Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[MamaShell]

My Meyer chicks, delivered yesterday! 2 Buckeyes and 3 Easter Eggers. A very colorful batch of birds! Such a relief because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other. So far all seems to be going well. I had planned to name them all after female 80's pop/rock singers. Then the kids got involved. So the Buckeyes are Pat Benetar and Joan Jett. The EE's are Debbie Harry (she's the Blondie) , Gerald - The Chicken Formerly Known as Cindy Lauper and Fernando - The Chicken Formerly Known as Ann&Nancy Wilson. "Why is my family so weird?" DH was heard to quietly mutter under his breath. They are ridiculously cute!

Congratulations! Your fluff balls are so cute!!! Love the names, especially with the "formerly known as" included. Too funny. Naming your chicks is part of the fun. Enjoy!

 

[jeremyhodges]

Me, too. I wanted a typical wheaten colored EE but got a pure white one and a grey one. Although they are not what I expected, they are both beautiful! My white one hasn't started laying, yet. I am expecting green, but, hoping for blue!

Our Easter Egger started laying before our ameraucana, so when she laid a green egg we were excited because we were hoping for both green and blue. When our ameraucana started laying they were indeed light blue, but it's REALLY hard to tell the light blue and light green apart. In most light they look exactly the same; it's only in some light that you can distinguish between the two colors.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

He is stunning but neither buff nor fluffy. Looks more like a Cuckoo Marans.

That is what I thought at first too, then the buff leakage started to come through. He is getting more and more buff all of the time too. He is only 3 months old so he hasn't filled out completely either.

He is a total sweety though and that is what is most important to us. He was meant to be a pet for my son!


(Noodles and Ro)

 

[MamaShell]

He is stunning but neither buff nor fluffy. Looks more like a Cuckoo Marans.

That is what I thought at first too, then the buff leakage started to come through. He is getting more and more buff all of the time too. He is only 3 months old so he hasn't filled out completely either. He is a total sweety though and that is what is most important to us. He was meant to be a pet for my son! (Noodles and Ro)

So adorable! Obviously, your son is happy with his roo!

 

[NotableNancy]

@NotableNancy yes! I read a lot about adding new chicks and how it can disrupt the entire pecking order. I saw the same thing except I only had three big ones and three little ones. My buff brahma is at the bottom and didn't put up much of a fuss, but the other two! My Dellie was fighting to keep her top spot everyday! My PR wasn't trying to become the alpha but serious about remaining second. They both really pecked at the one below them. And gave chase to the three little boys whenever possible. It was really interesting to watch the behavior change.

On another note, I just added a white leghorn to my order. I realize I actually want white eggs and a reliable layer. I might be completely crazy! I hope she will not be too flighty or loud. I really didn't want one because they seem so boring and common, but seems the best choice when they'll lay 300 eggs/yr!!

Very interesting. Thank you for the pecking order info. I have 10 older girls and it seems like the middle of the order are fighting. Not the top 3 at all.
That's why I ordered a Leghorn too. I was going to get 2 but was a little concerned about the noise factor... but really want those big white eggs!

Here's some pictures of my 2 wellies

Clove. As you can see she has already perfected her "stop interrupting my nap for pictures" stink eye. She doesn't look like that all the time! She's actually quite sweet, and has the longest neck ever- I think she's in that long, lanky stage right now.
Rue. Oh Rue, I still question if you are a she or he. Feathers say girl all the way but some days her face looks red (never the comb itself but the surrounding skin. Her waddles are also a teeny bit bigger than Cloves. Guess time will tell!

They free range with my big girls and all my babies are always out foraging for food, so I expect them to be grow up to be good backyarders. Rue especially likes chasing bugs. Both are pretty tame, Rue runs to me and Clove doesn't run from me so that's a big improvement from when she was younger

now if I could get the Cochin to be less of a scaredy cat, I'd be good to go.
How do you like the brabanters? You don't hear about them much, but they sure are cute!

Very pretty!! I had 2 RIR's and one had a bigger comb and wattles than the other but both were girls so I have my fingers crossed for Rue!
My Brabanters are very friendly and entertaining!! I love watching them and I can pick them up and they don't scream so much. I'm hoping they don't get picked on by the bigger girls because of their big crests. Their feathers are growing in so beautiful. One has more black on the tail and back than the other. So pretty

I know that leghorns are supposed to be the best layers, but, I'm a little wary of their personalities. I like calm and quiet and I fear they are anything but that. Has anyone gotten an Austra White? On Meyer's website, it says that they are a cross of an Australorp roo and White Leghorn hen and are supposedly great layers of off-white eggs and considered quiet, tame and docile, not flighty. I think I might get a couple next year. I love my Australorps. They are very docile. So, the Austra Whites must get their personality from them.

Austra White sound very interesting but none available. I would try one of those as well!!

I thought I would share the "cochin' roo I received from Meyer in March.



This is noodles, he was supposed to be a pet for my son. We ordered a buff cochin. He has some buff coloring and sparse feathering on his feet. We adore him regardless but Meyer definitely has a fence jumper!

