Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[Melabella]

My l
my last batch I had ordered 3 welsummers. One turns out to be a rooster so I may need to make some more!!
They seem to be calm birds but one of the girls can't stand change! Every time I move something or add something in the run she making this squeaking noise and paces back and forth! Lol

That 90% sexing guarantee gets a lot if us! My very first order from Meyer for 10 chicks gave me 9 girls and the nastiest Columbian Wyandotte roo. Had to rehome him. He did teach me the importance of having a roo to mind the free range flock, and keep the girls in order, but he just couldn't let the human aggression go. I replaced h with a very respectful Ameruacana rooster who seems to get that I mean him and his girls no harm. I am now praying daily they didn't send me a Soeckled Sussex roo instead if the pullet I ordered!

MB

 

[jonsccm]

It

That 90% sexing guarantee gets a lot if us! My very first order from Meyer for 10 chicks gave me 9 girls and the nastiest Columbian Wyandotte roo. Had to rehome him. He did teach me the importance of having a roo to mind the free range flock, and keep the girls in order, but he just couldn't let the human aggression go. I replaced h with a very respectful Ameruacana rooster who seems to get that I mean him and his girls no harm. I am now praying daily they didn't send me a Soeckled Sussex roo instead if the pullet I ordered!

MB

its kinda odd that out of 2 orders they have been right at 10 % males maybe I'm just lucky but I'd like to just once get what I order! But it's ok no one is perfect

 

[NotableNancy]

Melabella and her Meyer flock live 18 miles away from Marist!

If he ever needs a delivery of fresh eggs, I'd be more than happy to run it over to him!

MB

Oh my goodness!!! You're so close. That's sweet; he will be in apartment housing next year with a full kitchen and minimal meal plan so you never know!! You're sweet.. thanks!!
Are you close to Mohonk? We vacation there once in a while. So beautiful up your way!

I FINALLY heard from that seller about my refund. Oh my! I'm sure it is difficult to sell off your flock and deal with the influx of messages but GEEZ! I was about to turn ugly over it. Thank God I didn't there! Emotionally I just can't take preparing for them to arrive again. She offered to send those two pullets on Monday. I just had to decline. I think I will be happy enough with the two Meyer blue ameraucanas that will be here soon anyway. And at least I know they are coming. I won't have two separate quarantines. And they are vaccinated. This has definitely left a bad taste in my mouth dealing with breeders. Blah!

17 days till hatch date!

That's great... I think you made a great decision. I'm 9 days till hatch date!!!

WOW! Being originally from outside Phila, I have not thought about that traffic in years! I would never drive 95 up there, but here in SC, 95 is comparatively like a summer stroll. Ha!

Where are you from?? I rarely have to get on 95 around here thankfully. I'm on the Schuylkill Expressway all the time but can avoid if necessary; which is quite often!!

You were so close! Fairfield U is literally 2 miles from my work and Quinnipiac is 6 miles from my house! How crazy is that? I looked at Marist with my son, who is the same age as yours. Imagine if we were on tour together? That would make it an incredibly small world! My son loved the campus being right on the river. So beautiful. Sadly, he didn't get in. He ended up at a liberal arts school outside Boston but has since decided that liberal arts is not for him. He will be starting at SUNY Cobleskill, an Ag school, studying animal industry or wildlife management next month and we could not be happier for him!

What a small world right?? I really like Quinnipiac for a first back up for my son. We went there 3 yrs ago to visit for my older son and he applied and would have gone if he didn't get into Marist. I think what helped my son get into Marist was he went there the summer before his Sr. year and took a class. So they knew him a bit and that also helped him to know he wanted to apply early. Which we know helps get you in there too!! That's great your son now knows what he wants and is going for it. The SUNY schools are great too!!

Very exciting day yesterday! One of my Meyers white egg layers finally joined the party. Her egg is the littlest on the end:


The bottom 3 eggs are all Meyer's girls (around 22 weeks old). But we are not sure if it was:

Checkers (the Exchequer) or Buffy (the Buff Laced Polish)

OK, did I miss it... who laid that top egg?? And Checkers is gorgeous!!!! I'm sooooo glad I ordered one and am really trying hard not to add another one to my order. I may be calling Monday a.m

Hi, so what is everyone's thoughts on feeding your layers more protein during the summer, due to the fact that in the heat they eat less? I have been reading about this argument, we are feeding a mix 16% layer pellets, 18% layer crumbles, a bit of scratch. They get oster shells and grit. I am fermenting their feed, growing & sprouting seeds&nuts, they free range and get our table scrapes and scrapes from our organic gardens. During the winter I am planning on getting into growing fodder, as we have barley. We got them for eggs and if needed meat. We du plan on selling eggs and with 26 hens we will have plenty. Of course family and friends will be given eggs.

I am starting to track feed costs, how much they eat and how much feed we are going through. I have heard that feed costs reduce when feeding fermented feed, plus it is just better for them. They love it and their coats really benefit. Not to mention, their poop stinks less!

Today during free range we had one hen find a baby mouse, she killed and ate it. Another found a frog, same thing. So they are doing great!
Does anyone have a few spreadsheets they would be willing to share.

I just keep the same feed year round. I;m to lazy to make big changes. And obviously no spread sheets to share... sorry. Again, to lazy!!

