Hoover hatchery? Any good?

[erinchelsea]

I ordered our Cornish Rock X from them since we usually order from McMurray (they are local to us) but they were out of stock. I drove to Hoover Hatchery and picked up the birds. I *think* it is just cheaper because it's a little family run business and I'm sure their overhead is low. They are located in this dinky little town I'm sure rent is cheap!

Anyway, we lost a few birds due to cocci and operator error but I think some of that goes along with the breed and we had lost a few of our layers from McMurray to cocci too. But other than that, they have been good birds. I'd order from them again, although I don't have any experience of getting chicks shipped from them.

Did you end up ordering your chicks yet?

 

[9farmgirl9]

No not yet i cant decide on which breed to get. For eggs that is. That doesn't eat too much or is good forager, Here are the breeds they have---White leghorn, Barred rock, Black australorp, production red, RIR, Gold star, Black sex link, White rock, buff orpington, Silver laced wyandotte, and Americana. Which should i get.

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

Farmgirl;

If you want egg production, the white leghorns give me about 6 a week from each one I have. The RIR do close to the same. I just got Gold Star & Black Sex, we'll see how they do. The EE that I have lay shades of green but they're not great layers like the leghorn or RIR but then again, you're getting a different color egg so it's worth it.

You also have to think about the area you live in, the breeds you get can thrive or decline on conditions. We heat our coop in the winter when it gets really cold so the leghorns can take it but if they go outside in the deep cold, the combs and waddles can freeze. If you have that sort of temps, you want birds with small combs and waddles so they don't get too cold.

Good luck with your new chicks!

 

[nhuhong]

I live in California and bought 25 chicks from them last week. They arrived the day after the ship out date. Out of the 27 that they sent only 1 died (two days later). They even color-marked the chicks and included a page explaining which chick is what color so you can identify the different breeds! Really great hatchery and will definitely purchase from them again!

 

[eddiesurf]

I had bad luck with them.. Order 70 chicks and only 67 in the box 3 DOA! Next day 11 dies! Tomorrow will be my second days and we see what happen..

 

[Lapama18]

I have not gotten chicks from them until this year, because they were much less than other hatcheries. 150 broilers and 50 layers. They sent 6 extra broilers and 4 extra layers. One broiler was dead on arrival. Not a bad thing. Within 36 hours I am down an additional 22 broilers. Not that I think I don't do anything wrong but I been raising chickens for 20 years and never experienced such a great loss this early in the game with no idea why. They are not cold, or crowded, gave them some powdered antibiotic/electrolytes in the water., just like I normally do. They didn't all die at once, but every time I check on them there are a few more dead. They look totally fine, active, eatting drinking, them boom, dead the next time. I am contacting them tonight to see if they are having any other problems with their broilers. The layers are totally fine so I figure it can't be a feed or water or situation problem, unless broilers are that sensitive.

 

[eddiesurf]

@lapama18 sorry for your lost.. I had the same problem! I'm still waiting for them to credit me back.. It's been almost a month now!

 

[RavenStorm1977]

I didn't have a lot of luck...ordered a mix of layers last year, they changed their shipping price when they actually shipped, I called and told them it wasn't what I was quoted and customer service was...not very nice. Basically too bad - but I didn't know until the chicks came it was about $14 more for shipping than quoted. Also had quite a few die off, and the sexing wasn't great. They guarantee about 90% accuracy - don't expect any better except on sex links.

 

[btjnark]

I'm also having a terrible time with my broilers from Hoover this year. I've never had any bird ever arrive dead, until this year. They had included 3 over the 75 I ordered, but 3 were dead on arrival. Since I got them (5 days) I have 1 or 2 dead every day - except for the one day I had 6. They all see healthy and strong and I'm using the exact same conditions I've always used. I plan on getting another 50 in a few weeks, but I'll be paying the 20 cents extra per bird to get them from someplace else!

 

[Baybrio]

Wow, this is not sounding good.

Did you folks that are losing the broiler chicks let the hatchery know? Sounds like their source for the broiler eggs might be at fault.

As for the poor customer service - I think other hatcheries have good customer service.