Choosing a Hatchery - Ideal poultry?

[Eggsakly]

I don't know about their geese, but I have purchased 50 bantam chicks from Ideal in two separate orders. I have been happy with the health and vigor of my chicks, but they are not show quality. Nonetheless, they have excellent temperaments, and with the exception of a couple of feather-legged Wyandottes, they have been true to breed and sometimes quite nice looking birds. My avatar is my bantam golden laced Wyandotte that is my very favorite. What a personality! I see that one of her babies hatched today under my broody hen, and I'm excited to have a baby from her, because she is fun! I would take another dozen just like her in a heartbeat.

I did lose one chick during one shipment, and another within 24 hours of their arrival. Not bad out of 50 chicks. Ideal reimbursed me the cost immediately.

 

[Khota]

Your chicken is absolutely adorable! I hope her hatchling acts and looks like her when it gets larger! It's good to hear that you've had good luck with them so far and that their customer service sounds to be good. I live a little over 2 hours away from Ideal Poultry, so I'm assuming that woulnd't be too bad of a ride for the little birdies.
I've emailed Ideal regarding pictures of their stock geese. I'm for sure not looking for anything show quality, if anything I just want a bird that appears true to its breed in at least the basic forms. (Color, normal temperment for the breed, etc.)
I'm hoping Ideal will be getting back to me tomorrow, and hoping they are willing to provide pictures of their birds! If not I figure I'm probably just going to suck it up and pay more for the Metzer birds haha.

 

[Eggsakly]

Your chicken is absolutely adorable! I hope her hatchling acts and looks like her when it gets larger! It's good to hear that you've had good luck with them so far and that their customer service sounds to be good. I live a little over 2 hours away from Ideal Poultry, so I'm assuming that woulnd't be too bad of a ride for the little birdies.

She is adorable! I love her so much I'm considering ordering more GLs. She is the only one I got in a group of mixed breed Wyandottes, and she is hilarious. She flies better than all the rest and I find her up in places no one else goes. She's always off doing her own thing, too. She roams the farthest, and comes in last at night. She tamed herself to my lap, and won't stay off of me. She wants on me all the time. Recently she discovered that she adores belly rubs, and she makes the funniest noises.

Picking up your birds would be the best, I think. Mine got shipped from Texas to Alaska, so that tells you something right there. Once they arrived within 48 hours. Ideal has the best variety of bantams available at the best prices, and I plan on ordering more this spring.

 

[Khota]

She sounds absolutely lovely! I can only hope the goslings I intend to order will have such adorable personalities!

Sadly, I'm unable to pick them up which is why I had originally sought out ideal for the fact that they are nearest to me so the goslings would have to go through less of a bumpy ride.
Do hatcheries always ship to the post office or will they drop the birds off at your house? I've never really been sure how that works, so may as well ask now haha

 

[sylviethecochin]

A note on Ideal--I like to get chickens from them as they're cheaper than other hatcheries and they do lay well, but the one time we ordered sexed Pekin drakes, both turned out to be female and about the same size as my smallest Blue Swedish duck. Bit of a disappointment.

 

[sylviethecochin]

The hatchery'll put your number on the package and the post office will call you. If you contact the post office about this before-hand, it can be a big help.

 

[Nodaksnakelover]

After seeing the pricing, I feel Metzers is outrageous for sexed buff goslings, and will be going with Ideal Poultry this year.

 

[Khota]

I think I'm going to have to agree with you here! It really is quite expensive. I've emailed Ideal in regards to what their geese look like (I asked for pictures) If they get back to me and actually send me some pictures of their flock, I'll be sure to post them here.

 

[Percheron chick]

She sounds absolutely lovely! I can only hope the goslings I intend to order will have such adorable personalities!

Sadly, I'm unable to pick them up which is why I had originally sought out ideal for the fact that they are nearest to me so the goslings would have to go through less of a bumpy ride.
Do hatcheries always ship to the post office or will they drop the birds off at your house? I've never really been sure how that works, so may as well ask now haha

Post office will call as soon as they arrive (usually long before they open ). They will hold them so you can pick them up. Best for the chicks/goslings to be picked up. Gets them warmed up and eating sooner. The PO will put them in the truck and deliver them with your mail but that might mean they ride around in a cold truck another 6-10 hours.
Most of the hatcheries have stock pictures of the breeds. Unless they have videos of their stock, I wouldn't put much faith in the pictures. They could also from years ago as most are notoriously bad at updating their websites.

 

[Khota]

I see, thank you guys for the info on how that works! I definately would plan on picking them up straight from the post office if that were to be the case.
Sadly, Ideal doesn't even have stock photos of their birds, and instead has little drawings that represent each species of bird. I haven't been able to find videos of their poultry either. I will keep that in mind though and just hope they send up to date pictures if they send pictures at all.