My l
my last batch I had ordered 3 welsummers. One turns out to be a rooster so I may need to make some more!!
They seem to be calm birds but one of the girls can't stand change! Every time I move something or add something in the run she making this squeaking noise and paces back and forth! Lol

LOL. My big BA spins in circles and squawks when she gets nervous!!

 

[leahlefler]

What are y'all's thoughts about having chicks shipped in the summer? I have only ordered in the spring before and have experanced the cold stress put on them but will the heat be bad on them as well?

We just had chicks shipped. The first shipment died, unfortunately - they were shipped with a heat pack (4 chicks) and may have been mishandled by the post office.. but the consensus seems to be they died of heat stroke/hot car. The second shipment arrived on Tuesday (this past Tuesday) - NO heat pack in the box and all five chicks were lively and healthy. As long as the post office doesn't leave them in a hot truck, they will be fine. I really think the lack of a heat pack in the box greatly helped my most recent delivery. The temps are warm enough & with 5 chicks in the little box, they were able to keep themselves warm. They're 4 days old now and happy & healthy (and trying to fly)!

 

[trsturself]

I guess I need to make a trip to TSC and read feed bags. I can never keep straight which labeling is which % protein.
Anyway, I remembered that when I first joined BYC they were running a contest for people to review an app. The app isn't fantastic, but it can be useful in tracking eggs and birds. Especially, if you're like me, and make notes on the phone to add to the spreadsheet sometime later

It's called "poultry pal". Just downloaded it again. Hopefully it will help me with record keeping!

Thanks for the link. I'll look it up. That would probably help me remember to record things.

I'm lucky to have a local mill close by that has a great layer mash that is under $11 for a 50 lb bag. With no fillers. Selling the extra eggs I have found if I can sell about half to 60% of the eggs then the girls buy there own feed. BUT! That does not include cost of coop, fencing, feed for chicks that are not laying, incubator, brooder, and many other unexpected costs. I am pretty much set up now and hope to be selling chicks, pullets, hatching eggs and regular eggs by spring. But I am having a hard time finding away to make them make more then just what they eat. We will see what they can pull off next spring. It does help that I let them free range...

It is fun visiting colleges. That's a neat idea, chickens are relaxing! So funny though. I wonder if your son was afraid you would say something about your chickens. My kids would have been nervous that I would.

Good luck with him getting into the college that he wants.

So far we've been a couple weeks with no broodies, I have probably jinxed myself now.

Your Andulasion egg looks just like my Salmon Favorelle's eggs. They are a creamy color too. I have a splash Andulasion too, but her eggs are white.

Good for you. It is kind of neat to see where the money goes, but I am a numbers person and am weird like that.

I always fed all the chickens unmedicated chick starter with oyster shell on the side until the younger ones were over 16 to 18 weeks then everyone got layer feed, but I never have had roosters so I am not sure how a rooster wold figure into all that.

You are very lucky. It'd be nice if more mills started showing up again, it is so sad that a lot of them have gone away.

Yeah with the costs, I pretty much do not count the first year and setup costs, if you count all they you'll never come out ahead.

That would be depressing. Is there no Tractor Supply near you? I buy 50 lb bags for a few dollars more then your 25lb ones.

I never got into it for the money anyway. I calculated eggs as $5 a dozen whether I sell them or give them away. It makes the calculations look better that way. Our neighbors still only pay $2.50 a dozen, but it is a young family and I would feel bad to ask for more. I really take the Meal Maker seriously. I know I only got 2 of them from Meyer's but if I calculate more then half my flock are Meal Makers since I am always giving eggs away.

I order all my grains/seeds from Azure and it gets delivered once a month. I do mostly organic (all non GMO) and it costs me $.44/lb I could get A LOT cheaper at our local feed store but the people I sell to wouldn't buy them if they weren't non-gmo. Plus I feel better eating that way. They have pellets and crumbles for sale also which I used to do but found mixing it myself and fermenting it was cheaper and the girls like it better.
I have sold/given away 7 dozen eggs so far this month. I flew into S. CA today and have a dozen in my suitcase (checked) for my cousin. Fingers crossed they made it! I am waiting for my mom to get in (30min) before I get to retrieve my bag. The baggage office called me but didn't leave a message. I'm hoping it was just to make sure I planned to pick it up and not to tell me my bag is leaking!

 

[jonsccm]

I just saw that meyer has blue red laced whyndottes available for aug 4th they have not had any availible the last few times I looked. I can't remember who it was that was looking for them.....

 

[jonsccm]

They have an Ameruacana for that day as well....

 

[MamaShell]

They have an Ameruacana for that day as well....

Stop with the temptation! Would you bring donuts to an Overeaters Anonymous
Meeting?? Lol!

 

[jonsccm]

My

Stop with the temptation! Would you bring donuts to an Overeaters Anonymous
Meeting?? Lol!

My bad... My bad..... But I am that kind of person that would do just that.... I am ashamed. But won't promise that it will never happen again! But really I'm selfish, I share the temptation so that someone will gobble them up and POOF!!! No more temptation!

 

[NotableNancy]

They have an Ameruacana for that day as well....

I know.... I'm looking.... just looking I swear.
well.... maybe I'll spring for another?!?!?!?!?