Eagle Nest Hatchery

Eagle Nest Hatchery Eagle Nest Hatchery. is a 3rd generation rigid farm line hatchery along with the added exhibition side of the poultry.

we are always looking to help anyone that we could possibly can with your backyard farm flock to your pastured, poultry and 4h birds. Since our founding in 1920, Eagle Nest Hatchery has proudly passed through several family owners. In 2025, Dustin Drake acquired the hatchery from long time owners, Bill and Kay Karcher. Regardless of who is at the helm our mission remains unchanged: to provide cus

tomers nationwide with the highest quality poultry. Through a dedicated breeding program and consistent, top-tier production, we have earned the trust and satisfaction of generations of poultry enthusiasts. Our breeding philosophy is straightforward. We focus on curating a rugged farm line that consistently produces excellent eggs and quality meat, regardless of weather or season. Our exhibition-quality birds meet the exacting standards of the American Poultry Association. Each breeding specimen is carefully selected based on the specific traits required for its breed, and these birds have proven themselves both in the show ring and as reliable producers in the henhouse. We firmly believe that success hinges on quality care, attentive management, and balanced nutrition. As an added guarantee of the health and well-being of our stock, Eagle Nest Hatchery actively participates in the National Poultry Improvement Program (NPIP) and is a proud member of the Ohio Poultry Association. These affiliations offer our customers the assurance that they are investing in healthy, routinely tested breeding stock. We sincerely appreciate your consideration of Eagle Nest Hatchery for your flock. It is our privilege to provide your family with dependable, quality poultry now and for many years to come. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further information. We’re here to support your farming journey every step of the way.

04/13/2026

We’re excited to share some updates on how you can get your chicks from Eagle Nest Hatchery! 🐣

Going forward, we will be offering local pickup every Thursday at the hatchery. This allows us to ensure each order is handled with care and that your chicks go straight from us to you—safe and stress-free.

In addition, we are currently working on setting up delivery routes on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Our goal is to make it easier and more convenient for our customers while still keeping the health and safety of our birds our top priority.

We’ll be sharing more details soon as we finalize routes and locations, so stay tuned!

As always, we appreciate your continued support and understanding as we make these improvements.

If you have any questions or would like to get on our pickup or delivery schedule, feel free to reach out!

– Eagle Nest Hatchery
Dustin Drake

04/13/2026

We have some difficult news to share with our customers and supporters.

After a lot of thought and careful consideration, we have made the decision to discontinue shipping live baby chicks.

Over the past season, we have experienced an unacceptable level of loss during transit. While we take every precaution on our end to ensure chicks are healthy, strong, and properly packaged, the shipping process itself is something we can no longer control—and unfortunately, it has not been reliable enough to guarantee the safe arrival of our birds.

This decision was not made lightly. The well-being of our chicks has always been our top priority, and it’s heartbreaking to see them endure unnecessary stress and loss during shipping. Because of that, we feel it is the responsible and ethical choice to stop offering this service.

We will continue to offer high-quality chicks for local pickup and are happy to work with customers to coordinate orders in a way that ensures the safety and health of every bird.

We truly appreciate your understanding, continued support, and trust in us. If you have any questions or would like to place a local order, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

– Eagle Nest Hatchery
Dustin Drake

04/05/2026

🌷🐣 Happy Easter from Eagle Nest Hatchery! 🐣🌷

He is risen! Today we celebrate new life, fresh beginnings, and all the blessings this season brings. ✝️🌿

Here at the hatchery, spring is in full swing — incubators are full, chicks are hatching, and the sound of peeping is everywhere! It’s a beautiful reminder of the miracle of life we get to experience every single day. 🐥💛

We are so thankful for all of our amazing customers, friends, and supporters who make what we do possible. Whether you’re starting your first flock or adding to your barnyard, we’re honored to be part of your journey.

🌼 Wishing you and your family a blessed Easter filled with joy, peace, and plenty of fluffy chicks! 🌼

Eagle Nest Hatchery 🐓🥚
Dustin Drake

03/16/2026

🐓 Breed Spotlight: Orpingtons 🐓

This week at Eagle Nest Hatchery we’re putting the spotlight on one of our most loved poultry breeds — the beautiful Orpington.

Orpingtons are well known for their large size, calm temperament, and beautiful full feathering. They make an excellent choice for both backyard flocks and serious poultry breeders who appreciate a bird with strong type and presence. Their gentle nature also makes them a favorite for families and small farms.

At Eagle Nest Hatchery, we are working hard to develop strong, healthy Orpington lines with exhibition quality in mind. Our breeding program focuses on birds that represent the best traits of the breed — including proper body shape, rich feather color, and overall vigor.

Watching a brooder full of fluffy Orpington chicks grow into big, impressive birds is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do here.

