my pet chicken reviews

[EggSighted4Life]

I have two separate flocks that free range in the same area. My bantam flock has 3 roosters, and 10 adult hens and 5 chicks. The roosters have a hierarchy and certain roosters hang with certain hens.

My large breed flock has 31 hens and 5 roosters, 3 large and 2 cochin bantams. I also have the 25 chicks, of which 6 are roosters. I won't keep all of them. My large breed roosters have never fought, the two bantam with the large breed flock keep going at it occasionally but nothing serious. Any fighting is always the bantam. I also have 3 d'uccle roosters who have no hens and 3 cochin bantams that are separated out for now.

My birds are all free range with plenty of shed space so everyone can get away and spread out. All new roosters are raised in the flock and take their spots in the bottom of the rooster hierarchy. If they make too much troubles I will remove them and pen them up for a few months until they mature and calm down.

So you will just have to see how it goes, it could work or it could be trouble, you just never know.

Good morning!

Do your chickens go back to their own coops after free ranging together?

 

[Mercys Fight]

Mpc does not ship extra chicks in box.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Mpc does not ship extra chicks in box.

That is what I meant. It's OK that they don't do things the same as other places. I am sure they are doing what is best for them. However it does seem they are over selling what they have.

So since I was already disappointed by my shipment of all dying chicks, I had to wait 4 more weeks while they fill other people's orders with the same birds? 4 weeks extra wasn't in my time plan and isn't necessarily convenient to my plans. I personally feel reshipments should take priority over newer orders... new orders are already aware that they may not hatch as many as planned. But I am just one person and doubt they will change their policy anytime soon.

Oh well, just hope the next shipment goes better. Yes the people at MPC are friendly enough, that's what they are paid to do. I don't plan to order more hatchery stock, but if I do I will consider other hatcheries. Maybe something closer to CA just as a personal choice. I wouldn't tell someone not to order from MPC. Many people have different experiences. But I would disclose my experience along with others (not all bad) and let them make their own choice. I personally won't order from a hatchery that offers de-beaking as one of their "services" either. One reason I went with MPC over some other places I was looking at.

Best wishes to BYC members and to MPC!

Come on chickies!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good morning!

Do your chickens go back to their own coops after free ranging together?

Most definitely, the bantams never visit the large shed, but large hens occasionally visit the bantam run and pen with occasional egg laying in their boxes.

Sorry you are having troubles with your chick shipments and wish you luck that the new ones arrive fine. Alex is a female, but she hasn't been on much. Most of my chickens are from My Pet Chicken, and I have a lot of them. My troubles come from the erratic post office shipping, but I never lost a whole shipment. Wishing us both luck this week for our new kids.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Most definitely, the bantams never visit the large shed, but large hens occasionally visit the bantam run and pen with occasional egg laying in their boxes.

Sorry you are having troubles with your chick shipments and wish you luck that the new ones arrive fine. Alex is a female, but she hasn't been on much. Most of my chickens are from My Pet Chicken, and I have a lot of them. My troubles come from the erratic post office shipping, but I never lost a whole shipment. Wishing us both luck this week for our new kids.

See, that's why I said I would let people know of other's good experiences to. I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt. And am glad to hear something positive!

I can't believe some of the USPS stories, meaning they are terrible not actual disbelief. They are usually pretty good here, so far.

Good luck to us and anyone else who is gonna get shipments this week!

 

[csneill]

Most roosters go through a terrible teenager stage, but if removed or at least put up with, they often become better, but like aart says it can take up to a year before their true nature can be judged.

I'll keep that in mind as my boys get a little older- thank you!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@oldhenlikesdogs at what age does that terrible teenage rooster phase hit? And how long might it last? God knows how many cockerels I have in my current batches. I think at least 2 in my 11 week olds. Have 11 straight run, 1-3 weeks old, 19 SR coming in August, and HOPEFULLY.... 14 SR bantams shipping today from MPC.

No tracking # yet, had a good chat with my post master today though (after harassing MPC 3 times already).

Even though they don't offer over night delivery to our area, I realized... Last time my order shipped (according to tracking) on Tuesday (Monday was a holiday) and they arrived Wednesday morning at 0630 even though tracking information said not until Thursday. Is that not over night?

ETA: I'm a pay attention to details type person!

 

[MyPetChicken]

I'm so sorry that there were problems with your order. We do not intentionally over sell chicks. In fact, every Monday our availability for that week goes up to show the amount of over-hatch. I do not know what happened that specific week that caused the expected number of chicks to not hatch. I do know that Monday and Wednesday mornings are spent calling customers when hatch issues arise. If the phone numbers provided go to voicemail, a message is left and an email with the information is sent. Many times, we have a short window to make the decision in order to get the chicks to the Post Office. Perhaps the email went to your Spam folder?

We have a great staff that work hard to ensure that our customer receive what they order. That being said, human error is real. If you will send an email to [email protected] about the incorrect chick sent we will be happy to refund you for our mistake.

As was mentioned previously, our chicks’ safety is a top priority, both as a business position and as animal advocates ourselves. In fact, we have conducted extensive A/B testing on survival rates on several variables independently, including:

-- shipping method (Priority vs. Express) given the number of chicks
-- inclusion of heat packs based on high/low temps at destination
-- location of heat packs beneath bedding vs. on top of bedding
-- feeding chicks before they leave the hatchery
-- offering/excluding GroGel en route
-- time elapsed between hatch and shipment

While providing GroGel has become commonplace with some hatcheries, our studies have indicated that this is not the best practice and may actually contribute to higher rates of loss and suffering. Every single practice in our shipping method is based on carefully studied survival rates and we have made all our packaging-related decisions on the basis of the data alone.

Because GroGel costs just pennies per shipment we would certainly use it if we felt it would improve survival rates. Each chick’s loss costs us far more than a packet of GroGel, both in monetary costs and the loss of life itself. Our goal is to provide our customers with happy, healthy chicks; in fact, our business depends on it!

I'm so sorry that your chicks didn't fare well.

Alex
My Pet Chicken

 

[MyPetChicken]

Most definitely, the bantams never visit the large shed, but large hens occasionally visit the bantam run and pen with occasional egg laying in their boxes.

Sorry you are having troubles with your chick shipments and wish you luck that the new ones arrive fine. Alex is a female, but she hasn't been on much. Most of my chickens are from My Pet Chicken, and I have a lot of them. My troubles come from the erratic post office shipping, but I never lost a whole shipment. Wishing us both luck this week for our new kids.

So sorry!

I promise to try to check in more often. Will see about getting special permission for some weekend hours too if my personal life allows.


Alex
My Pet Chicken

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry!  I promise to try to check in more often. Will see about getting special permission for some weekend hours too if my personal life allows.  


Alex
My Pet Chicken

Wasn't complaining, just a comment, I figured you have a life too.