Hatchery Assortment Comparison

[GothChick]

I've ordered from a lot of hatcheries in the past and done a bunch of assortments, but I never kept great records. I normally just ordered when one had a sale. I wish I would have kept better details for each. Also they were ordered at different times so it would have been different as well. Ironically the ones I had the best success rate with were farther away. I really love Ideal and they tend to be my go to hatchery, but I also love Cackle and their Cackle Surprise assortment.

As I mentioned if I do this it wouldn't be for anything scientific and no one would be a "winner" it would just be an experiment. Also for morality I understand that distance and the shipping can be a factor. I once ordered chicks and they got stuck at a post office an hour away. My choice was either drive there to get them, or wait until Monday and hope they survived the weekend. If chicks died I would just note how many and how the specific hatchery handled the situation. I already know most of the hatcheries by memory and their policies, but for the experiments sake I would only put my experience from that specific order. Again this would be just for fun, and I would be selling off most of the chicks because I've already ordered the specific chicks I "need" for the year.

 

[Birdinhand]

Ehhh... location might be important, but the way USPS handles them is of bigger importance. I’ve read of BYCers that orders from X or Z hatchery in some place far away and they get them next day (either due to USPS handling or their choice to pay extra for next day guarantee). My experience was ordering from an OH hatchery 3 hours drive from me and it took 2 days, including 31 hours of that without updates after they left the USPS distribution center. All were dead, 26 chicks -lots of breeds, with heat packs still warm. Guessing some kind of exposure like dry ice might be to blame. But someone else posted that they received their birds a month later (same hatchery) in less than 24 hours and they live further than me in IN. Overall, I think the USPS routing also plays a role, as the routing may have been more convoluted in my situation than the other person’s who was in another state.

agreed, my last batch came within a mile of my home and then 30 miles away and then back again, lost 5 out of 37 within 24 hours. fortunately the hatchery tracked it and gladly credited me the difference. the post office here is pretty good about getting ahold of me right away when they arrive, so they don't sit around.

 

[GothChick]

Ehhh... location might be important, but the way USPS handles them is of bigger importance. I’ve read of BYCers that orders from X or Z hatchery in some place far away and they get them next day (either due to USPS handling or their choice to pay extra for next day guarantee). My experience was ordering from an OH hatchery 3 hours drive from me and it took 2 days, including 31 hours of that without updates after they left the USPS distribution center. All were dead, 26 chicks -lots of breeds, with heat packs still warm. Guessing some kind of exposure like dry ice might be to blame. But someone else posted that they received their birds a month later (same hatchery) in less than 24 hours and they live further than me in IN. Overall, I think the USPS routing also plays a role, as the routing may have been more convoluted in my situation than the other person’s who was in another state.

I've had the same experience. When I order from a hatchery far away they arrive super fast. When I order from hatcheries closer, it seems to take longer. I'm guessing when its far away they might use air mail, vs the closer hatcheries use basic driving. Just my guess.

 

[Acre4Me]

agreed, my last batch came within a mile of my home and then 30 miles away and then back again, lost 5 out of 37 within 24 hours. fortunately the hatchery tracked it and gladly credited me the difference. the post office here is pretty good about getting ahold of me right away when they arrive, so they don't sit around.

My chicks arrived at PO, they called me right after they arrived at 7am, I was there within a short time. But, I think they died earlier as there wasn’t much poop and the nesting stuff was pretty undisturbed

 

[Ms Biddy]

Please post if you do so we can live vicariously through you, lol. I want an assortment box really bad but I can't justify even one more chicken.

 

[Birdinhand]

My chicks arrived at PO, they called me right after they arrived at 7am, I was there within a short time. But, I think they died earlier as there wasn’t much poop and the nesting stuff was pretty undisturbed

oh, that's weird, your assumptions sounds correct.