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

[popsicle]

// the surprise is getting more and more popular every year so it's getting a little more expensive pretty much every year, the catalogue says it costs $65.95 and at least 40 chicks chicks to arrive alive.. I can't wait to get my surprise boxes this year, I hope the price doesn't keep going up/

For the record, the price has gone up to $75 (shipping included) for 2017.

 

[billiejw89]

For the record, the price has gone up to $75 (shipping included) for 2017.

Well that's a bummer! I'm sure it still ends up being a great deal. You can easily sell off the birds you don't want and get most if not all your money back. That is if you receive live, healthy birds. I can't wait to order ours! Hoping for some ducks or guineas this time around.

 

[Bullitt]

Well that's a bummer! I'm sure it still ends up being a great deal. You can easily sell off the birds you don't want and get most if not all your money back. That is if you receive live, healthy birds. I can't wait to order ours! Hoping for some ducks or guineas this time around.

In case you missed it, Cackle Hatchery guarantees 40 live chicks to arrive.

 

[billiejw89]

In case you missed it, Cackle Hatchery guarantees 40 live chicks to arrive.

Yes and all of our 52 chicks were live and well. I've just read some people end up with sick birds and sometimes don't end up getting the refund or replacements for several reasons. I am happy with cackle hatchery and can't wait to order again.

 

[twigcrafter]

I'm contemplating ordering the "cackle surprise" in April. I'm a bit , well,... very concerned with the mixed reviews. I have ordered , Just once from cackle before, and it was great. Just Australorps and Production reds.
I want a larger variety of birds in my flock, and will sell off the others. I'm not new to raising chicks. But am I better off just making up my mind and picking what I want , or settling for the variety of what's left at the end of cackles day? I love a bargain, and I really can't decide on my colorful future flock lol. Ugh! I need more chickens like I need a new whole in my head!... But I really do!!! lol I just can't decide on which ones I need

 

[meltel]

I'm contemplating ordering the "cackle surprise" in April. I'm a bit , well,... very concerned with the mixed reviews. I have ordered , Just once from cackle before, and it was great. Just Australorps and Production reds.
I want a larger variety of birds in my flock, and will sell off the others. I'm not new to raising chicks. But am I better off just making up my mind and picking what I want , or settling for the variety of what's left at the end of cackles day? I love a bargain, and I really can't decide on my colorful future flock lol. Ugh! I need more chickens like I need a new whole in my head!... But I really do!!! lol I just can't decide on which ones I need

You can do Variety Packs or have you checked out Leanns adopt me special from Meyer Hatchery? $2.29 a chick and all the birds I have received from them have been strong, beautiful and healthy. Check it out and compare-they have some very nice breeds available!

 

[twigcrafter]

thanks ! I will check them out . picking chickens is hard lol

 

[Allisha]

It would be interesting to compare Leanne's special over the Cackle Hatchery Surprise. After seeing many poor reviews, I just wanted to make sure that the reason why these chicks are dying is most likely NOT because of a sickness. But because of the shipping and handling. If not done properly, it can kill the chicks, or cause a significant amount of stress, allowing an illness to creep up on them AFTER arriving to their final destination.

Last spring we ordered from both Cackle and Meyer's. We ordered chicks a little too early for our state's weather, we think, for Meyers. We ordered Salmon Faverolles and Golden Cuckoo Marans. Quite a few of the Salmon's did not make it over the next few days. Three weeks later, Cackle's order arrived, and none of them were DOA.

 

[meltel]

It would be interesting to compare Leanne's special over the Cackle Hatchery Surprise. After seeing many poor reviews, I just wanted to make sure that the reason why these chicks are dying is most likely NOT because of a sickness. But because of the shipping and handling. If not done properly, it can kill the chicks, or cause a significant amount of stress, allowing an illness to creep up on them AFTER arriving to their final destination.

Last spring we ordered from both Cackle and Meyer's. We ordered chicks a little too early for our state's weather, we think, for Meyers. We ordered Salmon Faverolles and Golden Cuckoo Marans. Quite a few of the Salmon's did not make it over the next few days. Three weeks later, Cackle's order arrived, and none of them were DOA.

@Poultrybonkers and I started a thread that would compare the 2 and have people comment. I was going to get some of Leanns this year but I am cutting way back on my LF to focus on my seramas. So what I have is what I have. My review is based not only on the amount of sick or dead chicks but customer service as well, along with an opinion from my avian vet who breeds and shows nationally and not my own guess. As I said before, the owners philosophy at Cackle in her own words is that the FDA is wrong for reducing the amount of antibiotics in feed and that she medicates all her birds from day 1 which my vet and I as a nurse completely disagree with. You should not have to medicate something that isn't sick in the first place. i can understand using medicated feed if you have a larger amount of chicks but full dose antibiotics set off alarms in my head. Perhaps with the new FDA requirements for prescriptions for antibiotics is the cause for the price increase on the Cackle Surprise???

 

[Allisha]

I totally agree! I think costumer service is a huge part of it, too! Even IF it wasn't the fault of the hatchery for the chicks that arrived, it is definitely their fault if they have poor costumer service! Meyer's costumer service was better, in my opinion.

I also disagree STRONGLY on antibiotics/vaccines on animals. I think, though, that large corporations medicate their animals from day one not because they are sick, but because they have the potential to get sick. But in all honesty, the likelihood of them getting sick is so low if they are taken care of PROPERLY.