Bad Experience w/IDEAL Poultry Hatchery: Normal Occurrence?

[Lenton's Happy Chick Farm]

We ordered from Ideal for the first time in July. We ordered 30 chicks (25 assorted dark egg layers) and 5 brown leghorn pullets. They all arrived hungry, active, and healthy. They are now going on 7 weeks old and are doing fantastic! Our only complaint is that we have identified at least six roos in the all pullet order so far. I have never been wrong and one of them is even crowing already (so funny because he is so little!). We have contacted Ideal and they requested that we email pictures of the suspected roos. I am sure they will make it right with us. However, we have already invested time and money into these birds that were will unfortunately not be contributing to our laying operation. Nevertheless, we will continue to do business with Ideal. The combination of their selection, prices, and quality are hard to beat!

 

[Kristen D]

Hi Everyone -

We wanted to take the time to address some of the concerns stated in this thread. We are sorry to see that you have had a bad experience with our poultry. We pride ourselves on breeding and selling quality poultry. We also strive to create a most pleasant experience with our staff while you order.

We are an NPIP Certified and Monitored Hatchery. We go even further with very stringent Biosecurity and Animal Husbandry practices to ensure the health of our poultry. Poultry diseases, ones that are transferred hen to chick, are very virulent and can be deadly. Many of these also affect hatchability and fertility. We do not have a disease on our farm nor do the chicks that leave our facility. Our chickens are our business and livelihood, and would not compromise their health or comfortability intentionally. Once a disease is present, there has to be time for the body and immune system to be compromised which then visible symptoms can be seen. Most loss that can be seen within the first few days of receipt is due to stress from shipment and not from disease. It is very hot outside and we do all we can at our facility to ensure the comfort and livability of the poultry that leaves here. However, once they have left our facility, we do not have control over how each shipment is handled until it reaches the customer. Contrary to belief, we do not receive any recourse from the postal service when a shipment arrives dead or stressed. We offer to reship or refund at our cost. Our customers order and expect live poultry and we want our customers to receive live poultry. We would not be in business for 74 years by providing inferior poultry.

To Gresh - I am sorry that you feel the answer provided was not what you were looking for. If we did not provide you compensation for your loss in credit back to means of purchase, please let me know. We cannot always determine why chicks die as it is very hard to diagnose over the phone. We are always willing to help and provide solutions when we can.

When I am in the office, I am always willing to help with any poultry health or husbandry questions. I have Poultry Science Degree from Texas A&M University and years of poultry experience. We hope this information helps and also answers the concerns.

Ross Windham
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farms

I haven't had the chance to purchase from your Hatchery yet, but I was planning to. This professional response is respectful. I definitely will purchase from you in the spring.

 

[Robert G]

I've order from them in the past with orders always being 25 chicks. All of them were active and hungry. It's been a couple of years and time to order some more. Will definitely order from them again.

 

[JudysMuscovy]

I have ordered from Ideal several times and have not lost a chick - I did order a variety of feathered feet and got a silkie chick with deformed feet. but otherwise she was healthy, I am looking at placing an order in March. I would like to pick them up instead of shipping them though so will have to call and talk to someone.

 

[Robert G]

Well I just ordered some easter eggers, welsummers, and barnevelders and they are supposed to be shipped on 5/2.

 

[ledmonson]

Hi, all! I wanted to know your opinions of IDEAL Poultry Hatchery and Breeding Farms in Cameron, Texas. I recently placed an order with them, and have had a most disagreeable experience so far. I ordered seven chicks, only three of which have turned out healthy. One (a Russian Orloff male) was dead on arrival. Three others (a female Buckeye and two female Orloffs) were infected with a disease that I can only best describe as stiffness in the legs and wobbliness. One female Orloff died of this disease the night of arrival, and the other Orloff and the Buckeye pretty much went downhill from there. I took very good care of these chicks (I have raised several chicks in the past successfully) and cannot think of anything I erred in. They had clean pine-shaving bedding and water, medicated chick starter feed, proper light and heat, and no drafts in the brooder. I also gave them water-soluble vitamins for the first few days after shipping. I called IDEAL about it, and they said that it was merely shipping stress (bad explanation for the stiff legs and wobbliness). They refused to admit any possible error on their part.

