Guarantees & Policies

As the purchaser of live poultry, it is your responsibility to provide a safe and suitable environment for your birds upon arrival. This includes ensuring proper heat, bedding, feed, and water, as outlined in our Care Instructions.

To ensure the best possible start for your birds:

• Review our Care Instructions prior to placing your order to fully understand the preparation required.
• Read the Care Instructions again upon delivery to confirm you are following all necessary steps. A hard copy of these instructions will be included with your shipment.
• Be available and flexible to pick up your birds from the post office promptly upon their arrival.
• Prepare a brooder in advance and be present for at least the first 24 hours to monitor their adjustment, regulate brooder temperature, and ensure they are eating and drinking properly.
• Report any unsafe delivery conditions as outlined in our Live Delivery Guarantee section.
• Watch our instructional video, Care of Chicks on Arrival, available on our Care Instructions page, to familiarize yourself with best practices.

Proper preparation and education are essential to raising healthy poultry. By placing an order, you acknowledge and accept these responsibilities.

Excludes Peafowl and Rare Ornamental Pheasants

We guarantee that your order will arrive with the full count of live, healthy poultry within 1-3 days via USPS Priority Mail – Live Shipping. To help ensure successful delivery, we often include extra chicks of the same or similar breed and gender at no additional cost.

If you receive fewer live birds than ordered due to losses in shipment, we will issue a refund for the poultry only (excluding shipping and handling). To report a loss contact us by phone or email. Any losses must be reported within 24 hours after receiving.

Cackle Hatchery guarantees the safe and timely arrival of your birds but does not cover mortality or health issues beyond the delivery date.

• In-Store Pickups: No refunds or replacements will be provided for poultry picked up in-store once they leave our facility.
• Shipped Orders: We guarantee that you will receive the breeds and quantities you ordered. While we often include extra birds at no additional cost, these will be factored into any loss adjustments. If wrong breed(s) are sent we will only refund half the cost of the bird.
• Losses in Shipment: If you receive fewer live birds than ordered due to losses during transit, we will issue a refund for the poultry only (excluding shipping, handling, and the USPS surcharge).
• Replacements: Due to the time-sensitive nature of live poultry shipping, we do not offer replacements for lost birds. Instead, we provide a refund for any verified losses as outlined above. If you would like to reorder, you may place a new order at your convenience, subject to current availability.

To report a loss, you may:
📧 Submit a claim via email at help@cacklehatchery.com
📞 Contact us by phone at 417-532-4581

Hatching Eggs

We do not offer refunds or replacements for hatching eggs. Purchasing hatching eggs comes with inherent risks, as there are numerous uncontrollable variables in shipping and incubation that can affect hatch rates. By placing an order, you acknowledge and accept these risks.

We offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee on all products excluding poultry and poultry hatching eggs. Prior approval is required before merchandise can be returned. To request a return, please contact us by phone or email.

We accept returns for refund or exchange provided that:

• The item is in its original packaging, includes all literature, has not been used, and is in resalable condition.
• The return request is made within 30 days of purchase.
• A 10% handling and restocking fee may apply.
• Merchandise drop-shipped from the factory may be subject to additional terms set by the manufacturer.
• Refunds will not be issued until the returned item has arrived at our facility.
• Shipping costs are non-refundable, and the customer is responsible for return shipping and insurance. Returns cannot be shipped C.O.D.

Damaged Items

If an item arrives damaged:

• If possible, have the delivery driver note the damage on the package upon delivery.
• If damage is discovered after opening the package, please contact us immediately, and we will assist in resolving the issue.

Cackle Hatchery® guarantees that all poultry sold are of the grade, quality, sex, and breed as represented in the breed descriptions. If an error occurs, we will make a prompt adjustment to resolve the issue.

In producing our chicks, we adhere to approved and recommended flock management practices, including:

• Strict flock control and egg selection protocols
• Sanitary and disease control standards in all hatchery operations
• Compliance with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Animal Health Inspection Service’s National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)

While we take every precaution to maintain the highest health and quality standards, we do not warrant poultry to be free from any disease that could not be detected at the time of sale.

