Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Cackle Hatchery, LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Cackle Hatchery, LLC

  411 W Commercial St Lebanon, MO 65536-3107

  
• 

  Cackle Hatchery, LLC

  PO Box 529 Lebanon, MO 65536-0529

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/26/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Transaction date: 5/1/25; order # ******; date of shipment 5/12/25; date of arrival 5/15/25. I ordered a total of 16 chicks and for them to be vaccinated, the hatchery sent 18. Several chicks were dead upon arrival and I immediately notified the company. More chicks died every day and all 18 were dead by 5/19/25 (only 4 days). I continued to notify customer service/help desk and have not received any compensation. They even told me they would not refund the shipping cost. They expected me to take full responsibility for receiving sick, dead and dying chicks. After I reported that all 18 had died they have not responded to any of my messages. At first I wanted replacements but after all this, a refund is more fitting. I also sent them photos of the shipment upon arrival and throughout the next 4 days. I have since bought chicks at **************; those chicks are currently thriving. Please help. Sincerely,***** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2025

  We are very sorry that this experience was not the best. We do have a live arrival only guarantee and the losses and weak on arrival were put in for refund on the date of the original communication. Per our guarantee (in the attachment) we issue a refund for the losses in transit, (excluding shipping, handling, and the **** surcharge). Also noted in our guarantees and policies, refunds can take up to 21 days to process during peak season. I'm sorry for the delay but this in the refund department. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/03/2025

  Complaint: 23379158
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because: I've reported that I received several dead chicks upon arrival from the post office. The remaining chicks were sick and weak and I made daily contact with the hatchery. I did everything the hatchery suggested and they were all dead by the 4th morning. I sincerely believe I'm due a full refund. I understand everyone has policies but customer service should be a priority. The responses I've received have not been considerate to the customer or the issue at hand. Their shipment was sent on May 12; they arrived at my post office on May 15. The chicks were mailed out with no water, no food and no heat source. How can I be responsible for the charges when it was an error on the hatchery. In a conversation with the customer service representative, she was even surprised there wan no heat source. I'm simply the customer, hot the supplier. I['ve since purchased chicks from another supplier and they are thriving. I'm not a new or **** owner of chickens. 

  I stand on my rightful request of full refund. In any situation, if a customer receives a faulty or broken product, they are issued a replacement or refund. I've received nothing!

  Thank you for allowing my response. 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/10/2025

  Were very sorry to hear about the experience and understand how disappointing it must have been to lose their chicks. We want to confirm that the order was already refunded in accordance with our Live Arrival Guarantee and the policies clearly outlined at the time of purchase. That guarantee covers losses reported within the specified time frame and does not extend to shipping and handling charges or the nonrefundable **** surcharge. While we strive to offer excellent customer service and support throughout the process, we must also adhere to the same policies consistently for all customers. Since a refund has already been issued per those policies, no additional credit will be applied to this order.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/05/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 04/13/25 I made a purchase with cackle hatchery for 18 birds 3 different breeds 288.68$ worth the birds were received 2 days later than the companys tracking information stated originally should have been received 04/23/25 were received 04/23/25 got the call from my local post office at around 8:20 AM we arrived and picked up the birds as soon as they would let us in to get them upon arriving yes, the birds were alive. Also on arriving instead of the original *********** total that I have purchased, I was sent 27 Total birds, I got the birds home and put the birds in a professional brooder that is temperature and climate control at 105 which stated by chemical hatchery to be the recommended temperature to be kept at I noticed that several of the birds had colored that are not natural on the birds so I called cackle hatchery back to request information on why those birds have been coloring and what it meant also through this purchase I purchased their ******** vaccine through them cackle hatchery to be administered to the Chicks prior to receiving them. I received a call back from Kale hatchery after they did not answer the next day. I left a messagestating that I got the Chicks In received a lot of extras and that from what I could tell, they were fine. I just wanted to know why they had different on them. I received the call back. The lady explained that they marked some of the extras that were sent as a different breed so they send meextras just in case anything happen fast-forward three days later almost all those chicks were dead. There was three left out of 27 fast-forward three more days in the last of the three that did survive die so within one week all the birds that I purchased were dead. Upon this being case I called cackle hatchery when I still had the three left that had not done. I explained to them the situation and was patronized as a customer and question as a customer as my care of the chicks I requested a refund for the total amount

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2025

  While we are very sorry that Mr. ****** had this experience, our guarantees state clearly that we guarantee live on arrival only-we cannot cover losses after arrival. This is also agreed to in our terms and conditions before one can place an order. On first contact, Mr. ****** told us his birds arrived alive and appeared fine. Nearly a week later during another contact when loss was occurring, we did go over care. We do not intend to sound patronizing but to help prevent more loss, which is all the representatives can do due to our live arrival only guarantee. Unfortunately, as he was informed during the last phone call we will not be extending a refund on these losses. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2025

