Best Hatchery?

[lazydaisy67]

For the last five years I've just gotten my chicks from the local feed store during "chick days". They usually carried the breeds I was looking for, the Orpington's the Barred Rocks, etc. but this year I want to try some Silver Laced Wynadotts, some Golden Lakenvelder, and some Moran's. Any suggestions for a good hatchery that won't break the bank? I live in Iowa, so does distance need to be a consideration for shipping them?

 

[Mahonri]

If you live in Iowa, I would use McMurray.

 

[canada-goose]

Cackle Hatchery is good. You might want to check out their website: www.cacklehatchery.com

 

[lazydaisy67]

Ok, those are the ones that I'm most familiar with. Just wondering if there were any different suggestions out there. I don't see the Golden Lakenvelder on either site.

 

[Ariel301]

Ideal in Texas carries the Lakenvelders. I have not ordered from any hatchery before, but I think when I do, I'm going with Ideal because they're cheap.

 

[Qi Chicken]

Hi! I'm in Iowa too and am also looking into Silver Laced Wyandottes, Austrolorps, EEs, Sebrights, Buff Orpingtons, Wellsummers etc. We are in Brooklyn, near Grinnell and are looking to order in the Spring. Let us know what you decide! PM me if you have any experience with either of the Iowa hatcheries or live nearby, we could go in on a larger order that way. Good luck! Was hoping to order from a breeder but don't think I can coordinate all the different kinds of birds. We went to the Iowa poultry show in hopes of getting some names of breeders (especially for the wyandottes) but they ran out of the info sheets.

 

[lazydaisy67]

I always get the popular breeds from Orscheln's or Bomgaar's. I've never been dissatisfied with them in any way and they've always been healthy. I'll go that route this spring again, but wanted to add some "fancies" to the flock this time. I'll see what I can find. I REALLY want to add Moran's, but I'm thinking they'll be harder to find.

 

[AngieChick]

you can try Sandhill Preservation, they are in IA I believe.

 

[GraceAK]

DON'T BUY FROM IDEAL! Ideal's breeding habits are awful, producing sub-par chickens. their marans have light eggs, and all that biz. I've heard all kinds of horror stories about their chicks. buy from Meyer or McMurray.

 

[RhodeRunner]

I was very pleased with my Ideal Hatchery shipment, and not with my McMurry. Truthfully I think it all depends on the breed, that you are purchasing from the hatchery.

Ideal:
Brahma: These birds are a little underweight. The Dark I found was the best in size, and feathered feet. You will have to cull through a lot of the Buffs and Lights to get a good Columbian patterned bird.
Old English Game: My Old English Game from Ideal were also very nice.
Silkie: Not very good quality, but dandy pets. Out of five I had only had one that had feathered feet, a beard, tophat, and five toes.

McMurry
Australorp: To small, terrible layers, and I couldn't keep feathers on them for all the world.
Rhode Island Red: Okay, but I lost half of them, because they were sickly (yes, I vaccinated)
White Rock: Their White Rock hens are great!
Barred Rock: Barred Rock hen was okay.
Dark Cornish: Had seizers, but was very becoming.
White Giant: Fell in love with them, but so did a fox.

Ideal also packed their birds with care. McMurry threw them in a paperthin box in the dead of winter. I went through over fifty some chicks and only ended with 20 hens. (ordered 25 hens) This was when they were a few days old. With Ideal I didn't lose a single chick, they were sent in a sturdy box, and they even tapped up holes.

Good luck ordering, and getting chicks closer to home is a good idea as well.