Bad Experience w/IDEAL Poultry Hatchery: Normal Occurrence?

[NickyPick]

I've ordered maybe a total of 50 chicks from Ideal in the last 4 years. I've lost 1 chick shortly after they arrived from the first batch and none since. The hens are of good size and aptitude. I love Ideal and will continue to order more from them. Of my original batch of 15, I still have 11, coming on 5 years of age next spring. The other three were taken by a fox, so I can hardly fault Ideal for that.

If you're losing chicks - maybe you need to look into when you're doing the ordering. Hot summer and cold winter times both have their issues - mostly dealing with the Postal Service - and in the spring, they're sending out about 100,000+ chicks a week and I would bet that the seasonal staff won't be as meticulous as the full timers, so things like emails and numbers could fall through the cracks.

 

[jtn42248]

I have gotten ducks, chickens and Bantams from Ideal and the only problem I have had has been with the postal service. All my birds were healthy on arrival and all but one survived and that one succumbed to the stress of shipping. I have also ordered a large number of chickens from another hatchery (MM) comprised of 5 each of 6 breeds and all of them survived except I lost one due to stress and all 5 of one breed for unknown reasons. While I appreciate the emotional trauma of loosing chicks there are so many factors that come in to play when they die that it is hard to place blame on any one factor.

I will continue to deal with Ideal Poultry because I have had a good experience with them. With the 10's of thousands of chicks that they ship each week if they had an outbreak of disease it would become very evident nationally in a hurry and the State would take action to prevent any further shipments.

 

[RareDuck]

I am happy with my birds from Ideal. I got 15 Black sex link pullets last year hatched 8/27 all lived and grew well. I got feather legged bantams hatched 6/25/14 and all lived but one that could not stand. I got assorted Silkies hatched 7/22/14 and all lived but one that could not stand. The feather legged were only $1. each + shipping and the Silkies were $1.05 each + shipping

 

[snowchicken77]

I have ordered from McMurray Hatchery several times and have received healthy chicks every time.

 

[John D]

Great experience only with ideal.

 

[pinknev]

I live in the Bahamas and have purchased all my chicks from ideal and have not had a problem my last set of chicks 25 leghorns 25 white rocks 20 rir 10 barred rocks and 5 bramas they are now 8 weeks and have not lost a single chick so to come from the usa to the bahamas without a lost i think they must have a good product .Also looking to cross breed for a good meat chicken any ideas

 

[jane s chickens]

I ordered 12 of the surprise special from Ideal in mid October and received them on Halloween. They were all alive and active. They were my b-day present. 8 BR pullets, 1 red sex link pullet, 1 silver lacewing wyndotte pullet, 1 Amercauana roo, 1 BO roo and 1 white roo?. Couldn't be happier with my now 6 week old chicks. Next spring I intend to cross the Amercauana roo with the BR pullets and hope to get more green egg layers. I was hoping the wyndotte was golden since I have a beautiful GLWW roo that I got from a local breeder. I enjoyed figuring out the breed of the chicks, but knew immediately what the BRs were.

 

[ChickadeeHawk]

A friend and I ordered ducks from Ideal this year.... most of them came as crested, and we ordered prior to their site saying the order "could" include crested birds. My birds were Indian Runners, and run- they could not. At about 12 weeks I had to sell them.... I intended to use them for herding, but they didn't seem to have the usual conformation of any runners I've ever had in the past, and just couldn't move fast enough to work the dogs on. (Considering they had crests, they were likely cross-breds of some variety.) I wrote to Ideal about this, and they didn't reply at all.

 

[barbarads]

I ORDERED 25 BLACK SEX LINK CHICKS THEY WERE ALL HEALTHY AND ALL LIVED FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS NETGHBORS DOG HAWKS AND OWLS GOT THEM ALL ITS BEEN ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO SO SORRY YOU HAD SUCH BAD LUCK . I BUY GROWN OR HALF GROWN CHICKENS NOW AND LOCK THE HEN HOUSE EVERY NIGHT NOW I LOVE CHICKENS . GOD BLESS U ALL BARBARA

 

[baakbaakQueen]

I order on wed, peeps arrive next day. I'm a few hours away from cameron. When I bought my first batch I drove out to the facility just to see where the peeps were coming from: its very clean, nice front office people, public not allowed in or on hatchery for security of the birds (keeps cooties out lol), the place doesn't smell like chicken poo or ammonia, there were many large van size orders being picked up. when talkin with people waitin in line to pick up many of them were long time repeat customers . Pickin up in person my peeps were all fat happy and lived long healthy lives... the next several batches I ordered n had them shipped, once lost a few due to post office handling - Ideal is very quick to reimburse for cost of chicks lost... on a VERY RARE occasion I've gotten a scissor beak (just once) , this last time I got two with splay legs which looks like it was from shipping (they are hobbled n doing ok now). I have ordered everything from rhode island reds, sultans to golden campine... have never been disappointed with the quality or the beauty or health of the peeps or birds as they grow. I dont baby my peeps, the hens dont either.. they all grow up big and healthy and great layers.. I would certainly order again, as I have ordered 4 or 5 times from them at this point. The specials are great, straight runs tend to be 50/50 for pullet/roos so keep that in mind... I have order straight runs and been happy with them as well as ordered Just pullets and very happy with them... All my chickens are healthy and productive. when ordered take into account the distance the peeps must travel (how many days), the weather they will be traveling in...n how they are handled along the way..and how long they sit in that box at the post office without heat or water... my post office is great with calling me the minute they hit the door. The people that are in the office at Ideal are helpful and patient when asking a ton of questions or tryin to figure out how to order the rare breeds...so I would have to say the bad experience is NOT a normal occurrence.