Liability is strictly limited to the number of poultry ordered. Any claims must be accompanied by clear photos, which will be reviewed by our team before any adjustments are made. Under no circumstances will we refund more than the cost of the poultry.

The images of poultry displayed on our website are representations of the breeds listed and may not always depict birds from our specific bloodlines. At Cackle Hatchery®, our goal is to breed parent stock that produces chicks capable of maturing into birds that closely resemble the standard representations shown in our photos.

We work with numerous flock owners and customers who exhibit their birds at poultry shows across the United States. It is important to note that the birds displayed at these shows typically represent the best-marked individuals from their flocks. As with any purebred poultry, natural variation in markings, size, and conformation occurs within flocks.

While a large percentage of the photos on our site feature birds from our own bloodlines, some images may also serve as general breed representations.

All photos on our website are the property of Cackle Hatchery® and may not be used, copied, or distributed without our explicit written permission. Unauthorized use of our images for personal or commercial purposes is strictly prohibited.

At Cackle Hatchery®, we value your trust and are committed to protecting your privacy. We uphold strict security standards to safeguard your personal data and regularly review the technology we use to ensure its protection.

• Your personal information and email address are never sold and are used exclusively for Cackle Hatchery® communications.
• Only authorized employees and representatives have access to customer data, and they adhere to strict standards, procedures, and legal requirements to ensure your privacy.
• Your name and mailing address may be used by Cackle Hatchery®, its affiliates, partners, and subsidiaries for the sole purpose of sending you a product catalog.

We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of your information and ensuring secure and transparent experience for all customers.

Throughout the hatching season, Cackle Hatchery® periodically offers special promotions and limited-time discounts to provide customers with a variety of poultry at different times and at reduced pricing.

• Availability & Duration: Special offers are posted weekly on our website and shared through the Cackle Hatchery® Newsletter. Each promotion will have a defined start and expiration date, and orders must be placed within this timeframe to qualify for the discounted pricing.
• Order Timing: Orders placed before the promotion starts or after it expires will not be eligible for special pricing.
• Shipping Requirements: Special offers typically require that orders ship within two weeks of the order date.
• Separate Orders for Delayed Shipping: If your order includes poultry not available for shipment within two weeks, those birds must be ordered separately and will be shipped at a later date.

These special offers are a great way to take advantage of seasonal availability and exclusive pricing. Be sure to check our website and sign up for our Newsletter to stay informed about the latest promotions.

At Cackle Hatchery®, we strive to ensure that all pricing and product descriptions on our website are accurate and up to date. However, we cannot guarantee that the website will always be free of pricing or description errors.

• Price Changes: Prices are subject to change at any time without notice.
• Accuracy Disclaimer: While we take every precaution to provide correct information, occasional errors may occur.
• Current Pricing: The prices listed on our website supersede all prior prices and are the most current available.

We reserve the right to correct any pricing errors and to cancel or refuse any orders placed at an incorrect price.

Cackle Hatchery® offers two types of shipping policies: one for non-live products and one for poultry orders.

Non-Live Product Shipping (Excludes Hatching Eggs)

• Free Shipping: Available for non-live supply orders over $25.00.
  • Orders under $25.00 will incur a flat-rate shipping fee of $9.99.
  • “Supplies” refer to all non-live poultry products.
• Exclusions: Free shipping does not apply to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, or Alaska and is available only within the lower 48 states.
• Policy Changes: Cackle Hatchery® reserves the right to modify or discontinue the free shipping offer at any time.

