Bad Experience w/IDEAL Poultry Hatchery: Normal Occurrence?

[dealfinder500]

Ordered 25 feather legged bantams on the 25th shipped same day. They sent 27. One could not stand and had pasty butt and only lived 2 days. All the rest are doing great. They did not have a problem with the chick starter. They got Southern States non medicated for 6 days and started on Nutrena medicated yesterday. There are no poultry farms close by and I have never vaccinated. I am happy with my bantams from Ideal and the Black Sex Links I got last year. They have really great deals. They have a special on bantams for this coming week assorted cochins, assorted feather legged, assorted clean legged, and assorted hatchery choice for $1.10 each with assorted Silkies at $1.40 each. Surprise special full size chicks straight run $1.05 each pullets $1.55 each, barred rock pullets same, black sex link pullets $1.65 each, Ameraucana, production red, and RIR pullets $1.95 each, and Cornish rock broilers $1.15 each.

I swore I was done with chicks for the year, and then I checked their site Tuesday night, and saw those silkies for $1.40. Ended up ordering 40 silkies and 30 more feather legged... Was so tempted to get some more broilers... I'm an addict!

I also got my replacement shipment yesterday, they sent exactly the # that had died, no extras (ok, I may have been a tad greedy hoping they were going to ship extras, maybe even the whole order!), and I did have one of those die in transit (the only silkie, too!), but when I had thought I might not get a single live one due to some unusual high temps, I'm ok with it. I did see at least two bantam Sultans. On the order I just placed, I put a note with it requesting if possible less of a variety and more multiples (3-5) of a kind. We'll see if they can.

 

[RareDuck]

I wish I could get more deals but I do not have a safe suitable place for too many little ones. I hope all get sold and live. I am expecting to get 8 more goslings soon so I need room for them. I wish I had ordered goslings from Ideal instead of Holderread even though I like the 3 birds they sent. I ordered the end of February was told they would ship in May. Last hatch in May they said they would ship in June. Last hatch of the year was supposed to be June 10th. No email. Called the next day 3 hatched a day late. They sent those 3. I was supposed to get 4. I will not order from them again. Too late to order geese from Ideal. My bantams seem to prefer the Southern States starter which has smaller pieces than the Nutrena. It seems to be finely ground enough for the smallest birds. I can get Nutrena(medicated only not supposed to be good for goslings) in town Southern States is almost 50 miles round trip but I got a $20. off coupon(printed from their website) so I will be going there soon.. Hope you get what you want.

 

[dealfinder500]

I wish I could get more deals but I do not have a safe suitable place for too many little ones. I hope all get sold and live. I am expecting to get 8 more goslings soon so I need room for them. I wish I had ordered goslings from Ideal instead of Holderread even though I like the 3 birds they sent. I ordered the end of February was told they would ship in May. Last hatch in May they said they would ship in June. Last hatch of the year was supposed to be June 10th. No email. Called the next day 3 hatched a day late. They sent those 3. I was supposed to get 4. I will not order from them again. Too late to order geese from Ideal. My bantams seem to prefer the Southern States starter which has smaller pieces than the Nutrena. It seems to be finely ground enough for the smallest birds. I can get Nutrena(medicated only not supposed to be good for goslings) in town Southern States is almost 50 miles round trip but I got a $20. off coupon(printed from their website) so I will be going there soon.. Hope you get what you want.

Yeah, I got 14 goslings on the last shipping date for them! I got them for $5.45, too (it was actually the previous week's special and they were out, but because of a internet problem my order went through and they honored it for the next week).

I have given my goslings medicated feed (Nutrena) and have had no problems. I'm told that it is no longer a problem... that it used to be years and years ago but they use something different now. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea. Google it and you come up with tons of answers both ways!

 

[RareDuck]

I gave my ducklings Nutrena last year after reading that it was OK and 2 of them had leg problems. One could only scoot around and the other had one good leg. It looked like curled toe paralysis which is supposed to be a riboflavin deficiency. They got a vitamin B complex supplement but did not improve. Southern States says its feed is made for waterfowl as well as chicks. My goslings are doing good on it and have big strong legs under them. They get greens everyday also.

 

[gritsar]

Yeah, I got 14 goslings on the last shipping date for them! I got them for $5.45, too (it was actually the previous week's special and they were out, but because of a internet problem my order went through and they honored it for the next week).

I have given my goslings medicated feed (Nutrena) and have had no problems. I'm told that it is no longer a problem... that it used to be years and years ago but they use something different now. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea. Google it and you come up with tons of answers both ways!

If the medication in the medicated feed is Amprolium then it is not a problem, it was only a problem with some of the older coccidistats. Still, for peace of mind, better to feed a non-medicated feed if you can get it. Purina Flockraiser is one such feed.
I feed my waterfowl a locally milled food called Allway Kernels, it's non-medicated and has the niacin supplement in it that waterfowl need for strong legs and straight wings (no "angel wing"). Just to be on the safe side, I get them out grazing as early as possible and feed them thawed bags of green peas several times a week. Mash the peas well for the babies until they are big enough to handle a whole pea. Waterfowl need their protein cut after two weeks of age. If you can't graze them safely at that age add plain old-fashioned oats (like Quaker oats), finely chopped greens and mashed peas to their commercial feed to cut the protein.
I currently have 6 four week old call ducklings, the offspring of my original pair's daughter. I have the bruises to prove it too. Call duck hens may be tiny but they are fierce mothers.

 

[RareDuck]

Nutrena has amprolium but their chick starter does not state that it is suitable for waterfowl. It does not say it isn't either. Mine got grass at first + Save A Chick like the breeder recommended and they are getting fresh kale now which they like a lot. They would not eat the canned which has no salt.

 

[dealfinder500]

Nutrena has amprolium but their chick starter does not state that it is suitable for waterfowl. It does not say it isn't either. Mine got grass at first + Save A Chick like the breeder recommended and they are getting fresh kale now which they like a lot. They would not eat the canned which has no salt.

My two week old goslings have been eating mostly grass since day four or five. I put them outside with a little feed in the dish and they pretty much ignore the feed for the most part.

 

[Michael OShay]

I have ordered from Ideal on several occasions and have had the chicks shipped as far as the big island of Hawaii, and have been satisfied with their service and birds. I have lost a chick or two on occasion in shipping, but Ideal has always put 2 or 3 extra chicks in the boxes and my full order has always been accounted for, living and in good health.

 

[PiTownPeep]

My new order from Ideal for 15 chicks was not ideal... one died at one week old of unknown causes, one has scissor beak, another has a deformed toe and one has failure to thrive as best as I can determine as he's less than half the size of his flock mates from the same hatch day. I'll not order from them again since these problems seem to be genetic and it's 25% of the order!
Now I won't be able to grow my flock from this stock and they are my only chickens I am going to call Ideal tomorrow and explain my situation. I emailed them about it, as I had a pending order for Bantams and I decided to cancel it and not take any more chances on their bloodlines. My 14 remaining chicks are now three weeks old, so hoping that no other problems emerge as they mature.
Toe issue (Polish), scissor beak (EE) and runt chick (another Polish with his same age Australorp friend), and a pic of my wee runt peep by himself...

 

[PiTownPeep]

And the one that died suddenly at one week old was a little Salmon Faverolles. Just looked like she was sleeping in the brooder with her friends and they all got up and started scampering about except for her. Was awful as as new chicken mom to see that... poor little thing.