sick that is the black sex links then the red sex links don't look that great, went to tractor supple in the summer and got 6 black and 6 red, they look so nice and twice as big, i called mcmurrey about them they told me the next time i got peeps from them they would add 2 that made me mad, i still have the fuzz balls and this winter they look so cold, i put a sweater on the worse one, it took a whole min for her to get it off, i am looking into some where else to buy them as soon as it gets a little warmer.