2014 Hatchery Chick Orders

[LunarBug]

Last year we had picked up some chicks from our local grain store. This year, though, I just placed my order for the Cackle Hatchery surprise! So excited!!

 

[StewedMammal]

Last year we had picked up some chicks from our local grain store. This year, though, I just placed my order for the Cackle Hatchery surprise! So excited!!

 

[kglazier]

I am planning to order some Brown Leghorns, Silkies, and a few brown egg layers.

I can't decided if I want the leghorns strait run or not. I want to butcher some but my daughter likes to name all the chickens, And my wife finds the idea unsettling.

Ideal seems to be the least expensive for small orders. Any reason not to order from them?

there is a real grain mill that is a 45 minutes drive from here. They will have Buff Os in march. I will get some from them too.
I have 7 from there that are 4 months. I may wait until they start laing before I get any more brown layers.

 

[StewedMammal]

I am planning to order some Brown Leghorns, Silkies, and a few brown egg layers.

I can't decided if I want the leghorns strait run or not. I want to butcher some but my daughter likes to name all the chickens, And my wife finds the idea unsettling.

Ideal seems to be the least expensive for small orders. Any reason not to order from them?

there is a real grain mill that is a 45 minutes drive from here. They will have Buff Os in march. I will get some from them too.
I have 7 from there that are 4 months. I may wait until they start laing before I get any more brown layers.

Ideal poultry is a great hatchery. Their silkies aren't the best, but good enough that I'm ordering some! I wouldn't suggest using leghorns for meat, but roosters from heavier breeds (like their brown egg layers) are a little more suited for meat if you'd rather get straight run of brown egg layers.

 

[popsicle]

I am planning to order some Brown Leghorns, Silkies, and a few brown egg layers.

I can't decided if I want the leghorns strait run or not. I want to butcher some but my daughter likes to name all the chickens, And my wife finds the idea unsettling.

Ideal seems to be the least expensive for small orders. Any reason not to order from them?

there is a real grain mill that is a 45 minutes drive from here. They will have Buff Os in march. I will get some from them too.
I have 7 from there that are 4 months. I may wait until they start laing before I get any more brown layers.

I agree--get your brown layers as straight run. The Silkies will be straight run also, and the meat is supposed to be just fine if not excellent. I've processed old leghorn hens, and the meat is fine, but not enough there to bother with raising cockerels for that purpose if there are other options. Let your daughter name the leghorns and silkies, but try to have her resist naming the straight run brown layers. OR get something like barred, cuckoo or sex-link birds where you will have an idea from the start who are the cockerels to not name.

 

[kglazier]

I get your point about the brown egg layers as straight run instead of leghorns. The reason i was thinking of butchering leghorns is it seems to me that over the last 20 years grocery store birds have gotten bigger and less flavorful. My mother has made the same observation in that she complains she can never find a chicken under 4 to 5 pounds. When we were kids she bought 3 pound chickens that tasted better.

the silkies are for my daughter and to brood some for us. I think, I am going to build a coop and run for the silkies for her to have has pets close to the house and let her take her 2 or 3 favorites from the flock now. I'll tell her she can't name any of my birds in the back because they are production birds.

 

[popsicle]

What you buy at the grocery store are 8 week old CornishX. Any dual purpose cockerel you butcher at 16-weeks or older will taste more like you remember.

 

[StewedMammal]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a ship date from Ideal? I ordered 18 days ago and haven't received a ship date yet.

 

[popsicle]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a ship date from Ideal? I ordered 18 days ago and haven't received a ship date yet.

I think you should call them. I got my ship date from them within 24 hours a week ago.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Did you not get one or pick one at checkout? I'd be calling them if you didn't pick a date since they ship year round, don't want to wind up with surprise chicks next week. I thought with Ideal the ship-date field automatically gives you the next available ship date when you check out ... or you can put in a different ship date you want (the site would tell you if your order was available on that date) ... there is usually also a box to check off if they should call if your order was available earlier?