  Complaint: 23286549
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:
  However you may not garuntee after arrival clearly when that many birds are dying consistently there is a problem with the birds from the source not with the way they are kept after they arrived these birds have an underlying health issue that is accompanied from the source and directly connected every review on calls hatchery has expressed the same concerns and losses clearly its not a personal vendetta from my end the business as a whole has failed to provide healthy birds consistently and time again people have let them know and with the same patronizing responses from this company how its not there fault take some accountability and pride in your business and provide healthy birds to people paying with the money they work hard for this will be the down fall of cackle hatchery and any future that it could have had 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/07/2025

  While sympathize with Mr. ****** situation and respect his thoughts on the matter, this does not negate the fact that we have terms and conditions that are agreed to when an order is placed. Again, Mr. ****** told our staff on arrival that the birds were doing good. Our guarantee only covers live on arrival and liability ends at safe arrival. There will not be a refund on these losses. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/08/2025

  Complaint: 23286549
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:
  Regardless of your arrive alive policy you are selling sickly birds that have underlying health conditions and cackle hatchery is doing this knowingly and stealing money from its customers or what will be left of the customers again the purchase history shows clearly that this is not a once in a while occurrence its every other order and thats facts with the way cackle hatchery conducts is business it would be better suited as a criminal organization that just steals and doesnt hide behind a false image 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Set-up an order for multiple chicks to be delivered and then set up an email alert for when additional chicks were available. I did get an alert on March ******* that a breed was available and I placed my order and selected a ship date of April 9th. I was then notified on April 2, 2025 that another breed was available to order and would be shipped on April 9th as well. I didnt want to pay $***** in shipping twice and reached out to the company about combining my order. I was told that was not an available option and would have to place a new order, however the first batch of birds were now no longer available and could not order those with my new order and so I would need to place a new order and pay the ***** in shipping again even though they were being shipped on the same date. If I canceled my original order then I wouldnt be able to reorder those birds. They charge the higher shipping for small orders under 15, which I was ordering 3 and 3 or a total of 6 and didnt want charged twice for shipping. Especially after placing a larger quantity order originally. The recent order is for order number ******. And was trying to add Lavendar Orpington to my already Black Ameraucana

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/16/2025

  I'm very sorry that we couldn't accommodate this request however our system has it's limitations. We do understand this is an inconvenience but we do inform customers that no changes or modifications to order items can be done after the order is placed. This is also agreed to before an order can be placed. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/15/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company shipped live baby ducks illegally. *********** notified me that live animals have to be shipped a minimum of two day shipping. Cackle Hatchery shipped them ground which took 5 days. All the birds arrived dead. They are not refunding me $15 cause they had to pay that to ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/18/2025

  These are drop shipped from another hatchery. The owner is looking into why these were shipped ground rather than priority. The order itself was refunded in full. However, the **** surcharge is non refundable and this is agreed to when the order is placed. Please see attached. I'm very sorry but we're unable to refund the non refundable fee. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/16/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered 15 Rhodas Island Red female chicks on December 4th of 2024. The hatchery sent me 15 large breed assorted chicks and then lied a told me thats what I had ordered online. The young woman I spoke with then told me thats what the online ordering doesnt work well. Not my problem. Just send me what I asked and paid for 3 of these chicks have died to date. I know how to raise chicks. I have hatched and raised over ***** Bobwhite Quail chicks and I didnt order assorted large breed female chicks for a reason!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/17/2025

  Mr. ********* did place an order on 12/4/2024. I have attached the order as received from the customer. After phone conversation with representatives, he then came to our email/chat portion of the website where I provided a copy of what he had ordered as well as provided the screenshot from the confirmation email of his order that he had to responded to back in December. This confirmation email showed exactly what he had ordered and he would have had the opportunity to cancel and reorder what he had meant to. We shipped the order as it was ordered and cannot refund for fulfilling the order as it came in. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/18/2025

  Complaint: 22948852
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:cackle Hatchery sent me a confirmation the same day the *********** in ****** **** called to inform me the chicks were in their location. I had no time to reject the incorrect order. And I have still never been sent a copy of my online order. And the you lady I chatted with told me the online ordering system doesnt work well and I should have called and spoken to them direct

  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/13/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Ordered chicks from Cackle back in December 2024. Received them Feb 8th 2025. Upon arrival 3/17 were deceased. Reaching out to the Hatchery they refunded for the deceased chicks but not shipping, even though only $15 of the $45 shipping charge was specified non refundable. Upon several bad reviews the company posted on Facebook giving anyone who writes a review and shows it to a worker a 5% discount.
  Not a single bad review is written from those customers, nor do any of them disclose they were incentivized to write the review. In my opinion, no one will write a bad review if having to show it to the staff to receive the discount.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/14/2025

  I'm very sorry that ******** did not have a good experience but our representatives did as they are instructed to do. I have attached a snip from our guarantees and policies that explains that we only refund the per bird price. I'm sorry if this wasn't explained to the customer when asking why they could have their shipping and handling refunded. We cannot refund when we did ship the birds, per our guarantees and policies that were agreed to when the order was placed. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/16/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered 3 female Welsummer chickens. I received 3 male welsummer chicken. The website is not allowing me to add a review, despite being logged in. There are only positive reviews...

