Ideal hatchery

[LoneCowboy]

I got mine the day they shipped.

but I ordered from McMurray. They shipped in the morning and they called me in the afternoon from the mail sort center. Seems these constant cheeping noises were driving the guys nuts.

 

[nccatnip]

My BO's arrived yesterday, did not expect them until today. They are just great, hardy chicks. Those kids came out of the box ready to explore everything. They are a riot, completely unphased by their trip.
I recommend them very highly as far as packing and health of the chicks. Time will only tell about their sexing rate and breed quality.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

The 20 Cornishes and 10 black broilers I got from Ideal were all very healthy when the arrived the day after shipping. I had already alerted the post office that they would be coming, and the post office called around 7am to let me know they had arrived.

One of the black broilers was very small, and only survived about a week, I think. I will definitely order from Ideal again!

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I got mine from Ideal the same morning they shipped, but then I am only a few hundred miles up the road. The area mail processing facility called me before noon and asked if I wanted to come and get them or let them go to my local post office. Of course I went and got them.

 

[hsm5grls]

The chicks have been here for a few days and are all very healthy. Who knew watching chicks was soo much fun, It's better than t.v. (well you all probably did LOL) I wish I had another coop I want more. Darn it it's that fever thing y'all talk about. LOL Next endeavor Ducks of course after the goats.

 

[quadcam79]

It's funny, i work for an airline and we handle some of the mail for the post office. we get constant shipments of baby chicks and ducks,sometimes we'll get hundreds of them separated in boxes of about 25/50 . I'll open the cargo bin and hear all these "peep,peep,peeps" usually they go straight to the post office but occasionally for one reason or another we'll have to hold them for a little while, normally we'll set them in our garage next to the gates and after awhile all the noise can make you insane.

the worst ones...now and then we get a full grown roo going outbound and it will crow and crow and crow...and crow LOUDLY and we get to sit there and listen to it for hours...while we contemplate having roast chicken for lunch LOL

until I started getting into homesteading and noticing how many chicks are shipped everyday I never realized just how many people actually keep chickens

 

[ole-crone]

I was wondering what types of chicks you received?

We received our dark egg layers last Friday from Ideal, which was our first order from them. My Barnvelders and Welsummers look fine but the Marans just don't seem as healthy. I have to keep cleaning their behinds (I've never seen so many pasty butts!) and some of them are downright skinny.

These chicks just don't seem to be as active or curious as the batches we've ordered from McMurray. MMs normally ate us out of house and home by now and these just want to lay around and sleep. They are nice and warm - any ideas or similar experiences? Could it be the time of year?

 

[hsm5grls]

I ordered
4 barred rocks
3 buff rocks
4 white rocks
3 partidge rocks
1 partridge rock roo

Yeah, I had a few with pasty butt, I was so glad that I had read about it on here or I wouldn't have even checked or thought to clean it. I have been cleaning pasty butt alot on about 4 of them. But it has been a week now and it seems better.

 

[nccatnip]

Quote:
Maybe it is a breed issue? My seabrights all had pasty butt that cleared up very quickly. Everyone was very active and ate well but the GLW and BO's are eating me out of house and home.

 

[ole-crone]

The pasty butts seem to have disappeared and the chicks look like they are starting to grow. I was surprised to find one dead yesterday - no one had been acting sick. EWWW it sure did stink. Changed the papers just in case and today all seem ok. But I'm still concerned that they just don't act as active as our earlier batches have. They are a week old now and normally they are starting to jump up on waterers, etc. Then again, I've never raised these breeds before. Maybe they just aren't as curious as those I have.