So, as you can see, I haven't had a good experience with IDEAL. However, I want to know if stuff like this has happened to anyone else. I really like IDEAL's low prices and the relatively quick shipping, but I'd rather pay high price and wait awhile to get good stock than pay IDEAL's price and wait IDEAL's time for bad stock.

If IDEAL is normally as bad as it was for me, I'd be indebted to anyone who could give me some better hatchery suggestions. Ones I have considered are: Meyer, Cackle, Purely Poultry, and My Pet Chicken.

Thanks!

 

[ledmonson]

Hi, all! I wanted to know your opinions of IDEAL Poultry Hatchery and Breeding Farms in Cameron, Texas. I recently placed an order with them, and have had a most disagreeable experience so far. I ordered seven chicks, only three of which have turned out healthy. One (a Russian Orloff male) was dead on arrival. Three others (a female Buckeye and two female Orloffs) were infected with a disease that I can only best describe as stiffness in the legs and wobbliness. One female Orloff died of this disease the night of arrival, and the other Orloff and the Buckeye pretty much went downhill from there. I took very good care of these chicks (I have raised several chicks in the past successfully) and cannot think of anything I erred in. They had clean pine-shaving bedding and water, medicated chick starter feed, proper light and heat, and no drafts in the brooder. I also gave them water-soluble vitamins for the first few days after shipping. I called IDEAL about it, and they said that it was merely shipping stress (bad explanation for the stiff legs and wobbliness). They refused to admit any possible error on their part.

So, as you can see, I haven't had a good experience with IDEAL. However, I want to know if stuff like this has happened to anyone else. I really like IDEAL's low prices and the relatively quick shipping, but I'd rather pay high price and wait awhile to get good stock than pay IDEAL's price and wait IDEAL's time for bad stock.

If IDEAL is normally as bad as it was for me, I'd be indebted to anyone who could give me some better hatchery suggestions. Ones I have considered are: Meyer, Cackle, Purely Poultry, and My Pet Chicken.

Thanks!

I have ordered 4 batches of Chickens from ideal Hatchery and never lost one, One of my mind lived to be 4 years old, and I have bantams that are over 2 years old, but I live in Texas and the hatchery is in Texas, so that might make a difference if you live out of state. I would recommend if you can to order from your state, that way it will not be hard on the babies.

 

[ledmonson]

I have ordered 4 batches of Chickens from ideal Hatchery and never lost one, One of my mine lived to be 4 years old, and I have bantams that are over 2 years old, but I live in Texas and the hatchery is in Texas, so that might make a difference if you live out of state. I would recommend if you can to order from your state, that way it will not be hard on the babies.

 

[joydix]

i have ordered a number of times from ideal. i am no longer a fan of hatcheries and prefer to order hatching eggs or local breeders. i have had great experience with their employees and their standard size regular breeds. but i ordered a lot of "fancy" chics and they don't always arrive in good shape. i think they are more delicate. and same for bantams. the journey is just too hard. i am in CA. as for quality....most of it are good in my experience. i have had particular BAD luck with their spitzhaubens....good quality as for appearance but most die so done with that. Brabanters, (such a fabulous personable breed!)don't always have both crests AND beards....one or the other mostly but not always..some have both...really like their staff tho...

 

[Robert G]

I have ordered 4 batches of Chickens from ideal Hatchery and never lost one, One of my mine lived to be 4 years old, and I have bantams that are over 2 years old, but I live in Texas and the hatchery is in Texas, so that might make a difference if you live out of state. I would recommend if you can to order from your state, that way it will not be hard on the babies.

I agree with you. A couple of years ago I ordered from Murray McMurray and the chicks arrived in bad condition. We did all we could and one by one died. The lid of the box has droppings indicating the box was upside down at one time. They shipped a second batch at no charge with the same result. Finally asked for a refund which they did. I just thought the distance was too far. We then ordered from IDEAL and got them without any problems. Been ordering from them since.