Cackle Hatchery or My Pet Chicken?

[Blackberry18]

Hey, many of you may have heard about how the poultry shows in Minnesota were shut down this year, canceling my purchase of New Hampshire pullets from a friend. So, next year, I'm hoping to order two or three varieties of chicken from a hatchery for the 4-H show. I'm hoping for two Light Brown Leghorns pullets, and two Black Australorp pullets, and perhaps two Buff Brahma pullets, along with a Buff Brahma cockerel. However, I'm trying to decide between Cackle Hatchery and My Pet Chicken. My Pet Chicken is not as much as Cackle, but I'll pay more for better quality birds. I'm worried about how hatcheries sometimes mess up with gender and breed, and it's essential that I have the correct sex and breed without getting a bunch of chicks.

Does anyone have a suggestion? Experience? Also, I hoping not for "hatchery" quality birds, so I'm wondering if the breeds I mentioned often have hatchery "defects", or not-up-to-Standard features. I was also wondering, it seems like a silly question, but do hatcheries charge tax? I'm guessing not, but thought I'd double-check.

 

[Michael OShay]

I've ordered chicks on a number of different occasions from Cackle Hatchery, and while I would not expect to win any shows with them, I have been happy with their birds and service. I've never personally ordered any chicks from My Pet Chicken, but it is my understanding that their chicks come from Meyer Hatchery so you might want to check out some reviews on Meyer.

 

[tpjazz7]

I purchased from Meyers hatchery this April. 4 buff orpingtons and 4
barred rocks. My chicks were in great shape. I ordered them for my son's 4H, however they just announced yesterday in ohio no poultry is coming to the fairs this year. My chicks are doing great. Breeds are correct. I ordered 8 pullets.....but 1 buff orpington is definitely a rooster.So 7 correctly sexed. And we might keep the one roo anyways.Goodluck. just research your hatcheries. This website is the best.

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

I like mypetchicken and I often refer my customers to them if they are looking for a single layer or two from a breed I do not carry. Yes they work closely with Meyers which is also good.

They carry a decent selection and you can get a few rare breeds from them as well. I have had many people very happy with their purchase from them and thank me afterwards.

I especially like them and promote them because they do not use chick macerators and inhumanely kill all the little roos that hatch. They are based out of Ohio so the roos hatched go to auction for the Amish to raise as food which is a very happy ending in my book and I give thumbs up to them for that!

If you have a choice and can get the breed you are looking for from them I vote Mypetchicken!

 

[speckledhen]

My Pet Chicken is not a hatchery, but a dropshipper. I'm not sure which hatchery supplies their birds, maybe several. There's not a lot of difference in hatchery stock, generally, IMO. If you plan to show, don't get birds from any hatchery.

If you want to breed good quality birds and sell eggs and/or chicks in the future or show, get good breeder stock (I don't mean from a propagator of hatchery stock, but a breeder of fine stock). You'd think hatcheries were safe to buy from but I've heard of an incidence where someone got chicks from a hatchery everyone knows of here, put them in a brand new brooder never been used and they began dying at a week old. She had the state and her vet do necropsies on some of the chicks when the hatchery refused to make it right. They had Mareks. How they got that since it is not passed down through the egg, I'm not sure, but something is bad wrong about that. Those were her first chicks so they didn't get it in her brooder. I'm talking a huge order, now all dead. The survivors were rightfully euthanized by the state at her request.


No, I won't say which hatchery. The lab suggested that until it is determined for 100% sure the chicks came to her with Marek's from this well known hatchery, she not say anything for fear of a lawsuit. But, I bring it up because most folks think hatcheries are safer. Not necessarily.

If you get chicks newly hatched from a very well known reputable breeder who is AI and MG certified clean, you'll be ahead of the game. If you're just looking for a few sexed pullets for eggs, hatchery stock is fine and odds are, it will be at least, generally healthy when it gets to you, though it may never be a great example of its breed. I just haven't seen much difference in stock from any of the big hatcheries.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Thanks for your help everyone! You've certainly have swayed my judgement! After researching and calculating costs, as well as communicating with multiple hatcheries, I've decided to go with Meyer, because of the quick, helpful staff and the good things I heard. Their shipping prices are more expensive than a couple of others, but I've corresponded with another poultry person, so we've decided to share an order next year in order to lower and split the shipping cost. I hope everything works out! Thanks again!

I ordered from meyer this year got fry pan bargain and leanns adopt me bargain all came healthy but one now at 5 weeks they are going great.

 

[Homespao]

Skip my pet chicken if you want theirs and go straight to meyer which is the hatchery they broker for. I ordered 7 pullets but one turned out to be a cockerel. He was crowing at 8 wks so i re homed him immediately and notified my pet chicken. They wont do anything for 2 more weeks in case hes a pullet. Really? Didnet matter that he was crowing. Plus they want a picture to prove hes male. Their mark up is terrible. They charge $40 for lavender orp where meyer charges $25. Skip them.

 

[Blackberry18]

I've ordered chicks on a number of different occasions from Cackle Hatchery, and while I would not expect to win any shows with them, I have been happy with their birds and service. I've never personally ordered any chicks from My Pet Chicken, but it is my understanding that their chicks come from Meyer Hatchery so you might want to check out some reviews on Meyer.

Copy that, thanks!

 

[Blackberry18]

I purchased from Meyers hatchery this April. 4 buff orpingtons and 4
barred rocks. My chicks were in great shape. I ordered them for my son's 4H, however they just announced yesterday in ohio no poultry is coming to the fairs this year. My chicks are doing great. Breeds are correct. I ordered 8 pullets.....but 1 buff orpington is definitely a rooster.So 7 correctly sexed. And we might keep the one roo anyways.Goodluck. just research your hatcheries. This website is the best.

Thanks!

 

[Blackberry18]

I like mypetchicken and I often refer my customers to them if they are looking for a single layer or two from a breed I do not carry. Yes they work closely with Meyers which is also good.

They carry a decent selection and you can get a few rare breeds from them as well. I have had many people very happy with their purchase from them and thank me afterwards.

I especially like them and promote them because they do not use chick macerators and inhumanely kill all the little roos that hatch. They are based out of Ohio so the roos hatched go to auction for the Amish to raise as food which is a very happy ending in my book and I give thumbs up to them for that!

If you have a choice and can get the breed you are looking for from them I vote Mypetchicken!

Thanks! I'll certainly consider!