- Jun 6, 2013
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Just thought I'd share my experience since it's the chick-buying season and, like myself, I'm sure others are reading up on hatcheries.
I chose Cackle because of good reviews; plus they had all the breeds I wanted.
We ordered 45 chicks; 25 larger brown egg layers (5 each of 5 different breeds), 5 Egyptian Fayoumis, and 15 bantams between 3 varieties (golden sebright, brassy backed OEG, and spangled OEG). We received 1 extra of each bantam and the fayoumis for a total of 5 extra.
Upon arrival one of the Golden Sebrights was dead, two others had deformed heads or brain swelling of some sort. One brassy-backed OEG had splay leg and wasn't looking good.
Within the first few hours we've lost 1 sebright with the deformed head, the brassy back OEG with the splay leg, and a brassy back OEG that was really weak. I also just lost the tiniest spangled OEG. So we're down 5 chicks right now.
I expect by morning all of the sebrights will be dead; they're all pathetic, limp, and won't open their eyes. All but 1 of the brassy backs looks to be dying. They've been listless and won't open their eyes since we got them.
I'm not smearing Cackle; I will contact them in the morning when I see who survives the night. I'll give an update about their response, which I have positive hopes for.
But I'm not super impressed by the bantams. Especially not with receiving chicks with splay leg and brain swelling.
Every single large fowl bird is doing great, and the little fayoumis are as well. Most of the spangled OEG look good, but the other two bantam breeds look doomed.
Of course everyone got electrolytes and a warm welcome; not much more I can do for em...
UPDATE ********
Cackle said it’s been an unusually cold start to their shipping season and they’ve been having problems. They didn’t seem surprised that the bantams are having problems. We reviewed the losses and my care and setup. They’re giving me the full 3 days to see how many losses happen, then they will be offering a refund for the losses minus the extra chicks sent. They were very helpful and pleasant on the phone and I wasn’t expecting the extra day to see the final head count. Hearing their input on the chicks and conditions they’re experiencing has helped make sense of what I’ve been seeing.
This is day 2 (technically 30~ hours) and we’re down 12 chicks. They keep dropping, even when I think they’ve rebounded :/. Poor little guys!
I chose Cackle because of good reviews; plus they had all the breeds I wanted.
We ordered 45 chicks; 25 larger brown egg layers (5 each of 5 different breeds), 5 Egyptian Fayoumis, and 15 bantams between 3 varieties (golden sebright, brassy backed OEG, and spangled OEG). We received 1 extra of each bantam and the fayoumis for a total of 5 extra.
Upon arrival one of the Golden Sebrights was dead, two others had deformed heads or brain swelling of some sort. One brassy-backed OEG had splay leg and wasn't looking good.
Within the first few hours we've lost 1 sebright with the deformed head, the brassy back OEG with the splay leg, and a brassy back OEG that was really weak. I also just lost the tiniest spangled OEG. So we're down 5 chicks right now.
I expect by morning all of the sebrights will be dead; they're all pathetic, limp, and won't open their eyes. All but 1 of the brassy backs looks to be dying. They've been listless and won't open their eyes since we got them.
I'm not smearing Cackle; I will contact them in the morning when I see who survives the night. I'll give an update about their response, which I have positive hopes for.
But I'm not super impressed by the bantams. Especially not with receiving chicks with splay leg and brain swelling.
Every single large fowl bird is doing great, and the little fayoumis are as well. Most of the spangled OEG look good, but the other two bantam breeds look doomed.
Of course everyone got electrolytes and a warm welcome; not much more I can do for em...
UPDATE ********
Cackle said it’s been an unusually cold start to their shipping season and they’ve been having problems. They didn’t seem surprised that the bantams are having problems. We reviewed the losses and my care and setup. They’re giving me the full 3 days to see how many losses happen, then they will be offering a refund for the losses minus the extra chicks sent. They were very helpful and pleasant on the phone and I wasn’t expecting the extra day to see the final head count. Hearing their input on the chicks and conditions they’re experiencing has helped make sense of what I’ve been seeing.
This is day 2 (technically 30~ hours) and we’re down 12 chicks. They keep dropping, even when I think they’ve rebounded :/. Poor little guys!
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