Cackle Hatchery reviews

[amanda3301]

I placed a order for 17 chicks with crackle hatchery I received my order on 3/9/17 all healthy they sent 1 extra too they are all still doing very well I did not medicate any of them..i will order from crackle hatchery again I'm a very happy customer.

 

[6th_Happiness]

I have had 2 interactions with them.

Several years ago, I did an order with a few other local people in Chicago- they each only needed a few bords, so this let them order without having to make the minimum. They picked their birds up from me the day after they arrived. The chickens were all healthy and happy with them. But everyone who went in on the order also got turkeys (which is why we went with them in first place- its very hard to find a hatchery that will let you mix-n-match turkey breeds. Almost all the turkeys died within the first few days. I emailed and called, and got advice on the fiew still alive, but despite asking, and despite the others who were in on the order also doing so, we never got refunds on them.

This year, I contacted them because I had questions about the genetic background of certain breeds they carried (I'm working on a genetic project / new breed thing). First customer rep was friendly, admitted they didnt know the answers, and gave me the name/email of someone in the company who she said would know that info. Not difficult questions either, just stuff like, are these an e(b) background (chipmunk patterned chicks)? Which, if any, bantam breeds had the Mahogany factor and would be available to ship before date X. Weeks later still haven't had a reply. Not even a generic "sorry we're super busy right now, but all our customers are very important to us, and we will try to get to this soon". Nothing.

I might have to give them one last chance because I was up all night checking other hatcheries out, and they seem to be the only ones that have 2 specific breeds in stock right now, instead of having to wait until mid-summer, but unless something unusual and positive happens, I'll be ordering extra early next year from elsewhere (even if i have to do it from the hospital room, which is why it got left so late this year). As it is, I'll be splitting my order this year getting only the essentials from them that I need now, and ordering the rest from another hatchery.

Bottom line... I think their chickens are good quality for hatchery chickens. But I wouldn't buy turkeys from them again. I probably will not buy chickens from them again either unless I simply cannot find a breed elsewhere and really need it NOW. That's mostly because I do not get the feeling that they care about the individual customer very much. Recent emails went ignored. Dead turkeys got no refund/replacement. Even when McMurrey's (who we tried before cackle) had almost all their chicks die either in shipping, or over the course of the next several days after arrival... they still were polite and replaced the chicks, instead of trying to get out of having to refund / replace (with both hatcheries, the refunds/replacements were in the order of maybe $70 total? Not a significant loss cash wise. Especially when you figure in that the customer's experience is going to likely end up online and influence other people to buy, or NOT buy, from that hatchery.

 

[drumstick diva]

You can register your experiences with "Davesgarden.com/ despite the name they also list hatcheries and have customers post their good, bad, or neutral remarks. You can use their "Garden Watchdog," for free. For some of their other benefits like searching for rare plants, etc., I believe there is a membership fee. I have used them for many years and know you can find Cackle, McMurray, Meyers, others. If you want to remark about a new/different hatchery they will let you start a thread for them if you list address, email, phone nos. whatever else they have.

Now and then I go through them to see how the hatcheries are doing. Some are worse than others, some reviews are quite detailed. Even if you don't post you can still lurk and read about them.

 

[Tuhmu]

I have had 2 interactions with them.

Several years ago, I did an order with a few other local people in Chicago- they each only needed a few bords, so this let them order without having to make the minimum. They picked their birds up from me the day after they arrived. The chickens were all healthy and happy with them. But everyone who went in on the order also got turkeys (which is why we went with them in first place- its very hard to find a hatchery that will let you mix-n-match turkey breeds. Almost all the turkeys died within the first few days. I emailed and called, and got advice on the fiew still alive, but despite asking, and despite the others who were in on the order also doing so, we never got refunds on them.

This year, I contacted them because I had questions about the genetic background of certain breeds they carried (I'm working on a genetic project / new breed thing). First customer rep was friendly, admitted they didnt know the answers, and gave me the name/email of someone in the company who she said would know that info. Not difficult questions either, just stuff like, are these an e(b) background (chipmunk patterned chicks)? Which, if any, bantam breeds had the Mahogany factor and would be available to ship before date X. Weeks later still haven't had a reply. Not even a generic "sorry we're super busy right now, but all our customers are very important to us, and we will try to get to this soon". Nothing.

I might have to give them one last chance because I was up all night checking other hatcheries out, and they seem to be the only ones that have 2 specific breeds in stock right now, instead of having to wait until mid-summer, but unless something unusual and positive happens, I'll be ordering extra early next year from elsewhere (even if i have to do it from the hospital room, which is why it got left so late this year). As it is, I'll be splitting my order this year getting only the essentials from them that I need now, and ordering the rest from another hatchery.

