Bad Experience w/IDEAL Poultry Hatchery: Normal Occurrence?

[IsbelAcresTN]

I ONLY order from Ideal. My chicks have always been healthy and robust and the losses minimal. Anytime I did have a loss, they have always credited my account for it. I have placed probably 20 orders with them and have always been pleased. Sorry you had a bad experience

 

[gmendoza]

I never have had a loss with ideal. Great company,good customer service. Ross is da man.He has helped me more than once.

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

I received chicks from Ideal last summer.

Upon arrival one chick was very weak. I gave it electrolytes by a dropper frequently but it had passed by morning.
I contacted Ideal and their customer service was great.They gave me credit for the chick which was as much as they could do.

I wasn't upset to lose the chick as sometimes it's just the luck of the draw.

I would recommend them to anyone.

I hope if you order chicks from them again you will have good luck as many do.

 

[Steve234]

I've ordered fromIdeal the past two years and had no real problems. This year I got Wyandotte Bantams, Cornish Bantams, Silkies, And a few Malay and Shamo hens. I'm real happy with the Cornish Bantams. I got BLRW Bantams last year and they are still doing great.

 

[anttrim]

it just so happens i lost all 35 polish all cochins and all red caps. the gold sexlinks are still alive. i think all hatcheries have disease spells like with my polish. I hate paying for diseased animals and risking my flock of 400. We will order from Cackle and Efowl. We have had the best luck with these guys and all my brooders are full with very healthy chicks. I received all 25 ameracuana, 25 wellsummers and 25 polish alive and well. I cant figure out why my gold sexlinks, from Ideal, were not infected or if the genes of the others were super weak. I am super ****** that all my polish chicks died. I also think saving a breed like red caps will be impossible if the chicks are sent to us sick. Maybe i can find them somewhere else or just start working on cream legbars from greenfire. As a Texan i can say i want local hatcheries to do well. Maybe the heat contributes to the spread. we have also had a lot of rain in san antone and it has been extremely humid. Misquitoes may also have contibuted to the fast spread. ive noticed some pox on my laying hens.

 

[nikkers390]

I am very green when it comes to raising chicks. I bought my very first 12 from a neighbor, mixed brown egg layers, and all thrived. This did give me confidence to get more.
I then bought 12 EE pullets from the local feed store. They are sent from Ideal. I'm in SW FL and this summer is extra wet and HOT as usual. All the chicks are doing well including the Ideal EEs. They are 5 weeks old now and lively as can be. The are in a 6 sided wire cage for maximum ventilation. I sometimes have to use a fan to circulate the hot air on my screened, Northern exposure, shady porch.
If I need more chicks, I would not hesitate to order from Ideal, but I would certainly wait for the weather to cool.

 

[anttrim]

Awesome, its all ways better to hear this kind of story. Good luck on the caunas. I just got 25 more and 15 wellsummers. Gotta have chocolates with the blues. Spend the extra 10 bucks and all ways vaccinate your mail order chicks. We have lost so many to hawks ,coons, heat and everything else. God Bless and good luck with the blue egg layers.

 

[Crazycomb]

Glad to find this thread. I am planning on buying from Ideal in a few weeks when the weather is a little cooler. I am planning on adding Easter Eggers, Silver Wyandottes and Brown Leghorns.

 

[foreverlearning]

I live in Louisiana and just recently got 50 Black Broilers from Ideal. Well, I say 50, I ordered 50 and got 57. I got the Grogel and put it in the brooder before the birds, they took to it instantly. I was surprised that they weren't stressed! I live in a little town and my post office called me at 4:08am, I was there by 4:30am to pick them up. Everyone was perky and no losses. From all that I have read it seems like the Post Office is to blame for most DOA's. My town is used to getting mail order chicks and my Post Office even has a draft free area with a heat lamp for them.

I had questions on shipping rates as other hatcheries have large ones and I couldn't find it for my area on the website so I called them. The staff was very friendly and answered all of my questions without rushing me off the phone. Turns out shipping was free for me. I also wanted to know about the Grogel because I have never used it before, you know what... she read me the label so I would know exactly what was in it. You can't get better customer service than that!

Before I ordered with Ideal I read as many threads as possible on all the big hatcheries. On this site Ideal has far more better reviews vs bad reviews than any other hatchery. I took my chances and am really glad I did. Heat can be a problem, but when I got mine the temps were 100+ and they all survived. You may take into consideration if your post office knows what to do with "that noisy box". I have seen some post offices (in bigger cities) toss a box with a "glass handle with care" stamp on them. If they can toss glass and not care what do you think they will do to your chicks? If you live in an area that is not used to getting live animals (like a big city), I suggest to speak to your post office the day before you expect them. You might just get better service from them and less losses.

Next time I order it WILL be threw Ideal. First time with them impressed me.

 

[Crazycomb]

I went ahead and placed my order last week due to the unseasonably cool weather we have been having. 10 baby chicks. They are due here on the 22nd. I will let you all know how they do. I have to agree with the poster above me.The post office has everything to do with the chicks arriving safely.