The Hatching House?

[ShrekDawg]

Just saw this ad on Craigslist

https://newlondon.craigslist.org/grd/5455363841.html

And they seem like a pretty cool place but I don't know.

This is their website.

http://thehatchinghouse.com

Look at the ad and the website and tell me what you think? I mean, do they seem like a good place? They're fairly local which is a plus. Though probably not close enough to drive (CT and I am in MA) but they at least would not be in the mail hardly at all theoretically.

Can anybody tell me what they think based off the ad and website or does anybody on here maybe have any personal experience with them? Maybe they are on this website even?

TIA

 

[windyridgefarm]

I went to symansaysfarm when I was looking for some Marans chicks. It is a nice little farm and seems well run but I feel they are on the pricey side selling their chicks for $32 straight run.
That said I try to always give people the benefit of the doubt. Having dealt with people when selling my own hatching eggs, chicks and chickens I know how challenging it can be to meet everyone's expectations. One example was a woman who purchased straight run chicks for $4 each and kept bringing back the roos to exchange for sixteen week old pullets. I did it the first time as a curtesy because she said she couldnt have roos but she kept coming back. I also had a neighbor send over her daughter I had given hatching eggs to for 4H to exchange cockerels for pullets. I now make it clear to people that they should expect half of the chicks to be roos and I have more than enough of my own. LOL
I will still take them back if they cant have them just not in exchange for pullets.

 

[WMassforestflock]

This thread has been dormant for more than two years, but I found it this week. I ordered chicks from The Hatching House for the first time this year. They had an insane week and fell behind on their emails when I was expecting my chicks, I went searching for information and found this thread that upset me so I wanted to follow up with a happy ending. My only complaint about THH is that I wish they would communicate more. They filled my order with hours-old, healthy chicks. I couldn't be happier with the product.

When I picked up my chicks yesterday, I got to have a nice long conversation with AmyJo. There were even more sympathetic details to the back story than Sean shared above (two years ago). There was a breeder in Virginia whose niche was importing rare birds to breed, but he was terrible at filling orders and went out of business. THH bought his birds and incubators and put out a call on Facebook that they would try to fill his open orders, just out of goodwill and sense of community with other chicken lovers (they were not seeking payment). Well, almost a hundred unfulfilled orders came knocking on their door, they couldn't fill all of them at once, and then those angry customers posted here. Those customers were scammed, but not by this breeder.

AmyJo and Sean were very well intentioned in their actions, and this episode obviously turned into an extremely stressful year of their lives. My conclusion is that they are good people with healthy, happy animals. Their reviews on other platforms confirm this. (Read the reviews on their Facebook page, and please let those outweigh the complaints in this thread that originate from truly unusual circumstances.) I think these folks are very good members of our community, even though I only met them yesterday. Please give them a chance.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

This thread has been dormant for more than two years, but I found it this week. I ordered chicks from The Hatching House for the first time this year. They had an insane week and fell behind on their emails when I was expecting my chicks, I went searching for information and found this thread that upset me so I wanted to follow up with a happy ending. My only complaint about THH is that I wish they would communicate more. They filled my order with hours-old, healthy chicks. I couldn't be happier with the product.

When I picked up my chicks yesterday, I got to have a nice long conversation with AmyJo. There were even more sympathetic details to the back story than Sean shared above (two years ago). There was a breeder in Virginia whose niche was importing rare birds to breed, but he was terrible at filling orders and went out of business. THH bought his birds and incubators and put out a call on Facebook that they would try to fill his open orders, just out of goodwill and sense of community with other chicken lovers (they were not seeking payment). Well, almost a hundred unfulfilled orders came knocking on their door, they couldn't fill all of them at once, and then those angry customers posted here. Those customers were scammed, but not by this breeder.

AmyJo and Sean were very well intentioned in their actions, and this episode obviously turned into an extremely stressful year of their lives. My conclusion is that they are good people with healthy, happy animals. Their reviews on other platforms confirm this. (Read the reviews on their Facebook page, and please let those outweigh the complaints in this thread that originate from truly unusual circumstances.) I think these folks are very good members of our community, even though I only met them yesterday. Please give them a chance.

I follow them on FB, and they run the Ct Chicken Chatter FB page. I've been interested in getting my hands on some of their birds; chicks or eggs.

 

[egglovers008]

We ordered very expensive rare breed hatching eggs from them and not one of them hatched. She also said she would send us extras because of the extra long wait for the eggs and she did not send any extras. She then offered to send us new eggs and she kept putting us off until we finally just said whatever. I wouldn't buy from them if you want your money's worth.

 

[drdenise]

I ordered chicks from Ultimate Orpingtons, which were bought out by The Hatching House in 2016. She sent us several emails, telling us they were honoring the orders on all purchased chicks. After waiting through fall and into late spring, I started to email them back for updates, which I never received. I finally posted on their facebook page, requesting an update. I received a very nasty email chastising my FB post for an update, which they deleted. Now it is late August, and nothing. Their website is gone. $200 down the drain. No, I would not recommend them

 

[windyridgefarm]

Thank you for posting. I had contacted them several times on their website looking for blue Ameraucana hatching eggs, chicks, or preferably a young cockerel after I lost my Roo. The replies were sporadic and nothing ever came of it. I was going to try again. Now I am glad but still looking.
If you contact paypal and tell them you did not get what you ordered they will refund your order.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Thank you for posting. I had contacted them several times on their website looking for blue Ameraucana hatching eggs, chicks, or preferably a young cockerel after I lost my Roo. The replies were sporadic and nothing ever came of it. I was going to try again. Now I am glad but still looking.
If you contact paypal and tell them you did not get what you ordered they will refund your order.

check out this small farm instead, its in Salem Ct. I don't know if they ship, but as their neighbors, I find them to be pretty friendly. I plan on supplementing my flock with them next spring.
https://www.symansaysfarms.com/

 

[windyridgefarm]

In the case of of the hatching house I checked out their facebook page last night. It said they had had a very difficult year. Their son who was a big part of their operation went away to boot camp and they were trying to adjust. They promised they would do better in the future. They also said to check them out at the poultry congress, a free show at the Big E Jan 13 and 14.
As you said they make themselves sound good. I even found myself tempted to see If I could get a roo from them at the show. But going back to your experience there is no excuse for not make things right for you.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I went to symansaysfarm when I was looking for some Marans chicks. It is a nice little farm and seems well run but I feel they are on the pricey side selling their chicks for $32 straight run.
That said I try to always give people the benefit of the doubt. Having dealt with people when selling my own hatching eggs, chicks and chickens I know how challenging it can be to meet everyone's expectations. One example was a woman who purchased straight run chicks for $4 each and kept bringing back the roos to exchange for sixteen week old pullets. I did it the first time as a curtesy because she said she couldnt have roos but she kept coming back. I also had a neighbor send over her daughter I had given hatching eggs to for 4H to exchange cockerels for pullets. I now make it clear to people that they should expect half of the chicks to be roos and I have more than enough of my own. LOL
I will still take them back if they cant have them just not in exchange for pullets.

Their pricey-ness was one of the things I was considering. Their prices have come down, and for the Ameraucanas, they were comparable to My Pet Chicken, without shipping. My only worry was the straight run part, as I really don't want any roosters.