Cackle Hatchery - Rare Breed Special and Top Hat Special?

[newchickychick]

Chicken math got me and we're expecting two more orders of chicks this year. Our first chicks are getting close to coop-ready and we will be getting an order from Cackle to be shipped on May 5th, and another June 25th!

Our first order of chicks was from Hoover's through TSC, a rare breed special and... all but 3 chicks are likely barred rocks, or maybe Dominiques. While I am absolutely overjoyed with how healthy and happy they've been, we were hoping for a little more variety in our variety box, even if they weren't any of the rare breeds. Every single chick was black/white or black/white/yellow. As we're keeping them to live long spoiled lives here, we were hoping for the variety to help us tell them apart a little better and to just have a nice little rainbow of chickens.

This time, we're trying our luck from Cackle. Has anyone here ordered their Rare Breed Straight Run or Crested "Top Hat" Special? Did you get a decent variety? This next order is Rare Breed Straight Run of 15 chicks. The second order in June will be 10 of the rare breed straight run and 10 of the crested "top hat" special. I'm just curious on if I can expect a fair few different breeds this time! We don't care at all if they're more common breeds, but a more even distribution of types of birds would even be lovely. 3 different breeds would still be great for us if there's not a massive amount of just one breed.

Thanks ahead of time!

(Editing: I have seen the older thread about Cackle Hatchery's Cackle Surprise! I was hoping for something a little more recent and these orders specifically. )

 

[Iluveggers]

Following just to see what you end up with! Could any of your rare barred chicks be Cuckoo Marans or Olive Eggers? Do you have pics?

 

[newchickychick]

Following just to see what you end up with! Could any of your rare barred chicks be Cuckoo Marans or Olive Eggers? Do you have pics?

I do! I started a thread in stories of my flock but I’ll take more today to post here! They’re growing so fast.
It’s definitely possible. I’m such a chicken newbie.

 

[newchickychick]

Following just to see what you end up with! Could any of your rare barred chicks be Cuckoo Marans or Olive Eggers? Do you have pics?

I'm genuinely so new to chickens that none of these could be barred rocks for all I know. Haha! But it's the closest thing I could figure. I'm definitely hoping for a little bit of color variety from my Cackle orders - but I'm also worried 15 and 20 respectively are too few to get a decent mix in there, which would be fair! But some variation would be wonderful. I'm so curious to see if anyone else has ordered these, and what they got!

This one is one of the ones I'm really uncertain of! Its feet are pinkish with a black wash. It seems to have barely any comb compared to all of the other chicks, but is by far the most bold/outgoing of them all.

There's another one of similar markings as well! This one was a tiny bit bigger than the other chicks and seemed to have already started a mini-molt (or lost some feathers from shipping stress) when we got it. But is now about the same size as the other chicks, so not sure if it was a tiny bit older or just a little bigger.

This one also is definitely different from all the others too. Dark gray body with a darker fade on the face, but seems to have some white starting to poke through in itty bitty feathers.
The one beneath it in the last pic also has seemed to be a lot lighter than the others with not as stark barring (if I'm understanding the pattern right) as the others.

And of course an assortment of the other babies! Some have feet that are much more of a pale yellow than the others that are quite yellow.

 

[Iluveggers]

Your top 2 black with white bellies look a lot like Australorps, but they aren't included in the Rare special. If they did not sub in any non-rare breeds, they could definitely be Midnight Majesty Marans. (Are there feathers on any of their legs? I didn't see it on the feet but my eyes are terrible...) The blue/grey chicks could be Sapphire Olive Eggers, and the only barred breed the "majority" could be is Cuckoo Marans. Of course, with a listing of Starlight Green Egger or Olive Egger, they have no distinct pattern so could be any of those as well. Will be curious to see what they turn out to be!

 

[newchickychick]

Your top 2 black with white bellies look a lot like Australorps, but they aren't included in the Rare special. If they did not sub in any non-rare breeds, they could definitely be Midnight Majesty Marans. (Are there feathers on any of their legs? I didn't see it on the feet but my eyes are terrible...) The blue/grey chicks could be Sapphire Olive Eggers, and the only barred breed the "majority" could be is Cuckoo Marans. Of course, with a listing of Starlight Green Egger or Olive Egger, they have no distinct pattern so could be any of those as well. Will be curious to see what they turn out to be!

I do think some might possibly be Marans and some barred rocks! I ordered through TSC for Hoover’s on the batch above and I do think eggers and Midnight Majesties were on the list! Though no feathered feet among them, I think I read some don’t have the feathers? Still so much to learn!

Yes, very much so same!
I’m really hopeful that we will get a couple different colors with our Cackle orders, though this may be a sign I’m meant to have a monochrome flock.

 

[Iluveggers]

I do think some might possibly be Marans and some barred rocks! I ordered through TSC for Hoover’s on the batch above and I do think eggers and Midnight Majesties were on the list! Though no feathered feet among them, I think I read some don’t have the feathers? Still so much to learn!

Yes, very much so same!
I’m really hopeful that we will get a couple different colors with our Cackle orders, though this may be a sign I’m meant to have a monochrome flock.

That just means next year you have to order early and put in some brown, buff, and white breeds to even it out! lol Barred Rocks were not on the rare breed list, so that is why I thought maybe Cuckoo Marans (same coloring...). Unless they just subbed in all regular breeds for you!

 

[newchickychick]

That just means next year you have to order early and put in some brown, buff, and white breeds to even it out! lol Barred Rocks were not on the rare breed list, so that is why I thought maybe Cuckoo Marans (same coloring...). Unless they just subbed in all regular breeds for you!

Their list on TSC has included non-rares! They don’t guarantee any rares at all through the site, which may differ from what they offer through their own I think. But honestly some of the ones I’m sold on being barreds (very yellow feet) are absolute angels so I’m happy!

Yes, I do! Hubby is learning fast how good I am at chicken math. I’m hoping to compare the two hatcheries to see what varities seem most varied. Since we’re keeping for companionship and eggs, it will be nice to tell as many of them apart as possible and learn through trial and error what breeds tend to be the friendliest.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I looked on cackle the other day for certain breeds and were sold out until oct I feel the specials might be all cockerels this year.

 

[newchickychick]

I looked on cackle the other day for certain breeds and were sold out until oct I feel the specials might be all cockerels this year.

I noticed that too! When we placed our orders there were a hunk of ones still left we’d be over the moon for. We are unlikely to keep a cockerel from this bunch to have a bit older hens to make sure the roo (or two) we keep won’t be as likely to be way too pushy with no push back, and just to be sure there’s not a mass of potential sisters if the roos from this batch are possibly brothers. (I’ve heard that can be one of the more problematic pairings when breeding chickens). So definitely some cockerels would be fine with us, but gosh hoping not all. We definitely have a lot from this batch to rehome or invite to dinner if that fails.