Number one best hatchery.

[tileman@prodigBird Raiser]

Ideal poultry. I have gotton some chicks from them and for a hatchery they have turned out to be some of the best birds. Also has alot of rare colors. I got a silver campine old english pullet from them.

 

[MissJames]

I have only ordered once.I ordered 26 RIR's from Welp ,I asked for 3 roos and that's exactly what I got.All arrived healthy and perky reqiring no intervention.They are almost 8 weeks old and have remained very healthy and robust.

 

[Ohio Brahmas]

We were very happy with Mt Healthy. We ordered pullets from them last summer and they were all very health and well packaged. We have another order in for more pullets in Febuary and can't wait.

 

[Jolly_Rancher]

Lasy year was my first year. I ordered from My pet Chicken because I wanted Silkie pullets. I ended up ordering
8 assorted Silkies straight run, received 4 pullets, 4 roos (4 differnt colors of each, perfect!)
I also ordered 20 regular assorted breed pullets, I received, 19 full sized pullets and 1 bantum roo.

I could not have asked for a better beginning for a starter order.

 

[college town chick]

Thanks so much for this thread!

I too would like to know who's the best overall hatchery (or maybe who ARE the best hatcheries) to order from. I'm brand new to chickens and will be getting mine this spring -- I'd like to make sure I get healthy, perky chicks in a timely fashion, and sexing accuracy is rather important for me (my town doesn't allow roosters, so any roos will either have to be sold or gotten rid of one way or another). We don't show them, so that isn't as important as utility quality, good customer service, and healthy chicks (and getting as few number of roos as possible -- poor roos; talk about gender discrimination).

Maybe I just need to know what are the best hatcheries for a beginner to deal with?

 

[the1much]

Quote:
i would go with ideal,,,, but remember,,, all these hatcheries deal with tens of thousands of chicks EACH shipping date,, there will ALWAYS be chicks slip by with a crooked neck/ foot/ toes,, there will always be a weak chick, or 1 that just wont live,,,, it happens to all of us when just hatching a dozen,,, imagine a thousand dozens

these hatcheries need to get ALL these chicks out of the bators, and in our boxes, they dont have time to pick up EACH chick and look it over like new parents.
their sexing is usually only 90% accurate,, and is usually a separate company doing the sexing, then the hatchery.

 

[college town chick]

I kinda figured there would be a mortality rate somewhat -- just don't want to deal with an entire order of dead, sick, weak, or deformed chicks. As a beginner, I'd like as much advantage as I can get -- raising healthy chicks will most likely be a challenge for me; sick, weak ones? That would be awful.

Also want to buy from a place that does as good a job of sexing as possible, given my situation (I have a feeling I will get attached to the little critters, so selling them down the road or killing them for the pot will no doubt be difficult in reality). With the town's "no rooster" policy I don't want to get a bunch of roosters that...you know...that would be awful in another way, but just as awful.

 

[the1much]

i would worry more about the post office,,, lol
what your doing is the way to go,, read, ask questions, and then,, order away,, hahaha
but i would look into how your PO handles live chicks ,, cause we all know,, theres NO helping them

i would make sure you let them know you have chicks on the way,, make sure they have your phone # ,, and i would go pick them up the minute they call

 

[college town chick]

Our PO

If they come in on a day that two of the fellas work, it will be all cherry sundae -- they're really nice, responsible, service with a smile folks, and very animal friendly (if I have something coming in for my dogs or horses, they call to make sure I get it -- the horses and dogs won't die from lack of any new training equipment, I'm sure, but it's nice that they are so concerned about the "what if").

If the chicks have the misfortune to come in on one of the days their co-workers are on -- they'll be toast, and I'll get grump at for sending dead critters through the mail. They've lost paychecks and bills on me before -- and acted as though I should owe them an apology for making them take the trouble to inquire about them

That's why I'm waiting until spring -- can hopefully dodge excessive heat and cold -- and want my chicks sent Priority if possible (less time in transit means more chance if they get stuck with our "bad" postal employees).

Once I get to know my way around chickens, I'd like to go directly to a breeder -- if I can find one in my area that raises the breeds I want.

 

[mario49]

Quote:
ok change of subject
i would go with Cackle hatchery
i had ordered 5 whiteleg. roos and 5 barred rock roos only 1 out of the roos died my br

. then i ordered 25 and 25 barred rock and whiteleg pullets! they all survived except for 1 pullet white leg!

they also gave them MAREKS DISEASE shots for .15 each chick which was preety cheap!

I got all that for around 140$ which is a lot cheaper than MCMURRAY AND IDEAL! and PURELY PULLTRY!
they also provide supplies and feed and i got all that in about 2 weeks!