Ideal Poultry Reviews

[waddles99]

Im thinking of ordering 30 chicks from ideal poultry soon. I like how they are still shipping now. Anyone ever bought from them? How was your experience with them?

 

[jtn42248]

Im thinking of ordering 30 chicks from ideal poultry soon. I like how they are still shipping now. Anyone ever bought from them? How was your experience with them?

You are going to hear rants and you are going to hear raves and in the end you are going to have to make your own decision.

I have used pretty much every major hatchery in the country including Ideal. I now use Ideal almost exclusively. Primarily because they are only 300 miles away from me. But also because I have always received healthy stock from them (chickens and ducks), because they have reasonable shipping rates, because you do not have to order a large number of birds only a very reasonable dollar amount (25.00) plus any small order charge.

If you are wanting show quality birds then Ideal is probably not the place for you. If you want healthy stock for a farm then they are worth investigating and perhaps giving a try at least once.

 

[waddles99]

You are going to hear rants and you are going to hear raves and in the end you are going to have to make your own decision.

I have used pretty much every major hatchery in the country including Ideal. I now use Ideal almost exclusively. Primarily because they are only 300 miles away from me. But also because I have always received healthy stock from them (chickens and ducks), because they have reasonable shipping rates, because you do not have to order a large number of birds only a very reasonable dollar amount (25.00) plus any small order charge.

If you are wanting show quality birds then Ideal is probably not the place for you. If you want healthy stock for a farm then they are worth investigating and perhaps giving a try at least once.

I am interested in healthy, nice to watch/look at, and good production. Showing chickens isn't my thing

 

[jtn42248]

I am interested in healthy, nice to watch/look at, and good production. Showing chickens isn't my thing

I have hens that lay daily that I got from Ideal (Rocks and Wyandottes), a bunch of really nice looking ducks some mature and laying regularly and others that will be a breeding flock that mature in a couple of weeks. And, I have a bunch of Sebright Bantam chicks that I just got that are developing really good looking juvenile feathering. The Bantams came with what they call "Packing Peanuts" which are male chicks that would otherwise not sell and are included to provide warmth during shipping. I ended up with 7 little roos that I think are Red Broilers and that will go to freezer camp in a couple of months.

All lay well (22 laying hens at peak before the days started getting shorted producing 22 eggs a day), 3 adult female ducks that lay eggs on a 2,2,3,3,2,2,1 schedule which is more then ample for my use and 16 Cayuga ducks that will be breeding stock that meet or exceed the breed standard.

What are you planning on getting?

 

[waddles99]

I have hens that lay daily that I got from Ideal (Rocks and Wyandottes), a bunch of really nice looking ducks some mature and laying regularly and others that will be a breeding flock that mature in a couple of weeks. And, I have a bunch of Sebright Bantam chicks that I just got that are developing really good looking juvenile feathering. The Bantams came with what they call "Packing Peanuts" which are male chicks that would otherwise not sell and are included to provide warmth during shipping. I ended up with 7 little roos that I think are Red Broilers and that will go to freezer camp in a couple of months.

All lay well (22 laying hens at peak before the days started getting shorted producing 22 eggs a day), 3 adult female ducks that lay eggs on a 2,2,3,3,2,2,1 schedule which is more then ample for my use and 16 Cayuga ducks that will be breeding stock that meet or exceed the breed standard.

What are you planning on getting?

Probably 10 Barred Rocks, 10 Rhode Island Reds, 7 Australorps, and 3 Easter Eggers.

 

[jtn42248]

Probably 10 Barred Rocks, 10 Rhode Island Reds, 7 Australorps, and 3 Easter Eggers.

Nice selection. You should get excellent laying from all with the possible exception of the Easter Eggers. I have never had them myself but I keep reading mixed reviews about them here on BYC. The eggs you do get from them should be pretty though.

Do you have brooding space for that many? How about coop and run? If you are planning on any free ranging do you have that ready as well?

Once you get your order you will be amazed at how fast they grow so plan on brooding for juvenile sized birds before you move them outside.

 

[waddles99]

Nice selection. You should get excellent laying from all with the possible exception of the Easter Eggers. I have never had them myself but I keep reading mixed reviews about them here on BYC. The eggs you do get from them should be pretty though.

