Cackle Hatchery - Rare Breed Special and Top Hat Special?

[Artscape68]

Most definitely! I’ve honestly been tempted to look into buying hatching eggs for potential frizzle Polish as it looks like the only way to buy any. I’m nervous though, as I’m not sure how to locate reliable ones through ebay or so.

I’ve really enjoyed our Tolbunt so far. It’s been very good natured and calm! Our gold laced from Cackle was an extreme eye pecker at first, but after a few days of constant monitoring and behavioral reminders (pecking it back with my finger) it’s now one of the friendliest. I did make sure it had extra vitamins though, in case it was a sudden protein deficiency it arrived with. It’s taken a lot of the younger chicks under its wing and been very sweet.

I’m hoping to get some Spitzhauben too as they just seem so lovely!

I am excited to see the colors when they all grow up. The Tolbunt are so colorful, like confetti chickens.

 

[newchickychick]

15 chicks ordered, 15 arrived. I’ve yet to get any extras with my orders in case of losses, but honestly have never expected that.

1 Silkie arrived with wry neck and has been separated and is being treated. Even still, it is a very lovely and lively cutie! I’ve never treated wry neck before so really praying I can do a good job in making it pull through.

Everyone else was quiet as could be when they arrived so I was ANXIOUS. In no time at all, they were scurrying around with their new friends and drinking and eating with 0 issues.

I definitely got 1 Sicilian Buttercup. I have 3 Silver Speckled Hamburgs as well. There’s 3 I’m a little uncertain of. They’re a little fluffy but have clean legs. They look like they could either be Dark Aseel or Black Sumatras. Help! Does anyone know a good way to tell a difference as chicks? While dark aseel are stunning, I’m worried about temperaments when mixed with my current flock so would want to immediately look into finding them a happy home that’s better equipped for them if they are indeed aseel.
There’s another that color-wise looks like it could be an egyptian fayoumi or a gold spangled spitzhauben. Either one I would be over the moon about! We got two more chipmunks as well, so thrilled to see how they turn out. They seem very blue-y/silvery with chocolate brown chipmunk stripe on the back.
That’s one missing but I can’t for the life of me recall what the last one was. We may have gotten an extra silkie instead of a 10th rare? It was hectic trying to make sure Weebles (the wry neck baby) was alright.

Overall, again very happy with the assortment! I was JUST talking to hubby last night about loving the Sicilian Buttercups!

 

[cassie]

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. )

I always wanted to order the Surprise. Life got in the way, and I was never able to do so. I thought it would be a lot of fun.

 

[Artscape68]

15 chicks ordered, 15 arrived. I’ve yet to get any extras with my orders in case of losses, but honestly have never expected that.

1 Silkie arrived with wry neck and has been separated and is being treated. Even still, it is a very lovely and lively cutie! I’ve never treated wry neck before so really praying I can do a good job in making it pull through.

Everyone else was quiet as could be when they arrived so I was ANXIOUS. In no time at all, they were scurrying around with their new friends and drinking and eating with 0 issues.

I definitely got 1 Sicilian Buttercup. I have 3 Silver Speckled Hamburgs as well. There’s 3 I’m a little uncertain of. They’re a little fluffy but have clean legs. They look like they could either be Dark Aseel or Black Sumatras. Help! Does anyone know a good way to tell a difference as chicks? While dark aseel are stunning, I’m worried about temperaments when mixed with my current flock so would want to immediately look into finding them a happy home that’s better equipped for them if they are indeed aseel.
There’s another that color-wise looks like it could be an egyptian fayoumi or a gold spangled spitzhauben. Either one I would be over the moon about! We got two more chipmunks as well, so thrilled to see how they turn out. They seem very blue-y/silvery with chocolate brown chipmunk stripe on the back.
That’s one missing but I can’t for the life of me recall what the last one was. We may have gotten an extra silkie instead of a 10th rare? It was hectic trying to make sure Weebles (the wry neck baby) was alright.

Overall, again very happy with the assortment! I was JUST talking to hubby last night about loving the Sicilian Buttercups!

So happy for you.. great news. One of my Tolbunt chicks is so much smaller than the rest, not growing at same rate.. Acting normal .. I am wondering if it is a bantam.

