central hatchery

[floridaokiegal]

Just wanted to comment on this thread for those considering using Central Hatchery... some friends and I went in on a order of the broilers chicks from Central Hatchery about 3 months ago. I personally got 24 out of the order. I did not lose any and I am pretty sure that the others who ordered lost none or just one. This was my first experience with a broiler chicken so I am a little amazed at the amount of breast meat after processing. I weighed one before processing; it was exactly 6lbs and weighed just the boneless, skinless breast meat after processing and 24% of that chicken was just breast meat ! I am planning on ordering from them again. One note, they don't have the latest technology, ie. they don't accept credit cards, etc but if you are willing to go a little extra and mail them a check/money order; you will get a good bird at a great price.

 

[blucoondawg]

Has anyone on here ordered their Rhode Island Reds? How did they turn out as far as size and color, how did they lay? I am not looking for show winners but I would like to get back to the darker colored and larger birds, the last hatchery stock I ordered of multiple breeds were all quite pathetic as far as size, they may as well be large banties.

 

[bearhugger]

Most of the large hatcherys use egg farms . I buy from Mount Healthy , Meyer , McMurray , and Strumburgs . They do not keep birds in this way . This hatchery looks like some fly by night outfit . I can tell by their crapy website .

 

[blucoondawg]

Most of the large hatcherys use egg farms . I buy from Mount Healthy , Meyer , McMurray , and Strumburgs . They do not keep birds in this way . This hatchery looks like some fly by night outfit . I can tell by their crapy website .

What do you mean by egg farm? I have used McMurray and am not impressed with the quality of their birds. Just because central is a small hatchery with fewer breeds doesn't make them "fly by night" and having a fancy website doesn't speak for the quality of their birds. Many are happy with centrals broilers, I inquired about their reds because they claim to use a line that is not bred down like many of the larger hatchery breeds and is also still the nice dark red color. I want to know if anyone has had them and how they turned out for size color etc. I don't believe they're fly by night

 

[buckbye]

Most of the large hatcherys use egg farms . I buy from Mount Healthy , Meyer , McMurray , and Strumburgs . They do not keep birds in this way . This hatchery looks like some fly by night outfit . I can tell by their crapy website .

You sound like a marketer's dream.

To everyone else, thank you for your contributions to this thread. I'm putting Central on my short list for the next time I order birds.

 

[oldtimeway]

Most of the large hatcherys use egg farms . I buy from Mount Healthy , Meyer , McMurray , and Strumburgs . They do not keep birds in this way . This hatchery looks like some fly by night outfit . I can tell by their crapy website .

You can tell, eh? A book can not be judged by its cover and a hatchery can not be judged by their website. I think their website if nice, actually. Get to see the laying flocks, what's wrong with that? I have been to their hatchery, nice modern facilities right along US Hwy 81 near Madison, NE. Father and son, the hatchery has been in business longer that you have lived, bearhugger, so it's far from "fly by night". As for the hatcheries you mention, I believe you meant Stromburgs and not Strumburgs. You know they "do not keep birds in this way". You are correct. They do not keep birds at all. Lowell has been out of the hatching business for years, they're a broker for other hatcheries. In fact, you'll find that your Mt. Healthy and Meyer do not have all their own flocks either. I know that Central has all their own flocks except for broilers and their broiler eggs come out of the south same as all the other hatcheries in the country. I'm fairly sure you'd find McMurray even buys their broiler eggs. You owe Central an apology for what you've said. Next time please check facts.

 

[oldtimeway]

Good for you! As for whomever asked about the RI's from Central. My sister has had them for years. They're great layers, nice color, but not a large as the old time RI's that Mrs. Marti of Marti Poultry had, but nicer sized than the so called RI Reds that most other hatcheries have. Their Redleg is is nice bird, gentle, nice size, good layer for cold weather but they are much slower than other pullets to start to lay. Don't expect eggs before 22 weeks but then you won't get a bunch of pullet eggs either.

 

[oldtimeway]

Please see my reply to buckbye. you won't be disappointed with their reds.

 

[blucoondawg]

I don't know if anyone is still following this thread but has anyone had experience with the Sil Go Link breed Central sells? I had assumed them to be a variety of sex link like everyone else sells as a hybrid layer but it looks like they come in a variety of colors all mixed together. Has anyone had these and do they lay comparably to say the cinnamon queens or golden comets of other hatcheries?

 

[blucoondawg]

Sorry double post