Do you have brooding space for that many? How about coop and run? If you are planning on any free ranging do you have that ready as well?

Once you get your order you will be amazed at how fast they grow so plan on brooding for juvenile sized birds before you move them outside.

Easter Eggers are more of a novelty than for production. I like the colored eggs. The other 27 birds i selected for egg production, and since they are heritage breeds. I figure I may get 2 dozen a day during most months of the warm season. For brooding space I am building a 6 x 10 brooder, gives 2 sq ft per bird. As far as when they are grown they will get an 8 x 8 stall in my barn and a 50 x 50 run.

 

[jtn42248]

Easter Eggers are more of a novelty than for production. I like the colored eggs. The other 27 birds i selected for egg production, and since they are heritage breeds. I figure I may get 2 dozen a day during most months of the warm season. For brooding space I am building a 6 x 10 brooder, gives 2 sq ft per bird. As far as when they are grown they will get an 8 x 8 stall in my barn and a 50 x 50 run.

Sounds good. Make sure the nesting boxes are 6-12 inches off the floor and lower than the roosts. That helps to discourage sleeping in the nesting boxes. They say one nesting box for every 4-5 hens. I have 22 hens and 10 nesting boxes. They make use of all of them. They do seem to have their favorites though. Put something in your run for them to perch on above ground level. They seem to like that. I have an old dead tree that I "planted" in their run and they all make use of that to demonstrate their place within the pecking order of the flock. Also, dusting area. We use fireplace ash since we almost always have a fire going during the winter we stockpile the ash when we clean it out and put it in a "box" in their range area for them to dust bathe in. If necessary I will add a little food grade diatomaceous earth in the warmer months to help with any irritants they come in contact with.

I don't know where you plan to get you birds but remember that most hatcheries only guarantee gender at about a 90% range. So with 30 birds you may end up with as many as 3 roosters and have no recourse except to keep them. If that is the case with 20+ hens you will really need only one or two roosters. I have only one with my 22 girls and he is fine. Any surplus roosters you can give away or send to freezer camp.

Good luck to you and enjoy.

 

[waddles99]

Sounds good. Make sure the nesting boxes are 6-12 inches off the floor and lower than the roosts. That helps to discourage sleeping in the nesting boxes. They say one nesting box for every 4-5 hens. I have 22 hens and 10 nesting boxes. They make use of all of them. They do seem to have their favorites though. Put something in your run for them to perch on above ground level. They seem to like that. I have an old dead tree that I "planted" in their run and they all make use of that to demonstrate their place within the pecking order of the flock. Also, dusting area. We use fireplace ash since we almost always have a fire going during the winter we stockpile the ash when we clean it out and put it in a "box" in their range area for them to dust bathe in. If necessary I will add a little food grade diatomaceous earth in the warmer months to help with any irritants they come in contact with.

I don't know where you plan to get you birds but remember that most hatcheries only guarantee gender at about a 90% range. So with 30 birds you may end up with as many as 3 roosters and have no recourse except to keep them. If that is the case with 20+ hens you will really need only one or two roosters. I have only one with my 22 girls and he is fine. Any surplus roosters you can give away or send to freezer camp.

Good luck to you and enjoy.

I'm planning on ordering from Ideal. Hopefully there won't be any roosters with the hens, but at 10 percent of them being male, that's 3 roosters. I cannot have roosters since I live in a one acre property, so if they are roosters, they're going in the freezer. Or just sell on Craigslist.

 

[jtn42248]

I'm planning on ordering from Ideal. Hopefully there won't be any roosters with the hens, but at 10 percent of them being male, that's 3 roosters. I cannot have roosters since I live in a one acre property, so if they are roosters, they're going in the freezer. Or just sell on Craigslist.

Don't know what area you are in but depending on when you order from Ideal they may also include male chicks for warmth during shipping (for free). I ordered 8 Bantams about a month ago and they included 7 male chicks. I am in West Texas in a rural area (north of Coleman TX) and I tried giving away the roosters. I did local newspaper ads, Craigslist and re-homing here on BYC and got not one reply. So make sure you have enough room in your freezer. I have explained to the little guys I got that they need to really work on their wings because we enjoy hot wings.