Anyone familiar with the hens from Cackle?

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I used to order from Murray McMurray. Then I found that I could simply drive to Meyer, so I used them for two years. However, my last cohort of pullets simply isn't performing the way I'd like them to, so I was considering moving back to MMM.

However, someone told me that Cackle has more production-type birds that lay more eggs than the pet-type birds from MMM. Has anyone been able to do a comparison of same-breed (or hybrid, like RSL) birds from different hatcheries to know if one hatchery has a strain that lays better than another?

I'm also open to ordering from Ideal or any place that has hens that lay larger numbers of eggs.

Thanks.

 

[Dead Rabbit]

the best red/golden sex link layers IMO is the ISA Browns from Townline Hatchery up in Michigan.
they outlay everything else ive ever had.

after them id have to say the golden sexlink from Mt Healthy. i was happy with them also

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Thanks for the tip about Townline. I like that they're close to us.

Although they are in-state, I won't buy from Mt. Healthy because of the huge salmonella problems they had a couple of years ago.

 

[Dead Rabbit]

Thanks for the tip about Townline. I like that they're close to us.

Although they are in-state, I won't buy from Mt. Healthy because of the huge salmonella problems they had a couple of years ago.

i didnt know about that. thats when i had their stock too. couple yrs back. but i want to correct myself. the hens i had were golden comets. basically same thing i guess. but they were very nice hens. great producers.

 

[Dead Rabbit]

just to give the ISA a little more merit....they laid the largest egg i ever got. i couldnt close the store bought egg cartons with their eggs in them. they laid 100% almost all their first summer and for 5 days during that summer i got over 100% 4 days i got an extra egg and one day i got 2 extra eggs. so someone was laying two eggs a day. my numbers may be off cause this was few yrs back. but its close if not dead on to what i just typed. ive never seen anything like them.

now the negative.....after they were a yr old the shells started losing the quality they initially had. i asked others about this problem and they didnt have the same problem. so perhaps it was just me.

another plus.......i ordered 25 and they sent me 30. if i remeber, everything arrived alive and i only lost 2 before they got to laying age. not too shabby for a strain of fowl or a hatchery IMO.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

just to give the ISA a little more merit....they laid the largest egg i ever got. i couldnt close the store bought egg cartons with their eggs in them.

Eek-that would be a problem for me. We sell eggs, and must be able to close the cartons. When we get super-extra-larges, we can't sell them and end up giving them to the neighbors or eating them.

Anyone else have that problem? I do get Golden Comets (from Meyer) laying an overly large egg from time to time, but usually only one or two birds out of the flock. I know, I'm odd. Most people would love to get super jumbos all the time, and here I am complaining!

 

[Dead Rabbit]

i agree....the customers i have LOVED those huge eggs. but i found them to be a royal pain. a local orchard here sells local eggs that are monstrocities like these we are speaking of. and thier cartons are just the flats. no lids. but IMO this would be an aggrevation too. but they sell them for top dollar and get it too. so it may be worth it to someone....(other than me)