Ideal assorted standard chicks

[collie1470]

I'm thinking of just ordering Ideal's assorted standard chicks the first time around, and decided from there which breeds we do and don't want (since there are so many with the same pros and cons).

So.....has anybody ordered this assortment? If so, what did you get?

 

[eviemethugh]

Just be ready to really scrutinize every aspect of how the chicks look! I don't think they tell you what they've sent. We've always enjoyed our surprise chickens though.

 

[Percheron chick]

I have never bought the assortment chicks for a couple of reasons. The first being, I only want birds that are best suited for my climate. I don't have any big floppy comb hens for that reason. Next, I sell my extra birds so they need to be good in a mixed flock, not high strung, no bantams, no hybrids, good for beginners, decent layers and of course attractive. I know we all have different needs in our flocks but if a customer is coming to me to me to buy their first flock, I want to help them as much as I can have a positive experience. You aren't saving but $.25-.50 per chick. For an extra $10 is it worth it to have control over the shape of the flock? Would you be happy with all white layer? All brown or black hens? All poor layers? All hybrids?

 

[collie1470]

It's not for trying to save money, it's to get an assortment. And honestly the color of the birds wouldn't bother me one way or another (all the same or all different). They can all be pure or mixed. I have zero interest in showing. And if they are all poor layers, well....15-25 (the coop and run dimensions would allow for 2 seperate flocks of 25 each....split coop) poor layers will still give enough eggs for 2 people.

As for cold....huge comb birds (or unfavorable birds if we do choose breed(s)) will be um.....taken care of prior to any close-to-extreme temperatures.

I like the idea of experiencing many breeds and then deciding on a couple, rather than just going on the ones we already have experience with and some reading :/ I grew up around chickens, as did he. I know a few I don't want. But an assortment seems a good way to experience more breeds than I may otherwise choose. After all, the perfect breed(s)for us could end up being one(s) we may not have thought about. Assuming they do actually usually send a good assortment, and not a bunch of the same chicks.....which is why I ask what people have gotten

 

[babffel]

I just ordered 3 different assortments through them and they send about 3-5 of the same breeds. I had got the surprise special and the assorted chicks and the assorted bantams.

 

[tash]

I keep thinking of doing the rainbow layer assortment or the maran assortment through Meyer. The reason I haven't is mainly that I can only have a few birds right now and some of the assortments have min of 15. Maybe I will later.

I think it would be fun to get random birds that you might not otherwise consider. But you also might not get much of an assortment. I know Meyer considers different colors to be different, so you could end up with 5 each of partridge rocks, barred rocks, and white rocks, if you order 15 (that one is a min of 1 though).

You could make up your own assortment. But then you don't get a surprise, which can be a good or bad thing. You can make a rule that the assortment can not include any that you have had before. Just add one of each kind that ideal has that is good for your climate (like no floppy combs). Or even just get one of each that you haven't done before that is under a certain price point or something.

 

[collie1470]

That's what I was worried about. I was hoping maybe they usually sent like 1 or 2 or each. I know they say they don't guarantee many types, but I guess it didn't hurt to dream haha. I may do that...just order different ones.