Pro's And Con's of CackleHatchery.com?

[Chicken Heel]

I have nine mixed large breed hens from an original flock of fifteen purchased in 2017 from Cackle Hatchery and they remain healthy. All fifteen were some of the best layers that I have ever had and the six that have died were just worn out from laying so many eggs. I also have fifteen bantam hens purchased from Cackle Hatchery in 2018 that have done very well and been super healthy as well. As the one poster above noted, my four Crele OEGB hens are sweet, docile birds. And I've got three roosters and two hens that I hatched from them last spring (Crele hens crossed with BB Red OEGB roosters from TSC - Hoover) that are the prettiest and most even tempered ones that I have ever owned going back over 50 years. I need to get some photos of them.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I've gotten a lot of birds from them over the years. I wouldn't get Silkies from them though, whether it's a breed problem or a hatchery problem; I got 2 cross beaks and most of them suffered with wry neck. The roosters were mean too.
Like I said not sure if its just a breed problem or hatchery problem, but Silkies are too high maintenance for me.

 

[Tpaint27]

I ordered my French Copper Marans earlier this year from Cackle since it was the only hatchery that I could find that had them available. All chicks arrived healthy and active. I ordered 25 and received 27. So I have nothing negative to say about them. Yesterday, I placed another order with them for white silkie bantams, Swedish blue ducks and blue slate turkeys. But they won’t arrive until the first week in May. So I will have to wait a bit to let y’all know how this shipment goes

 

[m0ther_g00se]

I've always ordered ducklings from Metzer, but good to know Cackle is a good option too!

 

[Nashv755]

I've gotten 2 orders of around 20 chicks in the last 2 years. If it's worth it depends on what you want. Cackle has nice quality birds and a wide range of breeds. I didn't loose any chicks to disease in my 1st order. Only lost 1 in my second order (little rooster) but they sent an extra or 2 with each breed.

My only complaint is they know the sex and if you order straight run you will get more roosters. Example I ordered 5 chicks of a breed and got 3 roosters and 2 hens. If they send an extra it will be a rooster to. My 1st order was 5 chicks from 5 different breeds and all had the same ratio so I ended up with about 10 hens and nearly 20 roosters.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've gotten 2 orders of around 20 chicks in the last 2 years. If it's worth it depends on what you want. Cackle has nice quality birds and a wide range of breeds. I didn't loose any chicks to disease in my 1st order. Only lost 1 in my second order (little rooster) but they sent an extra or 2 with each breed.

My only complaint is they know the sex and if you order straight run you will get more roosters. Example I ordered 5 chicks of a breed and got 3 roosters and 2 hens. If they send an extra it will be a rooster to. My 1st order was 5 chicks from 5 different breeds and all had the same ratio so I ended up with about 10 hens and nearly 20 roosters.

Most hatcheries actually sort the st runs out before the sexed chicks so it's as unbiased as it can be.

 

[Nashv755]

Most hatcheries actually sort the st runs out before the sexed chicks so it's as unbiased as it can be.

Both of my orders were groups of 5. All were 3 roo's to 2 hens unless they sent an extra and it was a roo as well

 

[Folly's place]

Straight run is just that! I've had more pullets than cockerels twice, and more cockerels once. It's about the small numbers we order; if we ordered, say, 100 or more, it would likely even out better.
Our French Marans have been very nice, both the black coppers and the wheatons.
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

Anyone gotten Bielefelder chicks from Cackle?

 

[Nashv755]

Anyone gotten Bielefelder chicks from Cackle?

I did a couple years ago. Of course they aren't chicks no more lol