He almost looks like he has some Cream Legbar in him... the barring on the neck reminds me of my CCL's. I didn't even know there were buff Cochins! I'm not sure of a fence jumper... it looks like you got a completely wrong bird but that's kinda the fun of hatchery birds and I'm glad it worked out... your son looks absolutely adorable holding him!!

Does anyone else look at their flock aesthetically and think for example: "If I only had a red hen and a partridge feathered hen" they would look rounded out? That's where I'm at right now. We've got silver duckwing, black copper, and buff, our EE is black-gold penciled on brown and our sex-link is more gingery orange and white than red. I think our Dorking and EE would look great next to a Welsummer and our Buff Orp and Golden Buff would look great next to a RIR and our BCM will look great with everyone. Is that wrong?

Yup, all the time! That's why I'm hesitant to order a BO because my 2 new EE's look like they're going to be pretty buff colored. And I didn't order another white bird because I'm getting a Leghorn and have a feeling I may get a white Marans in my rare marans bird so I don't want to many white birds. But then I look at egg color too and try to get a variety of egg colors. Its a full time job trying to get it right

Oh I knew there was something else I wanted to respond to! Red faces! On Saturday when we brought the girls in a noticed that 3 out of 5 of them looked quite pink in the face. Sun burn? Pecking? No, broken skin... Allergic reaction? I took pics. But by the morning the pinkness had gone down. Yesterday I noticed when I was picked up Morgaine that her face was red again, but after having her on my lap for awhile and petting her it got lighter and lighter. I think she might have just been excited, increased blood flow or something.


Baby Buff, was particularly worried about the red skin behind her ears


Amelia, our big ginger


Morgaine the Marans

Victoria the Dorking and Clara the EE didn't look the least bit pink but they both have more feather coverage on their faces, white and black. Anywho I'm pretty certain none of mine are boys

I remember them changing colors in the face and being scared they were actually boys. But it just varied and the heat of summer affects them too I think.

Is it a purr-y sound? Mine make it for two reasons (its taken like a year to figure this out).
1. When they are calm and content, which they tend to do a lot once they are all roosted and situated at night, and one will start it and all the rest seem join in or reply. I figure it must be some sort of a chickeny way of saying goodnight to each other maybe?
2. Sometimes they will do it as a more sharp, loud sound and that seems to be more of an alert sound because my babies always hightail it under a bush when that happens. It sounds from a purr to a whistle depending on which hen does it.


Yea I would agree with this, sometimes Rue looks really red in the face, sometimes there is no red at all. I've just always wondered about her bc she feathered in half as fast as Clove, her baby feathers looked different than Cloves (now that shes starting the grow "real" hen feathers, not those juvenile feathers they are now starting to match Clove's), and because she was scared of nothing when she was a baby and would run up to anyone or anything to investigate, I have always worried she could possibly be a roo. And of course I unknowingly named her "Rue" which sounds just like roo when she was 2 days old so I have always hoped I didn't jinx her!
I think she still looks more pullet like than roo for now, so hopefully it stays that way. Plus I've looked up 8 week old welsummer roo pictures and they look completely different so fingers crossed! Yours all look like pullets to me.

I thought it was for these two reasons as well. But when they make the noise and they all freeze, like a warning, they're in the run and safe. But I guess they still can be scared of a predator even if in the run. I love that sound though!!

My Meyer chicks, delivered yesterday! 2 Buckeyes and 3 Easter Eggers. A very colorful batch of birds! Such a relief because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other.

So far all seems to be going well. I had planned to name them all after female 80's pop/rock singers. Then the kids got involved. So the Buckeyes are Pat Benetar and Joan Jett. The EE's are Debbie Harry (she's the Blondie) , Gerald - The Chicken Formerly Known as Cindy Lauper and Fernando - The Chicken Formerly Known as Ann&Nancy Wilson.

"Why is my family so weird?" DH was heard to quietly mutter under his breath.

They are ridiculously cute!

Awwww, so cute. Glad they arrived safely!!! Love the names but love DH's comment even more. Sounds like mine

 

[NotableNancy]

Well lesson learned yesterday and just want to pass it on...

My friend got her chicks yesterday from a place in Lancaster PA (don't want to say where) and it was not a good outcome. Their website is amazing and leads you to believe they are a big outfit. I believe they gather the breeds from different places and they are a 'middle man'. She ordered 14 of them ahead of time and wanted them as 6 week olds so she didn't have to have them under the heat. She paid between $20-30 for each chick. She went to pick them up and the place was filthy and smelly and she said they looked 'picked on'. So literally the guy had to chase them all over the barn to catch them and she didn't even get exactly what she ordered but she just wanted to get out of there.
After picking one up I saw they had mites and not picked on!! That much $$ per bird and they were in pretty bad shape. I headed out to buy her the Sevin spray for coop and poultry dust and Sevin dust and we dusted them all and sprayed the coop. She called the owner not to return them or even ask for money back but just to let him know so he could treat his birds and his response was that this was completely normal!!!! You should expect bugs and when they dust bathe they will get rid of them that way. OMG... such clueless people. 3 of her BLRW were completely bare around the vent, had only a few tail feathers and above the tail was bare also. The EE and a few others were bad off as well.
I suggested returning them but once they are 'hers' she feels responsible and could never return them. Hopefully they get through this but just a good lesson to buying from breeders and hopefully anyone that does can check out the facility before buying!!

