Comments regarding Cackle Hatchery

Cackle was once my go to hatchery. Now they have the most restrictive policies on guaranteeing viability and adding to orders. They also have the most expensive vaccination charge. I'll explore alternative sources before ordering again.

I purchased 30+ chicks - mostly bantams and a few standards from cackle hatchery. Of these 10 were Buff Orpington Bantams. One week after delivery, only 4 of the 10 Buff Orpington bantams remain alive. Of the remaining 4, 2 seem "questionable" in terms of vigor and I doubt they will survive. I phoned Cackle to discuss why only this breed of chick in my order is not thriving. I have been raising chickens and hatching and brooding chicks for over 40 years and have never experienced such deaths with a batch of chicks - it is very odd to me that only the Buff Orpington bantams were/are struggling to survive. The responses to my phone call were the typical textbook responses - heat lamp set properly? what is bedding used? etc., etc. I was told to give them vinegar water to help with the stress. But, this does not address why only the Buff Orpington bantams are dying and not the other breeds. I use newspaper (have for 40 years with no problem) for the floor of the brooder and change it TWICE daily. I was told the newspaper may cause splay legs, which I have never had a problem with, but was not the purpose of my phone call. I have ordered from Cackle a few times, but with this recent order and the lack of vigor I seem to be witnessing in my Buff Orpington chicks, I doubt I will return as a customer and will find chicks from a closer source to my home. I am not convinced that small bantams from certain breeds take the stress shipping well. This may be the case for my situation.

Posted on May 23, 2011, updated May 23, 2011
Posted on May 21, 2011, updated May 23, 2011
I placed an order with Cackle back in March. They took the money right away. ( I thought that was great!)They gave me a hatch/ship date of May 17th. I figured wow that seems to be a long time. Hey it's probably just busy!
Well May 17th comes I'm all set up waiting for my 21 chicks and 6 baby turkeys to come in and my mom answered the phone , It's Cackle........ the person tells her that the order now won't be shipped out until July 5th. I have called them and the phone lines are always busy. I have emailed them trying to express how I feel like almost 4 months for baby chicks is unbelievable. I have never heard anyone say that before.

NO ONE HAS even giving me the consideration to respond. I hope that they let me know why. They don't take the money out they day before shipment they take it out months before hand and don't give you what you ordered.

YES I AM ANGRY! I feel like I have been taken for $. I have 5 children that are dying for the baby chicks to come in. On the website it does NOT say 4 months for an order. Why? CACKLE WHY?......... They are not very RELIABLE! They have NO people skills!

My experience with Cackle began on 5/509 when I dropped my money order and order form in the mail. After a week I hadn't received anything from them saying they had received my order so I e-mailed them on the 11th. They told me it hadn't been processed yet and that they might have it but they were a few days behind on processing. Then another week went by and still nothing so I e-mailed again on the 18th with no response. I waited and e-mailed again on the 21st. By this time I was beginning to get concerned. If it was lost in the mail I wanted to cancel the MO. I couldn't understand why I had not been told that they had received it and give me the hatch date. On the 22nd I received an e-mail from the owner saying she had been sick. Not to sound cold hearted but working in customer service myself the customer doesn't need to hear excuses. More than anything you should at least aplogize all over yourself for any inconviences. No apology was given. She did say they would be shipped on 6/1/09 and should arrive on the 3rd. The chicks did arrive on the 3rd as scheduled. I ordered 11 Silver Laced Wyandotte pullets and 5 cockerels. All 16 were healthy and alive. I was kind of let down that there wasn't an extra chick or two thrown in as it plainly states on Cackle's site under the FAQ's section under Guarantees and Policies. Just below 100% Live Delivery Guarantee reads.. "We guarantee that you will receive full count of live, healthy poultry according to this guarantee. We place extra chicks in EACH box to help fulfill this guarantee." I will probably give Cackle another chance since the chicks were all heatlhy but I hope my next experience is better. Because the chicks are doing so well I wish I could give a positive experience but with the CS experience and the unfulfilled guarantee of extra chicks I'm going to go with neutral this time. I am planning on ordering again next year so I will give them another chance since they have a breed I haven't been able to find anywhere else. I will rate them in the future on how that experience goes.

I wish I would have found Dave's Garden before now! I ordered 30 chicks from the Cackle Hatchery on May 1, 2008. Today is July 1, 2008 and not a word from the hatchery, BUT they have charged my credit card!!! I call and get a busy signal, only one time have I gotten through, then I got an answering system and was put on hold before hung up on! I have also e-mailed several times as well as faxed. I understand they may be busy, but to not return a single e-mail or fax, let alone answer the phones.... I have no idea when I will receive the chicks. They WERE for a 4-H project, but had to be in hand on or before July 1, 2008.......Guess we will try again next year, BUT NOT WITH CACKLE HATCHERY!!!!!!!

does anyone no if they have show quality silver spangled hamburgs.

i ordered 15 biddies and their ship date was febuary 27th out of 15 ,4 were dead on arrival and i ended up losing all but 5, but when i called they let me pick a reship date and they reshipped the whole order plus 2. this time only 1 died and when they arrived i didn't even have to teach them how to drink or eat!! i think if the weather is extremely cold they should automatically ship on a warmer date to ensure the health of the babies! i guess it was an overall learning experience. but if i order more through the mail they will be in warmer weather!!