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2025

  I'm so sorry this has happened. We do have a 90% sexing guarantee, we just need to be able to confirm the reported issue. This is the first contact we've had about this problem but we are more than happy to come to a resolution. We just need our customer service department contacted and images of the suspected **** sent for us to review. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/18/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I bought five silky bantam chickens in April of 2024 all of which died within 24 hours.Repeated attempts to reconcile or figure out in any way what went wrong, I've got nowhere the company This is a very big disappointment for my children after a couple years of preparing and after repeated emails I got nowhere with to figure out what went wrong They sold me sick birds, and 'goods' were not rendered to say the least.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/18/2024

  These birds shipped on 5/8, arrived on 5/10. We were not contacted until the 12th. After discussing care, ******************* informed us that she had them at 92 degrees since they arrived. These chicks need a minimum of 100 degrees on arrival for the first several hours. This is in our care instructions on line as well as a pamphlet that is provided with each shipped order of chicks. We went over care extensively to try and help find out what may have gone wrong, including sending links to further detailed blogs on our website. ******************* continued to tell us what another hatchery down the street said to do. Upon being told she would write reviews everywhere, we again explained the temperature discrepancy, how mail order chicks need more heat on arrival than locally sourced chicks and reminded her about the live on arrival only guarantee that we offer and that was agreed to by the customer. We are not able to bypass this policy as we were not contacted until two days after arrival and care instructions were dismissed by the customer. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/06/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Order#****** 7 chicks died SUDDENLY, two before my eye went from healthy looking and energetic to falling down with both legs straight and neck bent backwards. Cackle hatchery blamed me, saying this happened because I did not have a thermometer in the brooder. I will have Arkansas Game and ************** investigate the cause of death, and if it happens to be a virus, I hope Cackle will get appreciate calls from authorities. **** BEWARE. CACKLE HATCHERY WILL BLAME YOU AND WILL NOT MAKE ANY EFFORTS TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/10/2024

  We have a live arrival only guarantee in place that *************** agreed to before she placed her order, this is documented in two attachments provided. By all accounts, this order arrived in great timing, 2 days and per the customer "they were alive and energetic" on arrival. This is the guarantee that we offer and fulfilled. Upon being contacted via email the day after arrival, we tried to provide care recommendations to keep from losing any more and we were advised by the customer that they did not know the temperature in the brooder they were caring for the chicks in which is when we advised getting a thermometer to know the exact temps in the brooder. Per our policies and the guarantee agreed to before the order was placed, a refund was not offered on the losses that occurred after arrival and we are not able to offer one now.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/25/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had issues with them not answering, but went against my better judgment and ordered zombie chicken and a Jersey giant. Some of the zombies didnt look good on arrival, but I didnt complain. I kept their area between *****f. One of the zombies progressively got worse. He went from not walking much OUT OF THE *** to not being able to use one foot. I separated him. He didnt want to eat or drink and couldnt use either foot. I manually fed him and kept him separate. The next morning, he and 2 others had passed, and the remaining birds were acting the same way. They died as well. I have 21 chicken in the same barn. I spent over 12k on a barn and converting it. All of the chicken have separate rooms by breed. They are also divided by hatchery. I go to the extreme to protect, love, and care for my pets.So when I emailed cackle, I was met with several questions from *******. It was almost as if she was trying to undermine me. The company refused to take responsibility, apologize, refund, or replace the chicken. Please believe the reviews below. I am escalating my issue to BBB.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/26/2024

  We are very sorry this experience was not the best. Unfortunately, we were not contacted for 2 days after arrival of any issues with this order. Our guarantee is for live arrival only but we have to be contacted within 24 hours of arrival. When the customer reached out pictures of two completely soaked and squashed birds were sent to us, with one still laying in a bowl/plate of water. We tried to discuss the care that was being provided for the chicks on arrival but with us not being contacted until the birds were all dead, we were not able to assist with this. Our representatives primary objective when discussing care is to help prevent more loss from happening, whether it is for this order or another. This order and the communication that occurred was discussed with management and the final decision to not offer a refund/replacements was based on the guarantees and policies that the customer agreed to when they placed the order. These guarantees and policies have been linked with this response. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/26/2024

  Complaint: 21484392
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this is a blatant lie. They dont answer their phones so I sent an email on the 24. Here is the proof. 
  
  so first they say they only guarantee live arrivals, now all of a sudden, theres a 48 hour guarantee? Either way, I reached out via phone on Saturday, and via email on Sunday. They are refusing to take responsibility with this, as theyve done to other peoples order on google.

  I am not the only person having issues with this company and birds arriving sick. Im willing to take this to court behind $120 if I need to. They were tiny and lethargic on arrival. This company is an absolute joke and I will share my experience.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************