I might have just gotten a bad bunch. I ordered 50 total (25 bbr & 25 b/r). They only sent me 14. The cockerels look like they might be Blue Gold (not B/R) and the last remaining pullet has a flat lifted (like an AG) mixed color tail. They said they are having problems with fertility, but some things can't be explained by heat; like they said they are sending me 16, but there was only 14 in the box. Two of the chicks I got had their heads bent over to the side like they had a mental defect or something. They died within a couple days. The remaining twelve, I took care of with kid gloves and they would die of no visible cause. There were a couple of decent looking B/R pullets that made it, but they were killed last month by a predator while inside the cage. Another poster said that all of their Ideal cubalayas died before making to it two years old of natural causes, and I am not sure mine will make it that long, in spite of the premium care I have given them.
I have heard a lot of good about Ideal when it comes to other breeds, but not when it comes to cubalayas. Most people's opinions that I have seen on this point is they are just about bottom rung when it comes to cubalayas. I know nothing and do not claim to be an expert, I just know my own experience was not good when it comes to the quality of cubalaya chicks. But as far as customer service goes, I give them an A+. They kept me informed through the whole process and refunded me all my money for the unfilled part of my order, even for the two chicks that were not in the box when I got it. They were nice, curtious, kept me informed and made right on all mistakes. You can't ask for more then that. When I said that I would not order anymore cubalaya chicks from them; I did not mean that I was mad at them or that I would not order some other breed from them.
I have heard a lot of good about Ideal when it comes to other breeds, but not when it comes to cubalayas. Most people's opinions that I have seen on this point is they are just about bottom rung when it comes to cubalayas. I know nothing and do not claim to be an expert, I just know my own experience was not good when it comes to the quality of cubalaya chicks. But as far as customer service goes, I give them an A+. They kept me informed through the whole process and refunded me all my money for the unfilled part of my order, even for the two chicks that were not in the box when I got it. They were nice, curtious, kept me informed and made right on all mistakes. You can't ask for more then that. When I said that I would not order anymore cubalaya chicks from them; I did not mean that I was mad at them or that I would not order some other breed from them.