Ideal Poultry Breeding Farms, Inc

[gritsar]

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Here's my opinion on that: Day old chicks cost less to purchase initially. However to get baby chicks you're gonna need a brooder - that costs $$ - you are going to invest more time in getting them grown - time = $$ - and you have to feed them for a longer period of time before they get to laying age - and that costs $$. If you compared penny for penny the difference between getting day olds and getting started pullets, I think you'd come out about the same.

 

[gritsar]

By the way I'm not sure where Harris county is, my geography stinks, but Atwoods stores are once again selling day olds. You could ask the store manager to be sure, but I think chances are good that they get their day olds from Ideal. There are Atwoods stores located in the following Texas stores: Witchita Falls, Paris, Kilgore, Tyler, and Jacksonville.
But BEWARE! Unless you have a stone cold heart you can't go into a Atwoods store and see all those adorable baby chicks in the stock tanks without bringing some home. I don't have a stone cold heart, that's why I always take my SO with me when shopping at Atwoods.

 

[mjdtexan]

Quote:
Houston-ish

Thank You for all of the information. I am still undecided. I am leaning toward the juvenile birds. The one thing that would be an advantage to getting day olds is once you have the equipment its yours.

 

[CountryMom]

I use a long plastic storage bin with a piece of cage wire cut to fit over the top for my brooder. Didn't cost a whole lot. The heat lamps you can get at your feed store or TSC ($15 to $20). Water dishes and food bowls are relatively cheap. If you wait until the spring the feed stores sometimes do a deal where you buy a bag of feed and get 6 or so chicks for free. Of course you are limited to what they carry as far as chicks. One store here carried easter chicks that were six to a bag of feed. I bet they were meat birds. However, another store had a good mix, Rhode Island Reds, Sexlinks, Leghorns, Goldens and Buff Orpingtons for 6 with purchase of a bag.

 

[LoveMyPeeps]

I used Ideal and I absolutely love their service and their chicks!

 

[jasonak]

I used ideal got a shipment of 62 chicks on the thrird of last month,mostley bantams.They all arrived happy and healthy but I lost 2 and 3rd looked like he was on his way out bye the next day.I emailed them told them that they had all arrived alive but two had died and another didnt look so well.They said they were sorry that I had lost them and refunded my money for the 3 chicks.I was pretty impressed.It was only 7 dollars,It was just nice to see that they coverd the loss because they only garantee live arrival.So lost 3 out of 62 shipped from texas to alaska Im really impressed and the fact that the coved the loss no questions asked.Ill deffinetly being using them again,,and again

 

[mom'sfolly]

You can actually pick up your order in Cameron, if you want. You have to order ahead, but they will let you pick them up.

I'm sure some feed stores in Harris Cty would carry POL pullets, its worth a few phone calls. Callahan's here does.

All the chicks except the ones I've hatched have come from Ideal. They seem to have nice birds. Check out your local feed stores, they probably order from Ideal. As someone else mentioned, some feed stores will piggyback your order on their's. This makes it easier because you don't have to worry about the post office.

 

[mjdtexan]

mom'sfolly :

You can actually pick up your order in Cameron, if you want. You have to order ahead, but they will let you pick them up.

I'm sure some feed stores in Harris Cty would carry POL pullets, its worth a few phone calls. Callahan's here does.

All the chicks except the ones I've hatched have come from Ideal. They seem to have nice birds. Check out your local feed stores, they probably order from Ideal. As someone else mentioned, some feed stores will piggyback your order on their's. This makes it easier because you don't have to worry about the post office.

We are building a brooder now. We are going to ask our local feedstore to order for us this week. We want to get the particulars on what we need to buy as far a feed and the like goes anyway.​

 

[AlabamaChickenHead]

I ordered from Ideal for the fist time recently. Got my chicks last Thursday, all healthy, and growing like crazy.

BTW, I placed a small order (10 chicks) and got a total of 14 (they throw free cockerels in for extra warmth, but most hatcheriers do that) gotta love that!

Also McMurry Hatchery is very good. In addtion to freebees for extra warmth, they will also ship a standard extra rare breed chick (if you do not want extras just tell them).

 

[mjdtexan]

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So, what do you guys wind up doing with the extra cokerels?

We wound up ordering direct. Wont get here until the end of this month.