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

[popsicle]

to those who have ordered the surprise before...what does cackle usually tell you for ship date...my friend ordered on and they told her it could ship 4/27 or it could take as long as july and the website even says might take till july...anyone know whats up??

The past two years I had to call for my ship date.

If your friend called and was told 4/27 or later I'd guess that they have so many orders that they aren't certain when they will have enough surplus chicks to fulfill Surprise boxes.

 

[Small Farm]

Do you get males in this order? Can you request no males?

 

[WPFarmstead]

Do you get males in this order? Can you request no males?

This order is straight run. You could ask for no cockerels, but I highly doubt they could accomodate that request, as there are only so many sex-linked birds available.

 

[popsicle]

Do you get males in this order? Can you request no males?

Yes, everybody always gets cockerels. Requesting no males? Absolutely not. If you can't have males order a pullet only assortment.

 

[mdrake1984]

It is hatchery Choice of what is putin your box... Meyer Hatchery in Polk, OH has a nice surprse box as well... Its called "Leann's Adopt Me Bargin" and you get a big aray of young poultry that she finds in the incubator that escaped the hatching trays or were left in the baskets that hatched later than the rest. Ive purchased that one many times as well...

 

[WPFarmstead]

It is hatchery Choice of what is putin your box... Meyer Hatchery in Polk, OH has a nice surprse box as well... Its called "Leann's Adopt Me Bargin" and you get a big aray of young poultry that she finds in the incubator that escaped the hatching trays or were left in the baskets that hatched later than the rest. Ive purchased that one many times as well...

How do you like that selection? Are they a bit more weak than the Cackle chicks?

 

[mdrake1984]

They did really well... They werent weak at all but rather friendly compared to specific ordered chicks. It is however important to get them hydrated with either vit & elecs or sugar water with a light shot of rooster booster B-12. Both companies are awesome with the surprise boxes...

 

[Jayzandra]

My surprise package arrived yesterday! I received 55 birds. All were alive and doing well. I got two peeking ducks, 2 black Spanish turkeys, a variety of polish, Cochin, EE, Egyptian Fayoumis, and some others not yet identified. I will post pics later.
On a side note, I have ordered chicks every year for several years from cackle and have always gotten healthy and quality birds.

 

[Liddy]

I'm anxiously awaiting my 2 Surprise Packages, hatch/shipping date 5/16. Got the little brooder set up with Mama Heating Pad and 7 wee EE chicks I picked up locally on Thursday. I figure they will be big enough to hold their own with any turkey poults I may get, and show them the ropes.

This week I'll get three more brooders going, and the kiddie pool will be perfect for any ducks or overflow chicks if there aren't any ducklings. I am really getting excited!!

 

[Sristi]

@Liddy : have fun with your box next week!

We had 56 birds arrive last month, all alive. Over the past few weeks, about five have died at various times, just weren't strong enough. The rest are looking peppy and healthy. So far we've identified:

2 pekin ducks
2 rouen duks --although now I"m not sure because they're much smaller than my pekins. Does Cackle still carry mallards?
2 polish
2 Egyptian fayoumi
4 naked necks --these are very vigorous, fast feathering birds. If I didn't care about looks and wanted a tough chicken for a homesteading environment, I'd pick these
4 gold-spangled spitzhaubens--these are my favorite so far. Not in the paper catalog, but I found them on the Cackle website. Super cute with their mohawks and slate brown legs. I wasn't going to keep any breeding pairs/trios, but I'm very taken with these guys
5 Easter eggers
2 buff orpington
2 partridge cochin
1 barred cochin
2 white brahma
5 French marans, I think wheaten--I'm not very familiar with the Marans, but they're the only bird I could find from Cackle that have lightly feathered legs, straight comb, no beard, so it's my best guess
2 columbian rocks--I think. Clean legged, columbian pattern, straight comb. Any other breeds can fit this description?