Ideal Poultry chicks

[janiedoe]

I purchased chicks from Ideal poultry a little over 8 weeks ago. I picked them up in Cameron Texas where Ideal is located.
I'm sharing my experience & pictures for those who are interested.
Susan with Ideal was friendly and helpful. The feed store employees where I picked the chicks up were very nice too.
I purchased:
2 straight run crevecoeur (I think I have one pullet & one cockrell based on build, personality, and size)

1 welsummer pullet

2 langshan pullets (One is homely, but is as sweet as pie. The other looks more langshan like.)

1 russian orloff pullet

2 Brahma pullets

2 naked neck pullets

All are healthy, friendly, and curious. I believe that the ones bought as pullets are indeed pullets.
I had a great experience with Ideal and will definitely buy from them again.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

IDEAL is my favorite hatchery so far. I got more girls than boys in my straight run, which was nice, and didn't lose one from anything that could have happened stress or shipping wise.

 

[janiedoe]

IDEAL is my favorite hatchery so far. I got more girls than boys in my straight run, which was nice, and didn't lose one from anything that could have happened stress or shipping wise.

It's nice to hear that got more girls than boys! I usually buy pullets but I never have that kind of luck when hatching. My average is 30% pullets.

 

[BlueBaby]

@janiedoe You picked out a good selection there. Welcome to the Naked Neck world, by the way!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I can't order sexes bantams, so gotta just hope for the best, lol

 

[janiedoe]

@janiedoe You picked out a good selection there. Welcome to the Naked Neck world, by the way!

I do love the naked necks!

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Hey! How is your Ideal Welsummer's disposition?

Our local co-op orders from Ideal. I've been trying to figure out whether to get Welsummers from them this year.

We got their Langshans, Brahmas, and EEs last spring. All healthy with excellent dispositions. The Langshans were ridiculously homely chicks, ha. They grew so slowly, and one only has one wattle. But they've grown into big, well-feathered birds that lay medium-brown and often high-bloom pink eggs! Started laying at 24, 26, and 32 weeks.

 

[janiedoe]

Hey! How is your Ideal Welsummer's disposition?

Our local co-op orders from Ideal. I've been trying to figure out whether to get Welsummers from them this year.

We got their Langshans, Brahmas, and EEs last spring. All healthy with excellent dispositions. The Langshans were ridiculously homely chicks, ha. They grew so slowly, and one only has one wattle. But they've grown into big, well-feathered birds that lay medium-brown and often high-bloom pink eggs! Started laying at 24, 26, and 32 weeks.

My welsummer is friendly with me but a bit aloof. She doesn't hang with the group too often.
I love my langshan. They were the reason I ordered from ideal. My older langshan lady is a beauty (& very broody) but not especially friendly, these new girls are friendly and beautiful. I bought two brahmas, the light girl is already large, the buff is an average size when compared to the other breeds. The two naked necks are the friendliest, followed by the russian orloff who is also the cutest.
My oldest langshan lays a very small pinkish egg about 2 to 3 a week when she isn't. broody. I'm looking forward to seeing the new girls eggs. (And I have 2 easter egger langshan mixed cockrels that I'd like to breed back to the langshan pullets)

 

[janiedoe]

Summer the welsummer & Frankie the crevecoeur

Vashti ( russian orloff), Ernestine (naked neck), Hazel (buff brahma)

The necked necks are the friendliest chickens I've ever met!

Leeloo, one of the langshan girls.

Vashti (russian orloff)

Ella, another langshan. She is already tall. Polly,the hen in the background is a 2 to 3 year old ee and the langshans are already taller.
Both my straight run creves turned out to be males but all in all, Ideal did great.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Thanks for the response and all the photos! Ideal's website has their Welsummers' personality listed as "not docile," so it's good to have more details about what that might mean.

How is the Naked Neck in cold weather? Do you have to provide any heat? SO cute.

The Langshans have a special place in my heart. They have distinct personalities and are serene but not pushovers. They have that sweet, contemplative look in their eye, which is endearing even if they're only contemplating how to sneak that strawberry out of your hand and run off with it.

One of our 3 Langshans was aloof until she fell ill in November and recovered in the house for a week. After that, she's much more interested in visiting and might like to be carried around from time to time. This is our most social Langshan, Pinkie:

It's interesting your Buff Brahma is smaller than your Light. We have 3, 11-month-old Buffs, and they're "all Brahma" when it comes to cuddly personalities but are not much bigger than the Easter Eggers, which has us flummoxed. Meanwhile, our Light cockerel is a beast. I'm wondering if Ideal's Light Brahmas are bigger in general than their Buffs.