 

[newchickychick]

I always wanted to order the Surprise. Life got in the way, and I was never able to do so. I thought it would be a lot of fun.

The rare breed special has been a lot of fun! Granted, I don't know WHAT I'll do if I ended up with 3 aseels. Since I'm a beginner keeper, I know they'd be quite a challenge for me - plus we don't have a place to safely separately house Aseel for the time being. Ack! But honestly the ones we've gotten otherwise, have been WONDERFUL.

So happy for you.. great news. One of my Tolbunt chicks is so much smaller than the rest, not growing at same rate.. Acting normal .. I am wondering if it is a bantam.

One of our Splash was like that! It took an extra two weeks to catch up to the others, but it's now finally the same size as the others. It had me scared it was a FTT. It was just taking its time.

 

[NatJ]

There’s 3 I’m a little uncertain of. They’re a little fluffy but have clean legs. They look like they could either be Dark Aseel or Black Sumatras. Help! Does anyone know a good way to tell a difference as chicks? While dark aseel are stunning, I’m worried about temperaments when mixed with my current flock so would want to immediately look into finding them a happy home that’s better equipped for them if they are indeed aseel.

Maybe post photos of them?

Other than that, watch as they grow feathers and get a bit older, and it will probably become clear with time.

There’s another that color-wise looks like it could be an egyptian fayoumi or a gold spangled spitzhauben. Either one I would be over the moon about!

Maybe check the comb: Spitzhauben should have a V comb, Fayoumi should have a single comb. Looking at the chick photos on Cackle's website, I see that Spitzhaubens also have a different shape of beak over the nostrils (it sort of bumps up a bit.)

I imagine those will be pretty obvious once they get some feathers (coloring, pattern, crest of Spitzhauben).

 

[newchickychick]

Maybe post photos of them?

Other than that, watch as they grow feathers and get a bit older, and it will probably become clear with time.


Maybe check the comb: Spitzhauben should have a V comb, Fayoumi should have a single comb. Looking at the chick photos on Cackle's website, I see that Spitzhaubens also have a different shape of beak over the nostrils (it sort of bumps up a bit.)

I imagine those will be pretty obvious once they get some feathers (coloring, pattern, crest of Spitzhauben).

Definitely gathering some pics asap! They're precious. <3 I was looking between the black sumatra chick pics and the dark aseels and was having a TOUGH time really telling a difference. Especially since I think they both have similar combs? Hoo boy. But I do feel like something 'unique' like aseels would hopefully find a home nearby here, as I would want to be sure they had a very experienced keeper.

Oh yes, I think I recall Spitzhaubens having more 'open' nostrils like Polish! Time to look at the nose.

Their Silkies are RIDICULOUSLY fluffy though. Ideal's certainly were cute, but the FLUFF on these from Cackle are glorious! I was really surprised.

 

[NatJ]

I was looking between the black sumatra chick pics and the dark aseels and was having a TOUGH time really telling a difference. Especially since I think they both have similar combs? Hoo boy.

Yes, I would expect pea combs on both of them.

Oh yes, I think I recall Spitzhaubens having more 'open' nostrils like Polish! Time to look at the nose.

The things we chicken keepers do
Such as studying the nostril shape on tiny little chicks.

 

[newchickychick]

Yes, I would expect pea combs on both of them.


The things we chicken keepers do
Such as studying the nostril shape on tiny little chicks.

Me at the store today: Okay I need honey, B Complex, a tent, selenium, and paper towels for my chickens.
A passerby: ?????



Soooo this is the best I can really do as far as details go!

And I think… this would be Spitzhauben? Maaaybe?

Looking at the dark chicks now, where their combs will be looks so very dark. Posture almost made me think Aseel, but the darkness on the comb area has me leaning Sumatra. Hmm!

 

[NatJ]

And I think… this would be Spitzhauben? Maaaybe?

I think it's going to be one of the breeds with a V comb, presumably crested, so that means Spitzhauben or possibly Polish. But I think Polish often have a vaulted skull (lump on top of the head), which makes Spitzhauben the more likely answer.

Looking at the dark chicks now, where their combs will be looks so very dark. Posture almost made me think Aseel, but the darkness on the comb area has me leaning Sumatra. Hmm!

I am somewhat leaning Sumatra, but like you I'm not really sure.