Who's your favorite hatchery of the 2011 season?

[DB_Tex]

Thought a feedback thread would be fun, and handy for those of us already planning for next year. I'm sure there's some people switching up and looking for something different from year to year.

This year, I got great ducks from Metzer farms. I had a very high survival rate, and my birds are all healthy, and all have great growth rates. I ordered welsh harlequins and layer hybrids. My only regret is that I didn't get a few of their cayugas too. The company had very reasonable shipping, and in addition they performed excellent customer service and stand by the health and viability of their birds.

I hope someone has just as good a recommendation for a company that deals in turkeys for me to take advantage of next year

 

[ozark_chickies]

We had great results from Cackle this year, and are planning on using them again next year. We choose Cackle because they were the nearest hatchery, and I didn't want my chicks mailed across the country. I reasoned the less time they spent with the USPS, the heathier they would be. They sent an extra chick each time, and all were alive, and active when I opened the box.

 

[draye]

Cackle, but they were the only ones that we ordered from this year. We have always liked Cackle chickens the best, seems to have the better chickens that are closer to the standard.
Now all you hatchery haters don't jump on me for saying that, but to me thay are closer, not that I am saying perfect.

 

[jc12551]

Cackle!

They send extra chicks, don't have an extra charge for ordering less than 25 of something, their turkeys are excellent (they hatch them there instead of drop shipping). Out of the 63 pullets, only one was mis-sexed. They marked all my different breeds

One flaw: their ordering system is unorganized and it takes FOREVER to get them on the phone. But once you do, they are very nice. One of the owners called me to apologize for my order not shipping on time (it got misplaced by one of their new people or something). Then she called back when the PO crushed my box of birds. Then she called when a box of bantams and turkeys had been misdelivered to my town (oh darn!) to see if I could take them.

 

[CarolJ]

Meyer - but they're the only ones I ordered from - but each order was great, both chicks and hatching eggs, and the folks I talked with on the phone were helpful. And can order as few as 3 chicks.

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Hoovers hatchery
Great sevice, healthy birds and cheap prices! I'll order from them again.

 

[stilldeb]

My Pet Chicken - you can get small orders, they will sex them, even Bantams, and they won't toss in a bunch of chickens you don't want/didn't order. If they make a mistake on sexing, they will refund your money and replace the chicken as well. They even send me an occasional 'thanks for being a customer' gift for my chooks.

 

[Southernbelle]

I ordered from My Pet Chicken this year. Every year, late in the season, they run a special for an all-pullet assortment of 25 for $49.95 and it includes shipping. I got a really nice assortment of healthy chicks, no roosters in the bunch.

 

[Lisa0318]

I orderd some silkies and frizzles and they even sent extra rhode islad red roosters for my chicks to be comfy, they all arived healthy and very cute, i rehomed the red roosters and keept only two for my big girls. im very happy with ideal and will order from them again

LOL....i just placed my order for the bantam special off 99 cents each...

 

[A.T. Hagan]

McMurray for White Leghorns. Townline for ISA Browns. Good service, great birds.