The color of a Mallard’s bill indicates its state of physical and reproductive health. Therefore, Mallard ducks can choose a healthy mate by assessing the drake’s bill color. Strange, but true. Here’s how it works: Carotenoids and Free Radicals Carotenoids influence the red, yellow, and orange hues of a duck’s feathers, skin, legs, and […]
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Gathering Goose Eggs — If You Can Find Them
Geese are not particularly prolific layers, as poultry go. The top producers might lay about four dozen eggs per year, which gives goose eggs their high value. The large white eggs are most often hatched to raise goslings for holiday roast goose. The eggs are also prized for creating craft items such as decorative […]
Continue ReadingPlanning Your Spring Chick Order
When planning your next order of chicks from the hatchery, give careful consideration to how many roosters you want (if any), and the real possibility that some of the chicks might not survive. Below are some important points to keep in mind when making your ordering decisions. Sexed Chicks For many breeds you have the […]
Continue ReadingHow Much Feed Does a Chicken Eat?
How much feed a chicken eats each week varies with the chicken’s age, breed, and strain, degree of activity, and condition of health. Other factors include the ration’s palatability and texture, and its energy and protein content. In cold weather, a chicken stays warm by eating more than it does during the heat of […]
Continue ReadingChick Sales Sheets
PRINTABLE CHICK SALES SHEETS Tips for printing: Make sure your printer settings are set to landscape orientation and that the scale is set to “Fit to Page”. Ancona Duck Austra White Barnevelder Barred Cochin Barred Plymouth Rock Barred Rock Bantam Bielefelder Black Australorp Black Breasted Red Aseel Black Breasted Red Phoenix Black Cochin Standard Chicken […]
Continue ReadingVaccination Policy
MAREK’S VACCINATION Cackle Hatchery® charges a flat fee of $10.00 for a Marek’s vaccination of 1-66 chicks. Anything over 66 chicks to be vaccinated we charge 15 cents a chick. Example 100 chicks to be vaccinated times .15 ea. = $15.00 fee for vaccination. These vaccinations must be given at 1 day of age. There […]
Continue ReadingHow to Pluck a Goose
A century ago the goose was considered among the most desirable species of the farm yard, and while many of its traits are still apparent to those who keep them, their popularity decreased as breeding practices for marketability of poultry advanced. Why raise a goose that will be in its prime for cooking in about […]
Continue ReadingDo Ducks Have a Penis?
A male duck has a penis, unless it falls off. But that’s getting ahead of the story. Like most birds, chickens don’t have a penis. But ducks, geese, and other waterfowl are among the few species that do have a penis. It’s a long, corkscrew appendix that remains inside-out, tucked within the duck’s body […]
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Submit a review on our BBB here: Is Cackle Hatchery® Legit? Yes, we have been raising and selling chickens since 1936 but don’t take our word for it; read many of our reviews and testimonials from real customers: September 10, 2023 All 17 chicks arrived alive and healthy in a timely manner, would do business […]
Continue ReadingFAQ
Shipping Questions: Q? Phone Line Is Busy/Internet Confirmed Ship Date A. We are sorry if you encounter a busy signal on the phone. We have moved into a larger office, updated our phone system with more lines, and increased our staff. We do apologize if you have trouble getting through. Internet orders are processed in […]
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