Favorite Hatcheries/ Least favorite Hatcheries? Opintions?

[GirlsHuntToo]

Hello
I was just wondering from everyone what their opinions were on certain hatcheries or which ones are your favorites.
Please give some details and what you ordered from them.
How was there customer service?

If you haven't joined BYC yet - Please join and register, tell us your experience!

Please inform everyone else... so that they can make the best decision possible when ordering baby chicks. Whether adding to your flock... or starting it!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

To your point about helping inform people, I agree that it's well worth the time to do research. If you're leaning towards a hatchery, do a forum search here on BYC. Know that if you get chicks from TSC or Rural King, they are coming from Hoovers, etc. Try to learn about the Hatchery itself, they can be incredibly different in size, conditions, quality breeding, etc. My local TSC uses Hoovers obviously, but my family-owned local feed store uses Privett and Jenks (not on the list above.) The fact that I've had only good experience can either be good on Privett or the stores receiving process (how do they handle the chicks the moment they arrive and thereafter,) or BOTH. I've seen TSC process locally and I think it's awful compared to the local store that has an actual temperature-controlled brooder room, wood brooder boxes off the floor, not overcrowded, etc. etc. What vaccines are important to you, does the hatchery do those? What state are you in, what state are chicks shipping from and how (USPS Express, Priority or Ground?) But then some of it is on you, how many are you ordering and what time of year?

 

[NagemTX]

Ordered twice from Cackle and both times were good. The customer service was very good also.

I want to order some bantams from them at some point.

 

[NagemTX]

Voted Other. Since there was no "none" or "Heritage breeders only" option. SO many breeds, and they're so unique, but hatcheries simply do not select for each breeds unique characteristics or good examples of the breed.

Some are hit or miss. I've actually gotten some decent Ameraucana stock from Cackle. I've also noticed they have limited availability on most the rare breeds they sell. Still not top quality, but something that can be started from at lest.

I've seen worse from some private breeders and read plenty of stories about not getting quality from them as well. Plus your not going to get perfect birds even from renowned breeders.

 

[Sally PB]

I've only ordered from one hatchery, Mt. Healthy. I had such a good experience that they would be my first choice for ordering chicks again.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Metzer and Dunlap for ducks. Ideal and Murray McMurray for chickens

 

[I Like Turkeys]

Ideal is probably my favorite of the big hatcheries. I’ve ordered twice from them, and each time the chicks and poults arrived alive and fairly energetic. Their birds aren’t anything special in terms if adherence to SOP, but I’m still happy with what I’ve got from them.
Mcmurray sold me sick turkeys once, so they’re a no-go for me now. I’ve had a family member order twice from them as well and have between 1/3 and 1/2 of the chicks be DOA each time.

 

[Iluveggers]

I ordered chicks from McMurray (great experience, 16 pullets of 16 ordered, all healthy on arrival), in summer in NY.
I ordered chicks twice from Ideal (great experience, 10 of 10 pullets and 26 of 26 pullets, all but 1 healthy on arrival, I think one had failure to thrive), in summer in NY both times.
I ordered chicks from Mt Healthy, (excellent experience, 10 of 10 pullets plus one extra complimentary pullet chick , all healthy on arrival), in summer in NY. Those chicks were the friendliest and easiest to handle of all, and the customer service was super helpful in helping me identify a few birds so I could split them correctly with a friend who I shared an order with.

I have ordered hatching eggs(one set of chicken eggs and one set of quail eggs) from Meyer twice, and that was a good experience. Only two miniscule cracks in either batch, and all but a couple were viable. Quail hatch rate was in the 80s if I remember correctly and chicken hatch rate was around 65 I think.

 

[Alexandra Runner]

I always order from Ideal Poultry! When I order pullets, I have never received a rooster. The customer service was knowledgeable about poultry, not too mention kind.

 

[BGMatt]

Voted Other. Since there was no "none" or "Heritage breeders only" option. SO many breeds, and they're so unique, but hatcheries simply do not select for each breeds unique characteristics or good examples of the breed.