Sand Hill shipping

[Chickhick]

Has anyone gotten their orders shipped this year yet from Sand Hill? If so, when did you get your order in? I'm just eager to get my new babies!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I just got my conformation letter yesterday but sent off the payment a few weeks ago.
I picked the dates of April 19, May 3 and May 17 as to when would be good for me. They said in the letter that they are booked heavily but will try to squeeze me in. If I have to wait a few weeks later then I can deal with it. They are Golden Cascade ducks and I didn't want them too early. Nasty creatures to raise inside for more than 2 weeks.

 

[Chickhick]

Thanks. I've e-mailed them to see if they got my check, as it hasn't been cashed yet according to my bank. I'm afraid it got lost in the mail!

 

[sammileah]

they don't cash till shipped and don't ship till march i think. let me reread all that info in catalog and get back to you.

 

[Chickhick]

It turns out that they do cash before shipping... they cash the checks when they process the order into their computer.
They just hadn't gotten to mine yet, but they have now and they sent and e-mail to me letting me know that they've sent the confirmation and my hatch date is tentatively set at March 22.

 

[Thomasturkey]

I mailed my order in November. My check was cashed after Christmas. My confirmation letter came Jan 3rd for a possible May 17th delivery. I normally do not get my first possible date. I have ordered from Sandhill many times and learned you have to order early for many breeds. I wants waited a year for some breeds. They ship pretty far to me, but I have always had good luck with Chickens, Turkeys, and Ducks. I think I have only had one DOA but they gave extras. The quality on many are better than most hatchery's. Most rare breeds are a work in progress or they would not be rare. I don't buy from them to get show birds. I buy from them to get genetics for my projects and to support breed preservation.
I noticed that Sandhill has updated there 2011 catalog, with some birds sold out for 2011.

 

[Chickhick]

This is my first time ordering from them, and I am going to order even earlier for anything I want from them for next Spring. They are already sold out of a couple of the varieties of Dorking I wanted this year. But that's okay... I'm just wanting to try out the breed to see how I like it. I'll get other varieties next year if I really like them!

 

[Thomasturkey]

I am kind of doing the same thing. I ordered 5 of this and 5 of that. A total of 50 birds plus 50 large breed assortment. I like the assortments. Gives me the chance to try birds I would not pick for myself. I have had the silver grey Dorkings in the past. I did order Red and White Dorkings for this year. Last year when I placed the order, you could only buy 5 whites and 10 reds. They have changed it to 15 each this year. I would have ordered 15 if I would have known. I am thinking I might try a second order and hope for the best. I like my birds late in the year anyway. The weather is just crazy right now.

 

[Chickhick]

If you want more reds this year you probably still have a shot. They told me that the silver grey and colored are all booked up, and that with my assorted Dorkings I'd probably get red, light grey and black. So order now and you can probably still get them this year!

Wow! 100 chicks... 50 that are pot-luck! You must REALLY like surprises!!

I've got 25 coming from Sand Hill, 25 from Whitmore, 2 dozen eggs from Steve at S and S, and I'm in the process of ordering a dozen Welsummer bantam eggs, too. That is a total of 9 different breeds. (Plus I'm incubating coturnix quail eggs right now for the first time.)

What is the color like for the eggs of the Dorkings you've had? Are they white enough to be considered white, or are they more cream to light tan?

 

[Thomasturkey]

The White Dorkings is the ones I wanted the most. It does not say they are booked but in my letter from them they said they are very booked up. I want to taste different varieties. I am not saying I am eating all 50. But the culls and extra rooster will be eaten.