Bottom line... I think their chickens are good quality for hatchery chickens. But I wouldn't buy turkeys from them again. I probably will not buy chickens from them again either unless I simply cannot find a breed elsewhere and really need it NOW. That's mostly because I do not get the feeling that they care about the individual customer very much. Recent emails went ignored. Dead turkeys got no refund/replacement. Even when McMurrey's (who we tried before cackle) had almost all their chicks die either in shipping, or over the course of the next several days after arrival... they still were polite and replaced the chicks, instead of trying to get out of having to refund / replace (with both hatcheries, the refunds/replacements were in the order of maybe $70 total? Not a significant loss cash wise. Especially when you figure in that the customer's experience is going to likely end up online and influence other people to buy, or NOT buy, from that hatchery.

Ouch, I actually just placed my order for 10 royal palms and 5 welsummers this morning. I went with them because that was the only way of getting around having 15-20 turkeys.

I had ordered some ducks from them last year and was very impressed. Very nice coloring, good layers, my only complaint with the duck was that they were mostly drakes; only 5 hens out of the 15 I ordered. (straight run) I think I had lost 1 in transit and I don't remember it being an issue to get a refund.

I would have rather went with Mcmurray for them, but they are rather spendy. (but have no problems refunding any losses) I've had good luck with their birds, despite how I feel about some of their chickens confirmation and even coloring. Which I've since come to just expect from any hatchery. Which reminds me I should maybe update my old review on Dave'sgarden.......

I'll update with my experience with the turkeys, I sure hope it goes well.

 

[6th_Happiness]

Good luck! Hopefully our poor luck with the turkeys was a one off.

I got royal palms also (but from a local farm after the shipped ones died), but I ended up rehoming them after a couple years. Beautiful birds, i still have some of the feathers stashed away for crafts, but I just didn't click with them as I did with the chickens.

I just finished my own orders- split between Meyers, Hoover and Cackle (sigh, last chance, only because I waited so long and couldn't get some breeds elsewhere). I would have considered giving McMurreys a second chance too, but they didn't have *any* of the important breeds I needed available.

I got a few duplicate breeds across the three hatcheries (RIRs, Orps, Marans, Sussex....) so I can make breed to breed comparison, not just general 'they seemed healthy' or 'customer service was [good/bad]). STILL have a few breeds/mutations missing, but I'm hoping I can pick those up locally, or as hatching eggs from people here.

 

[nyjah]

Ive ordered for three years from cackle and always been happy. Chicks arrive very healthy and are often better representatives of breed than from other hatcheries.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Early 2017 - I ordered some live chicks from Cackle Hatchery. Two were dead on arrival, two died within an hour or so, and two more died within 6 hours or so. That was not the problem.
I ordered Mille Fleur Bearded D'uccle chicks... Some "sort of have some beard", some have NO beard and maybe 2 of the 9 left (ordered 15) have what looks like it might be a full beard, eventually.
I received NO REPLIES from the main office, owner of the company, after I sent pictures of the BEARD-LESS young birds... I did not receive what I ordered, and, I expect some deaths, but 6... a bit much... they gave me credit for 4 dead.
I will not use Cackle Hatchery again. I hope your experience was better, if you tried them.

 

[Tuhmu]

I ended up canceling my order of turkeys, I just wasn't up to raising another batch of birds in the brooder this year.

 

[nyjah]

I have ordered from Cackle three years in a row and been happy each time. I live in Texas so have two day shipping.

The first year was some exotics and OEGs, the second some Cochins and dark Bhramas and this year, 100 fryers and 20 brown leghorns as well as more Cochins and dark brahmas as well as about ten ducks now.

In general this chicks arrive very healthy, bouncing out of the box. I tend to loose about 5% over the first two week but they also add several additional birds on each order.

Birds from years past have grown up to be very healthy and vigorous and match to the breed, albeit likely not show quality.

Always quite friendly when I call with any questions.

 

[barn206]

I ordered 16 chicks from cackle hatchery.. they gave me 19 chicks. The chicks came To the post office, one day early and on a cold day. I recieved an email that the chicks had been delivered. I was there in 15 minutes of arrival. All the chicks arrived healthy and alert. All the chicks are still alive and doing very very well! I'm new at raising chickens . I ordered one rooster and 15 hens. I wanted a few different kinds but I had to order in threes. Well it's 3 weeks and I have a lot more roosters than I wanted. I think all of my rir's are roosters ( at lest 2 out of 3) . It doesn't bother me at all because I'm in the learning process. Would I order from cackle hatchery again... Definitely! The birds have good body form, even being so young. They are also very healthy! So I'm glad I did order from them. The roosters are beautiful,it's just the noise and possible fighting that I'm concerned about. I'm eager to see how they turn out.
Hope this helps