Cackle hatchery's Hatchery Surprise- Anybody got this before?

[EZFarms]

ive been going through this thread and the chicklets are so adorable! has any one ordered in feb? if so what was your mix like? just bantams,standard and ducks? or lots more? im hoping to order in the early part of feb

 

[tennboy1]

I am trying to decide what onto to get my box. I really want some iowa blues this year but I can't resist the cackle surprise lol.

 

[EZFarms]

im planning on getting 15 bantams and two surprise boxes. will you get double the same birds or different in both boxes?

 

[littlekatzz]

boxes tend to be all over the place . Last yr late February I got two turkeys, two ducks and about 50 chickens... Of all kinds of breeds , layers, rare, bantams, exotics...

 

[EZFarms]

so even early feb i could get just about anything? im thinking about getting two boxes and like 15 banties but i may only get one box

 

[littlekatzz]

Yep, someone even got a goose in feb last yr... But only heard of one person getting that lucky. This really is a great assortment if you want a bit of everything... However if you request no bantams, no meat birds... Or would love so and so they do take that into consideration somewhat. Last few yrs I've asked for turkeys and got them. One yr asked for lots of bantams and got half a box.

 

[popsicle]

so even early feb i could get just about anything? im thinking about getting two boxes and like 15 banties but i may only get one box

Generally you can expect mostly chicks and potentially a couple of any other fowl that are hatched at the time of shipment--excluding birds like quail (though, it wouldn't surprise me if somebody got a box of them at some point). If you look close, a few people who get boxes just before a new fowl is listed as available will get a few. However, in early February I wouldn't expect too much diversity in fowl types.

I think one year I ordered the Surprise box earlier in the spring and was thrilled with the variety--however it was too cold here in Montana and the survival rate for the shipped chicks wasn't great. I personally hold off until late March now. I suspect in California you'll be fine.

You'll be happy with what you get for the price, even if it's a box of 50 Red Sex Links.

 

[EZFarms]

Well notsex links i hate them lol but im fine with more ducks and a goose...and turkey..and chickens lol and maybe a guinea or two

 

[riversydefarms]

When i got my invoice with ship date on it, it didn't have my requests that i made in the comment section on my order. Should i be concerned? I really don't want meat birds as I'm not looking to butcher and i don't know enough about breed identification and I'm afraid if i get one or more meat birds, that it will end up developing major issues...

 

[EZFarms]

okay so i was contacted after i messaged cackle yesterday and they said the surprise boxes are already backed up till mid march. if i end up ordering the first of feb would i still be in the march area or more of april? also that would give me a bigger variety? im planning on the box and like 3 other assortments + 5 d'uccle bantams so for a total of 100 ish birds (assuming i get the full 60 in the surprise box