What to stay away from?

[GitaBooks]

So, I'm thinking of doing a test. I'm planning on buying chicks, over the course of a few years, from several different hatcheries and comparing which ones have the healthiest, friendliest birds that are most like their breed standard as well as good at producing egg/meat. Then I can know which hatcheries to continue buying from and what to suggest to others, and I'll get all the variety with-in a breed (which I love comparing, as I study breeds and write about them).

However, before I do this, I want to avoid tragedy. I don't want deformed, dead chicks (ducklings, goslings, keets, quail, poults) on arrival or hatching eggs that never hatch. Do any of you have any hatcheries you suggest I stay away from?

Any small-time hatcheries you suggest I try?

So far I've gotten chicks from the feed store, McMurrays, a backyard breeder, friends, and Cackle and they have all been pretty healthy and good birds.


Thanks for any advise!

 

[Toddrick]

I dunno if your experiment will be valid due to the fact that hatcheries further from where you live will have to ship a lot further (costing way more), increasing the risk of them being DOA or stunted.

 

[GitaBooks]

I understand, and thanks for the advise!

Its just, I'm looking to find as many genetic resources as I can that I can use regularly over the next few years and I would love to see how people ship, handle, breed, and raise their chicks. I want to see the varieties and different methods so I have a better understanding of all the different ways you can breed/raise/ship chicks. I know sometimes you lose chicks that are shipped and it is not the hatcheries fault, I've lost chicks before that were shipped, but I want to check how healthy they are growing, how friendly they are, ect, ect, ect.

Again, thanks for the advise!

 

[Michael OShay]

Unless your located a long way from them (eastern USA), I would suggest adding Dunlap Hatchery, which is my personal favorite hatchery, to your list. They are a smaller family run hatchery that's located in Caldwell, Idaho, and the folks there are very helpful and friendly. I've ordered chicks from them on a number of occasions and have never lost one in shipping. I can't say that about the three larger hatcheries that I've ordered from (Murray McMurray, Cackle, and Ideal Poultry; although I've been satisfied with the birds and service of these three as well).

 

[familypendragon]

I only buy from MG clean tested breeders which are few and far between. I buy from www.whitmorefarm.com I have BBS Ameraucanas, Delawares, and Welsummers from them. They all have proper leg color, combs, etc. I had 2 black Ameraucanas that had a little tiny bit of color bleed in their hackles and were given away as pets, but so far the rest look really nice. Having a hard time picking my favorite roos to keep. And they have grown faster than any other birds I've had. Very hearty! I give them 5 out of 5 stars!


ETA: They were shipped from Maryland to Texas March 15th with no losses

 

[GitaBooks]

Unless your located a long way from them (eastern USA), I would suggest adding Dunlap Hatchery, which is my personal favorite hatchery, to your list. They are a smaller family run hatchery that's located in Caldwell, Idaho, and the folks there are very helpful and friendly. I've ordered chicks from them on a number of occasions and have never lost one in shipping. I can't say that about the three larger hatcheries that I've ordered from (Murray McMurray, Cackle, and Ideal Poultry; although I've been satisfied with the birds and service of these three as well).

Thanks! I'll certainly add them to my list!

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks! I'll certainly add them to my list!

You're welcome.

 

[shortgrass]

I applaud your desire to learn and apply said learning! It's reminiscent of myself....a lot younger self lol

I don't want to ask personal questions on open forum, so PM me if you'd like... You sound like you are at the younger side of life, and I can offer some tips from my own little fetime if experiments... Start small. You don't want to overwhelm yourself and let frustration and poor planning set back any of your trials. I have a horrible habit of "putting too much on my plate" and then I can't possibly compute my results and get frustrated at my own lack of coordination lol... I started college going into animal science; it be a vet or geneticist... Whoa. Changed my major to Agronomy and have never been more pleased with my ultimate decision. It's a huge cool sciency world and helps to take small bites

Start with one or 2 specific breeds. Keep immaculate notes. Even stupid trivial things; a chicken ate a potato? Take notes, it ma come back and be handy to be able to "quote" your own results when all the "show me scientific proof" people crawl out if the woodwork....

On a personal note, do not take what people sitting on their phones or laptops say too seriously ... Some are great advice and good people, some are just trollung looking for trouble... Annnnd scientific proof blah blah blah ha-ha... I learned the hard way to keep my science to myself here; some don't understand and will openly mock; don't let it deter you.

Pm me, I think I could keep your head spinning for quite some time; learning is my passion too

Oh yeah ha-ha, got sidetracked...I ordered my DH some Mallard ducklings from McMurray Hatchery this spring; they were all healthy and grew vigorously, so signs of disease or poor breeding (he's had wild ducks his whole life, so I'm using HIS judgement here). I can't say what quality chickens are, they do more if a Co-op where farmers sell their fertile eggs to the Hatchery, so breeding in those lines, you're lucky if its had good records and its been bred true to type... I've heard good reports, so that's why I went with them.