Poultry Shipping

• We ship poultry only within the United States and do not ship internationally.
• We do not ship poultry, equipment, or supplies outside the U.S.
• Hawaii: We are currently not shipping to Hawaii.
• Alaska:
  • A $25.00 non-refundable fee applies to all orders shipped to Alaska.
  • Our 100% live arrival guarantee applies; any losses reported within the proper timeframe will be refunded—no replacements will be shipped.
  • If you wish to receive replacement birds, you must place a new order and pay for regular shipping/handling fees, including the $25.00 non-refundable Alaska fee.
• Fry Pan Special: This special cannot be shipped to Hawaii or Alaska unless an additional fee is paid.
• There are a few poultry specials that have free shipping, most offerings there is shipping/handling

At Cackle Hatchery®, we strive to provide accurate gender selection, but sexing chicks is not an exact science. Some breeds are easier to determine than others:

• Black Sex Link chicks can be 99% accurate,
• Marans and Ameraucanas typically average 80% accuracy,
• Overall, we guarantee a 90% accuracy rate across all poultry where gender selection is available.

If more than 10% of your ordered female chicks turn out to be male, we will refund the purchase price for the number of chicks exceeding this percentage with taking your extras into consideration. For example, if you order 10 female chicks and receive 2 or more males, we will refund the cost of 1 chick at the female price.

• Claims must be submitted before the birds reach 8 months of age. We cannot accept claims for gender errors once birds are older than this.
• Straight Run (Unsexed) Orders: We do not guarantee a specific male-to-female ratio for straight run chicks, as they are sold as-hatched.
• Breed Restrictions: Some breeds do not qualify for gender selection due to high difficulty in sexing or inconsistent accuracy rates. In these cases, we only offer straight run to maintain customer satisfaction.

While we employ some of the best-rated and most comprehensive sexing professionals in the industry, it is essential for customers to be prepared for the possibility of receiving up to 10% males in their female chick order. Please plan accordingly.

Liability for gender selection errors is strictly limited to the total price paid for the poultry.

For more information, check out our blog: Planning Your Spring Chick Order

At Cackle Hatchery®, our commitment to you as a customer is to provide healthy, high-quality chicks that arrive alive and in good condition. We take every precaution to ensure the well-being of our poultry throughout the hatching, packaging, and shipping process.

We stand behind our live arrival guarantee and adhere to strict biosecurity, flock management, and shipping standards to give your chicks the best possible start.

For details on our guarantees and policies, please review our Live Arrival Guarantee and Refund & Replacement Policies.

• Cancellation Policy: Orders cannot be canceled within 48 business hours of the scheduled ship date.
• Cancellation Fee: Any poultry or supply order that is canceled will incur a $20.00 restocking fee, which will be deducted from the total purchase and shipping price. The remaining balance will be refunded to the original payment method whenever possible.

Why We Charge a Cancellation Fee

When an order is placed, those birds or supplies are reserved and removed from inventory, marking them as sold. Cancellations result in:

• A lost sales opportunity for another buyer,
• Additional bookkeeping and labor costs,
• Processing fees, including postage or credit card fees associated with issuing refunds.

Exceptions & Refund Processing

• Emergency Situations: We may waive the cancellation fee in the case of a documented emergency. Additionally, instead of canceling, we can reschedule your ship date if needed.
• Refund Processing Time: While we process refunds as quickly as possible, during peak seasons, it may take up to 3 weeks to complete.

Newly hatched chicks are equipped with a 3-day supply of yolk in their system, which sustains them during transit. We carefully package and ship your chicks to ensure they arrive in the best possible condition.

• Shipping Schedule: We ship every Monday and Wednesday via USPS Priority Mail– Live Shipping.
• Delivery Timeframe: Your birds should arrive at your local post office or mailing address within 1 to 3 days after shipping.
• Shipment Confirmation: Your confirmation notice will include your hatch/ship date so you can plan accordingly.
• Pickup & Care: It is essential to be flexible around your delivery date so you can pick up your chicks immediately and transfer them to a preheated brooder to ensure they warm up and start eating and drinking right away.

By placing an order, you acknowledge the responsibility of being available for immediate pickup and proper chick care upon arrival.

At Cackle Hatchery®, we carefully package all poultry to ensure the best chance of survival during shipping. Boxing methods are determined based on current weather conditions to maintain the safety and well-being of the birds.