 

[autumnhearth]

Well lesson learned yesterday and just want to pass it on...

My friend got her chicks yesterday from a place in Lancaster PA (don't want to say where) and it was not a good outcome. Their website is amazing and leads you to believe they are a big outfit. I believe they gather the breeds from different places and they are a 'middle man'. She ordered 14 of them ahead of time and wanted them as 6 week olds so she didn't have to have them under the heat. She paid between $20-30 for each chick. She went to pick them up and the place was filthy and smelly and she said they looked 'picked on'. So literally the guy had to chase them all over the barn to catch them and she didn't even get exactly what she ordered but she just wanted to get out of there.
After picking one up I saw they had mites and not picked on!! That much $$ per bird and they were in pretty bad shape. I headed out to buy her the Sevin spray for coop and poultry dust and Sevin dust and we dusted them all and sprayed the coop. She called the owner not to return them or even ask for money back but just to let him know so he could treat his birds and his response was that this was completely normal!!!! You should expect bugs and when they dust bathe they will get rid of them that way. OMG... such clueless people. 3 of her BLRW were completely bare around the vent, had only a few tail feathers and above the tail was bare also. The EE and a few others were bad off as well.
I suggested returning them but once they are 'hers' she feels responsible and could never return them. Hopefully they get through this but just a good lesson to buying from breeders and hopefully anyone that does can check out the facility before buying!!

That's awful, but I understand her feeling responsible and wanting to help them get better rather than sending them back to that horrid place. Are they her first chickens?

 

[autumnhearth]

Yup, all the time! That's why I'm hesitant to order a BO because my 2 new EE's look like they're going to be pretty buff colored. And I didn't order another white bird because I'm getting a Leghorn and have a feeling I may get a white Marans in my rare marans bird so I don't want to many white birds. But then I look at egg color too and try to get a variety of egg colors. Its a full time job trying to get it right

While I love my BO I think a SLW would look very striking in your flock against your black Lorps, White Cochin, future Leghorn, Columbian Wyandotte and Barred Rock oh and lets not forget the Silkie and Brabanters! (do you think yours will stay more white and black or get a golden tinge? On a quick google search I see both). And looking through your pics you've got an EE in the white, black, grey family. Yes very striking indeed! Of course a Blue Orp wouldn't look bad either Too bad the Exchequer Leghorns aren't available, though I actually think the white ones are beautiful with their fan tails and floppy combs. Oh and I've been meaning to ask over here because it got lost in the photo comments but is Cleo an EE? She is gorgeous! Such sleek feathers and rich coloring! I want to clone her.

 

[autumnhearth]

Also just thought I'd share this in case it is helpful to anyone else. I chatted with Meyer's Customer Service online to ask about started pullet availability just as an option for a month or two from now, thinking of two EE or a EE and RIR if they had them and dividing the run that has yet to be built. Anywho this was their response:

"First, with our Started Pullets they are 16-20 weeks of age and we offer them periodically through out the year. We did have availability for them in late May and June and also for our future date in August but they have since sold out. However, we are advising customers that are interested in Started Pullets to check back with us later this month and next as we may have further availability announced for pre-order for late August/September."

So I'll be keeping my eye out. Our girls will be 20 weeks at the end of August so that could be good timing, the new ones would be a little younger but not by much.

 

[MamaShell]

Well lesson learned yesterday and just want to pass it on...

My friend got her chicks yesterday from a place in Lancaster PA (don't want to say where) and it was not a good outcome.  Their website is amazing and leads you to believe they are a big outfit. I believe they gather the breeds from different places and they are a 'middle man'. She ordered 14 of them ahead of time and wanted them as 6 week olds so she didn't have to have them under the heat. She paid between $20-30 for each chick. She went to pick them up and the place was filthy and smelly and she said they looked 'picked on'.  So literally the guy had to chase them all over the barn to catch them and she didn't even get exactly what she ordered but she just wanted to get out of there.
After picking one up I saw they had mites and not picked on!!  That much $$ per bird and they were in pretty bad shape. I headed out to buy her the Sevin spray for coop and poultry dust and Sevin dust and we dusted them all and sprayed the coop.  She called the owner not to return them or even ask for money back but just to let him know so he could treat his birds and his response was that this was completely normal!!!!  You should expect bugs and when they dust bathe they will get rid of them that way.  OMG... such clueless people. 3 of her BLRW were completely bare around the vent, had only a few tail feathers and above the tail was bare also. The EE and a few others were bad off as well.  
I suggested returning them but once they are 'hers' she feels responsible and could never return them. Hopefully they get through this but just a good lesson to buying from breeders and hopefully anyone that does can check out the facility before buying!!  

So horrible!! Glad I got mine from Meyer. Even though they outsource the started pullets, their reputation is on the line, so, they make sure the birds are not mistreated. I wish your friend good luck with those girls!