Favorite Hatcheries/ Least favorite Hatcheries? Opintions?

[Iluveggers]

I ordered chicks from McMurray (great experience, 16 pullets of 16 ordered, all healthy on arrival), in summer in NY.
I ordered chicks twice from Ideal (great experience, 10 of 10 pullets and 26 of 26 pullets, all but 1 healthy on arrival, I think one had failure to thrive), in summer in NY both times.
I ordered chicks from Mt Healthy, (excellent experience, 10 of 10 pullets plus one extra complimentary pullet chick , all healthy on arrival), in summer in NY. Those chicks were the friendliest and easiest to handle of all, and the customer service was super helpful in helping me identify a few birds so I could split them correctly with a friend who I shared an order with.

I have ordered hatching eggs(one set of chicken eggs and one set of quail eggs) from Meyer twice, and that was a good experience. Only two miniscule cracks in either batch, and all but a couple were viable. Quail hatch rate was in the 80s if I remember correctly and chicken hatch rate was around 65 I think.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I ordered chicks from McMurray (great experience, 16 pullets of 16 ordered, all healthy on arrival), in summer in NY.
I ordered chicks twice from Ideal (great experience, 10 of 10 pullets and 26 of 26 pullets, all but 1 healthy on arrival, I think one had failure to thrive), in summer in NY both times.
I ordered chicks from Mt Healthy, (excellent experience, 10 of 10 pullets plus one extra complimentary pullet chick , all healthy on arrival), in summer in NY. Those chicks were the friendliest and easiest to handle of all, and the customer service was super helpful in helping me identify a few birds so I could split them correctly with a friend who I shared an order with.

I have ordered hatching eggs(one set of chicken eggs and one set of quail eggs) from Meyer twice, and that was a good experience. Only two miniscule cracks in either batch, and all but a couple were viable. Quail hatch rate was in the 80s if I remember correctly and chicken hatch rate was around 65 I think.

Thank you!

 

[NagemTX]

Ordered twice from Cackle and both times were good. The customer service was very good also.

I want to order some bantams from them at some point.

 

[Alexandra Runner]

I always order from Ideal Poultry! When I order pullets, I have never received a rooster. The customer service was knowledgeable about poultry, not too mention kind.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I have ordered from McMurray, Meyer, Ideal, and Privett (through Welp). One order from McMurray and Ideal ended up getting to me late and I received a whole box of DOA chicks. McMurray now has an expedited shipping option but I think they should not have the slow shipment method available if they don’t arrive alive… I haven’t tried ordering from Ideal again. Meyer has been pretty good most times but they were kind of a pain with an accidental cockerel. He was of a partridge colored breed and it was super obvious he was a boy but they made me wait until he was 14 weeks old. If he were any more obnoxious I wouldn’t have been able to wait that long.

The Naked Neck chicks from Privett arrived in GA in only 2 days and the chicks were in good shape. They grew out to be pretty uniform in size, and lay the correct egg size, unlike the white naked necks I bought from McMurray.

 

[CCsGarden]

PAX
I voted "other".
I've gotten chicks from Chase Hatchery, and they were great! It's a smaller hatchery, so glad to support small business.
https://www.chasehatchery.com/

One of my friends really likes Alchemist Farm, says they are expensive but well worth it. https://www.alchemistfarm.com/

 

[NagemTX]

I'm pretty sure my TSC gets its orders from Privett Hatchery.

 

[BGMatt]

Voted Other. Since there was no "none" or "Heritage breeders only" option. SO many breeds, and they're so unique, but hatcheries simply do not select for each breeds unique characteristics or good examples of the breed.

 

[NagemTX]

Voted Other. Since there was no "none" or "Heritage breeders only" option. SO many breeds, and they're so unique, but hatcheries simply do not select for each breeds unique characteristics or good examples of the breed.

Some are hit or miss. I've actually gotten some decent Ameraucana stock from Cackle. I've also noticed they have limited availability on most the rare breeds they sell. Still not top quality, but something that can be started from at lest.

I've seen worse from some private breeders and read plenty of stories about not getting quality from them as well. Plus your not going to get perfect birds even from renowned breeders.

 

[BGMatt]

Some are hit or miss. I've actually gotten some decent Ameraucana stock from Cackle. I've also noticed they have limited availability on most the rare breeds they sell. Still not top quality, but something that can be started from at lest.

I've seen worse from some private breeders and read plenty of stories about not getting quality from them as well. Plus your not going to get perfect birds even from renowned breeders.

Not all breeders are created equal. That is very true.