I need to make a birthday shopping list. So before i order, i would like to hear your guy's opions! im in the market for crested, sumatras, game bantams, frizzles, silkies, turkeys, maybe geese/ducks
Ideal has always been my number one choice, you can order as little as you want and the prices are great, and chicks are healthy!
Leon Valley trading Company i only have ordered eggs from them yet, but they also ship day olds. http://www.leonvalleytradingco.com/OrderingShipping.html
I can only address Ideal because they are the only place I've used. That's where my chicks came from that arrived yesterday. I am totally happy with them and will continue to order through Ideal.
Cackle Hatchery is the best. They have great quality birds. Right now though, they are very very busy.
I have had good luck with both MMH and Ideal. Out of the 2 orders, I have only had one chick with pasty butt and that was one of the peanuts that came from Ideal. Given the fact that those birds went from 90 degrees in Texas and arrived in 45 degree temps in Maine, I can't complain. Both had the chicks here 1 day after shipping. I like Ideal not having a minimum as long as you are OK with getting peanuts. I can't imagine how messy 10 or 15 ducks would be, 6 are unreal! LOL So in my order of 6 ducks, they sent 7 cockerels. I'll give them away and it is not a big deal to me. Have homes for all but 3 already. The only downside to ideal is the small order charge and 1/4 box charge. I have also placed an order for meat birds and giant cochins from Welp. They aren't coming till later this year, but so far so good dealing with them as well. Good prices and shipping is included. Have a charge for less than 5 of a breed though so that could add up if you only want one or two of a lot of breeds.
I vote for Cackle, too. They made a booboo on my order and shipped my babies and when we got there to pick them up they were at our post office 3 1/2 hours away. They gave us 5 Cuckoo Marans pullets, which you cannot order except as part of a straight run, and an extra ???? chick we think may be a Partridge Rock. ALL my pullets are pullets, out of 36. Yep, that's right. All of them. I was very pleased with the order and though we lost one the second day we had received an extra in the shipping box and she didn't look too good to start with. I'll go with them again. No doubt. Trisha in MO