Cackle Hatchery reviews

[Aamanda]

What makes you think they don't maintain breeding flocks?

UMMM try checking out their site. It tells you. Plus I live about 30 miles from the place. They get a shipment of eggs twice a week and hatch em out. then send them to you.

 

[mrchicks]

They do maintain breeding flocks, and have videos on their website. I just noticed the videos as I was looking for the bantam eggers. Aamanda, you seem to have a problem with Cackle, and I am sorry to see that. We have ordered 5 different breeds from them and are pleased with the quality of all of the birds they have sent us.

disclaimer: I have no relationship with Cackle, I'm just a customer.

 

[Aamanda]

OK yall. I don't have a problem with hatchery quality birds. BUT you need to research! Really? Do you really think one place breeds and maintains that many birds? ALMOST all hatcheries work by starting up someone with a flock of a certain breed. Meaning they pay for the chicks from wherever and get you started. You are then responsible for feed and care. The hatchery buys the eggs from you. You can have as many flocks as you want. That means unless you know the actual breeder and visit them you don't know for sure breeds aren't mixed by accident. Most hatcheries also never visit the place your eggs come from. Never make sure they are raised in a humane way. Fed correctly. Or are free of disease. The breeder sends them a shipment of say Orpinton eggs and the "Hatchery" assumes they are right. Its a HATCHERY. Not a breeder. It says it it right in the name. For the most part Cackle sends out decent birds. But many are mixed. They are misleading in the naming of their birds. Their "Heritage birds are really "Production Heritage" birds but they wont tell you that unless you have a problem. Its like a well....say Labrador breeding place that sells. BUT they want to sell dogs that have the biggest litters because buyers want producing dogs. They will cull the dogs that fit the standard to keep the dogs that have more babies. Eventually you have a dog that "sorta kinda" looks like a lab. Genetically its a lab. But put it next to a lab and you have what??
If you are looking for extreme egg laying then YES the hatchery is where to go. They have spent decades developing an egg layer. I don't knock that. Not in the least. But if you are looking for the real deal go to a reputable BREEDER. You take any breed from one of them and put it next to a hatchery bird of the same breed and you will understand.
(ok...off my soap box) lol

 

[Aamanda]

They do maintain breeding flocks, and have videos on their website. I just noticed the videos as I was looking for the bantam eggers. Aamanda, you seem to have a problem with Cackle, and I am sorry to see that. We have ordered 5 different breeds from them and are pleased with the quality of all of the birds they have sent us.

disclaimer: I have no relationship with Cackle, I'm just a customer.

Take the "tour" and it will show you how they get shipments in.http://www.cacklehatchery.com/cacklehatchery/cackle/ And another one

. I live a short distance from this place. The videos you see are of a breeder flock someone else maintains. If you don't belive me call em and ask them lol. Also right on the home page it says "Specializing in hatching and shipping..." Its not just Cackle that irks me. Its the misleading way they sell and advertise. Top that with buyers who don't read the fine print...Like on some of the pics where it stated they are not pics of Cackle hatchery birds. As I have said It not Hatchery birds I have a problem with.Its the misleading selling techniques. Maybe its because I live so close to them and locals buy them. Then have problems (as I did) and its more known. "Its often you hear "Let me guess you got those from Cackle?" said at a bird swap. Of the a chicken that no one will buy. Maybe further away its not as common to hear.
Hope I did the links right.

 

[miss heny]

okay, I've order from cackle before and had awesome results.

and about the flocks: they may have some of their breeding flocks off ground, but still own and run by cackle.

 

[NYREDS]