• Mixing Breeds & Sexes: To optimize shipping conditions, breeds and sexes may be mixed in the same box.
• Identification: Unless specifically requested, breeds and sexes will not be individually marked.
• Weather Considerations:
  • During hot weather, additional shipping and handling costs may be required for extra boxes and materials to prevent chicks from overheating.
  • During cold weather, chicks may be packed with additional insulating materials for warmth.

Our priority is ensuring that your chicks arrive healthy and safe, and we take every precaution to package them accordingly.

When breeding blue-colored poultry, it is important to understand that blue does not breed true. Breeding blue to blue will result in the following approximate color distribution in offspring:

• 34% Blue
• 33% Dark Blue/Black
• 33% Splash

This genetic variation is a natural result of the Andalusian Blue dilution gene, which affects feather color inheritance. If you are looking for consistent blue offspring, consider breeding black to splash to influence the ratio of blue chicks in your hatch.

Cackle Hatchery® no longer accepts unpaid orders at the time of booking. All orders must be paid in full at the time they are placed.

This policy ensures accurate inventory management and guarantees that your poultry is reserved for your selected hatch date.

All returned checks are subject to a $25.00 fee.

This fee covers bank charges and administrative costs associated with processing a returned payment.

Due to our new ordering system, we are unable to make changes or additions to existing orders. If you need to modify your order, it must be canceled and rebooked as a new order.

• Cancellation & Reordering: Your original order will be refunded as soon as possible, but you will need to place a new order with the changes you require.
• Loss of Original Order Date: Canceling an order means you lose your original order date, and your new order will be scheduled based on the current availability of breeds.
• Cancellation Fee Waiver: If you place your new order before canceling the original, we can waive the cancellation fee.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our ordering system.

We guarantee that you will receive the full count of live, healthy started pullets as stated in this guarantee.

• Losses in Shipment: If you receive fewer live birds than you ordered and paid for, we will issue a refund of $34.00 per bird (excluding shipping and handling).
• No Reshipments: Due to the logistics of shipping live poultry, we cannot offer reshipments for lost pullets.
• Reporting a Loss: Any losses must be reported to the hatchery within 24 hours of receipt for an adjustment to be made.

We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to check your shipment carefully upon arrival.

We offer Marek’s disease vaccination for chicks at the following rates:

• 1 to 66 chicks: Flat fee of $10.00
• 67 or more chicks: Multiply the total number of chicks by $0.15 per chick
  • Example: 100 chicks × $0.15 = $15.00 total Marek’s vaccination charge
  • Important: Do not add the $10.00 flat fee to totals over 66 chicks—only use the per-chick calculation.

For more details on Marek’s vaccination and its benefits, please visit our Marek’s Vaccination Page.

We make every effort to accurately predict hatch dates for your order and reserve eggs accordingly. However, hatch date predictions are based on future egg production and hatchability rates, which can vary.

On rare occasions, orders may need to be rescheduled due to:

• Unexpected incubator or hatcher malfunctions
• Flight cancellations affecting shipment logistics
• USPS delays or delivery issues that require reshipping a large number of orders
• Severe weather conditions that could impact the safety and well-being of shipped poultry

While we do our best to fulfill orders on the reserved hatch date, we appreciate your understanding that occasional adjustments may be necessary to ensure the best quality and live arrival of your poultry.

Customers who select pick-up orders must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Pick-Up Dates: Orders will be available for pick-up on either the Tuesday or Thursday following your hatch/ship date.
• Email Notifications:
  • A confirmation email with your pick-up date is sent at the time of purchase.
  • A follow-up email is typically sent on the hatch day or the morning after to confirm your order is ready for pick-up.
  • If you do not receive a confirmation email by the morning of your scheduled pick-up date, please call our office before coming to Cackle Hatchery.
• Mortality & Morbidity Disclaimer:
  • Once poultry leave our store, there is NO guarantee for mortality or morbidity.
  • Please inspect your chicks before leaving to ensure your order is complete and in good condition.
• No Rescheduling or Refunds:
  • Orders must be picked up on the scheduled date—there are no reschedules or refunds for missed pick-up orders.

We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to plan accordingly to ensure a smooth pick-up process.