We’re proud to be raising and improving this incredible breed here in Mount Gilead, and we’re excited to see how this season’s chicks develop.

📩 If you’re interested in Orpington chicks or hatching eggs, feel free to call us for availability.

From our nest to yours — Dustin Drake
Eagle Nest Hatchery 🐣

03/16/2026

🐣 Eagle Nest Hatchery Weekly Update 🐣

Hatching season is in full swing here at Eagle Nest Hatchery, and the incubators have been busy! We’ve had another great round of healthy chicks hatching this week, and more eggs are set and on the way.

Our breeder barns are working hard producing the next generation of beautiful poultry, and we’re excited about the variety of chicks coming out right now. If you’ve been thinking about adding to your flock this spring, now is a great time to reach out and see what we have available.

We’re especially excited about the growing number of exhibition-quality birds we’re producing this season. Our goal is to continue building strong, high-quality lines for poultry enthusiasts, backyard flocks, and show breeders alike.

A big thank you to everyone supporting Eagle Nest Hatchery and following along with our journey here in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. The support from the poultry community means the world to us.

📩 Call us anytime with questions or to check on upcoming chicks and hatching eggs.
419-562-1993

From our nest to yours — Dustin Drake
Eagle Nest Hatchery 🦅🐣

03/09/2026

🐣 Hatching Season Is in Full Swing at Eagle Nest Hatchery! 🐣

Spring has arrived and that means one thing here at Eagle Nest Hatchery… the incubators are filling up and chicks are starting to hatch!

We’re excited to see another busy season underway as thousands of eggs begin their journey to becoming strong, healthy birds. Our new facility is running strong, and we’re proud to be working with our amazing network of local Amish breeding farms to bring high-quality farmline and heritage poultry to our community and beyond.

This year we’re especially excited to offer a wide selection of exhibition and show-quality chickens, along with the dependable farm favorites people have trusted for generations.

Whether you’re raising backyard birds, expanding your flock, or preparing for the show season, we’re looking forward to helping you get started.

📍 Located in Mt. Gilead, Ohio
🐥 Healthy chicks
🏆 Exhibition and show poultry
🤝 Community partnerships with local farms

Stay tuned as the season gets even busier — we’ll be sharing hatch updates, new breeds, and exciting things happening here at the hatchery!

Thank you for supporting Eagle Nest Hatchery!

Sincerely Owner:
Dustin Drake

03/02/2026

Big things are happening at Eagle Nest Hatchery — and we couldn’t be more excited to share them with you! 🐣✨

As we continue growing here in Mount Gilead, Ohio, we’re stepping into a new season full of opportunity, expansion, and community connection.

🚜 What’s Coming Up: • Expanded breeding programs with high-quality exhibition lines.

• More availability of healthy, carefully hatched chicks.

• Upgrades inside our 12,000 sq. ft. hatchery facility.

• Continued partnerships with our trusted Amish breeding farms.

• Upcoming exhibition show birds that we can’t wait to showcase.

• More community-focused events and customer engagement.

We’re working every day to raise the bar in biosecurity, quality, and customer service — because Eagle Nest Hatchery isn’t just a business… it’s a commitment to excellence and integrity.

Whether you’re a seasoned poultry exhibitor, a 4-H family, or just starting your backyard flock, we’re here for you.

Stay tuned — the best is yet to come. 🦅🐥

Owner of Eagle Nest Hatchery:
Dustin Drake

02/28/2026

🌟 𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗠 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗦 🌟

📣 𝑫𝑰𝑺𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑼𝑻𝑬𝑫 & 𝑺𝑨𝑳𝑬 𝑰𝑻𝑬𝑴𝑺 📣

📲 Message me to place an order of these items! They are available on FB ONLY, not the website

💥 NEWS FLASH!! 💥 WE HAVE AVAILABLE THIS WEEK FOR PICKUP:*WHITE MOUNTAIN BROILERS *SUPER ROASTER'S! *RHODE ISLAND REDS PU...
02/25/2026

💥 NEWS FLASH!! 💥
WE HAVE AVAILABLE THIS WEEK FOR PICKUP:
*WHITE MOUNTAIN BROILERS
*SUPER ROASTER'S!
*RHODE ISLAND REDS PULLETS or STRAIGHT RUN FARM LINE ONLY!!
*BUFF ORPINGTONS PULLETS or STRAIGHT RUN FARM LINE ONLY!!

Available for PICK UP or SHIPPING (if ordered today before 2:30 pm Wednesday 2/25/25! CALL THE HATCHERY!! 419-562-1993
THANK YOU

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/173kxAzcpp/Good read about future broiler demand
02/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/173kxAzcpp/

Good read about future broiler demand

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Address

6001 County Road 121
Mount Gilead, OH
43338

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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