OK yall. I don't have a problem with hatchery quality birds. BUT you need to research! Really? Do you really think one place breeds and maintains that many birds? ALMOST all hatcheries work by starting up someone with a flock of a certain breed. Meaning they pay for the chicks from wherever and get you started. You are then responsible for feed and care. The hatchery buys the eggs from you. You can have as many flocks as you want. That means unless you know the actual breeder and visit them you don't know for sure breeds aren't mixed by accident. Most hatcheries also never visit the place your eggs come from. Never make sure they are raised in a humane way. Fed correctly. Or are free of disease. The breeder sends them a shipment of say Orpinton eggs and the "Hatchery" assumes they are right. Its a HATCHERY. Not a breeder. It says it it right in the name. For the most part Cackle sends out decent birds. But many are mixed. They are misleading in the naming of their birds. Their "Heritage birds are really "Production Heritage" birds but they wont tell you that unless you have a problem. Its like a well....say Labrador breeding place that sells. BUT they want to sell dogs that have the biggest litters because buyers want producing dogs. They will cull the dogs that fit the standard to keep the dogs that have more babies. Eventually you have a dog that "sorta kinda" looks like a lab. Genetically its a lab. But put it next to a lab and you have what??
If you are looking for extreme egg laying then YES the hatchery is where to go. They have spent decades developing an egg layer. I don't knock that. Not in the least. But if you are looking for the real deal go to a reputable BREEDER. You take any breed from one of them and put it next to a hatchery bird of the same breed and you will understand.
(ok...off my soap box) lol

I bow to your expertise. I should have known you were highly knowledgable by the looks of that quality show bird in your avitar.
ETA- the Cackle Brown Red Old English pullet I referred to was put next to about 35 "BREEDER BIRDS"-she beat them.

 

[Aamanda]

I bow to your expertise. I should have known you were highly knowledgable by the looks of that quality show bird in your avitar.
ETA- the Cackle Brown Red Old English pullet I referred to was put next to about 35 "BREEDER BIRDS"-she beat them.

LOL!! My Avatar is a Cackle bird. Thank you for making my point so well for me.

 

[Aamanda]

LOL!! My Avatar is a Cackle bird. Thank you for making my point so well for me.

It is in fact a pic of one of their "Heritage Rhode Island Reds" AND one of seven roosters I received in a pullet order. No worries though. After avoiding my calls for over a month they refunded me 8 bucks.

 

[toodlesmom]

Aamanda is right. But there is nothing wrong with getting your birds from Cackle if you want a production bird. A production chicken is a bird that will produce lots of eggs for about two to four years. Nothing wrong with that. A heritage chicken is a bird that is more in keeping with the way a chicken was a hundred years ago, the way it was developed to be. It will lay less eggs per year, but will lay for more years. It will be a larger, better-natured bird. To purchase a heritage chicken, you must search out a breeder who raises them and will sell to you, and that is not an easy thing to do. Hatchery purchases are easy, can be completed online or by phone, are cheaper, and come with guarantees. You just need to decide which is more important to you - the true-to-breed as it was originally developed to be, or a layer of many eggs. It is like the difference between choosing to eat at a four star restaurant and eating fast food. Both have their times and uses.

And, yes, hatcheries do have farms that do the breeding and sell the eggs to the hatcheries. Some of those farms may be less than scrupulous. I know this because my relatives ran a hatchery back when all chickens were heritage.

 

[Aamanda]

Aamanda is right. But there is nothing wrong with getting your birds from Cackle if you want a production bird. A production chicken is a bird that will produce lots of eggs for about two to four years. Nothing wrong with that. A heritage chicken is a bird that is more in keeping with the way a chicken was a hundred years ago, the way it was developed to be. It will lay less eggs per year, but will lay for more years. It will be a larger, better-natured bird. To purchase a heritage chicken, you must search out a breeder who raises them and will sell to you, and that is not an easy thing to do. Hatchery purchases are easy, can be completed online or by phone, are cheaper, and come with guarantees. You just need to decide which is more important to you - the true-to-breed as it was originally developed to be, or a layer of many eggs. It is like the difference between choosing to eat at a four star restaurant and eating fast food. Both have their times and uses.

And, yes, hatcheries do have farms that do the breeding and sell the eggs to the hatcheries. Some of those farms may be less than scrupulous. I know this because my relatives ran a hatchery back when all chickens were heritage.

Thank you. I also agree that Hatchery birds have their place. They are great egg layers. My family and my customers both love the eggs. This entire argument started because I simply said it would be cheaper to get direct. In fact if Cackle had contacted me in a timely manner I was prepared to work with them on a discounted order of another 15 pullets. Instead they waited to long and only called me back because some bad reviews got back to them AND my local feed store was so upset with the customer service I received the canceled their order for next spring and went with another hatchery. I love my Hatchery birds. Part of my family and a great supply of eggs. But. That does not keep me from being excited about the 20 Heritage RIR's I will be getting in the spring from Dick.