Review of my experience with Meyer Hatchery

[Tespi]

Hey everyone,
I'm not at all affiliated with Meyer Hatchery. We just ordered nine chicks from them in December 2019 and I thought people might find my experience with it useful. I had backyard chickens for years but never got chicks in the mail before. We specifically ordered a Blue Ameracauna, Black Astralorp, Black Copper Maran, and a red laced Wyandotte. We also ordered five chicks from their "rare breed assortment". Basically, you can order "assorted" chicks in certain categories like Bantum or Rare Breeds and they're WAY cheaper but you don't get to choose what they give you. They just pick out whatever they have on hand. Meyer guarantees that if you order at least 5 in an assortment, you get at least 5 separate breeds or colors. I knew the selection would be somewhat limited because we ordered in the middle of winter when they just don't have nearly as many chick breed options - but we mainly just wanted a variety of fun birds. I also specifically ordered all hens, not st. run. I didn't want any roosters. One benefit of getting the assortment is that the cost per chick for rare breeds is very, very low. I think around $4 per chick. Many of the breeds in their Rare category are much more than that per chick.
Anyway, we received the nine chicks all healthy and happy. No issues with shipping. We had the four that I specifically ordered and then we had to figure out what the other five breeds were. It took me a couple weeks until I was confident that I knew. Now that they're older, there is no doubt about what we have. The assortment consisted of a gold laced wyandotte, silver laced wyandotte, an olive egger (she is jet black but has a beard and fits their olive egger description), a lavender Orpington, and a crested cream legbar. I think they are all hens (as requested) except for possibly the lavender Orpington. I still can't tell with that one. They're all healthy and beautiful! I will post some pics. No beak or feet problems. Their feathers have come in just beautifully. They're healthy and lovely in every way. I'm definitely not an expert on the standards but I've been looking at some of the things to look for in each breed and they seem to meet all the criteria. The Crested Cream Leg bar is just gorgeous. Her markings are incredible. But honestly, they're all incredibly lovely. Check out the attached pics. I'm especially interested to see what other people who know more about the breeds think but I know it can be hard to tell from pictures.

So, my experience with Meyer was very, very good. I actually called them with a couple questions right after we received the chicks and they were super nice on the phone too.
These ladies are only three months old so they're not fully grown yet if they seem small. I can't wait to see all the different types of eggs we get.

It's so hard to get good pics sometimes but I tried. Lol

Thank you so much for the info and gorgeous photos! This definitely confirmed my decision to go with Meyer! How are their personalities?

 

[Sheltiepawz]

Thank you so much for the info and gorgeous photos! This definitely confirmed my decision to go with Meyer! How are their personalities?

My Meyers birds personalities are great! They are laying machines and so friendly. They are 9 months old now. 2 have gone broody also and desperately want to be mommas. The head barred rock and a buff Orpington. Unfortunately for them, no more babies right now. Here are pictures of the broody mamas and one barred rock sitting in my lap.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Found this thread searching for reviews for Meyers. So glad to have found it! I have had a disastrous order in the past from another hatchery, and I am NOT looking for a repeat. The reviews on Google and Yelp are not good. I knew I'd get better input from BYC. People only go to Google and Yelp to complain - LOL!

 

[janiedoe]

@Aunt Angus I've had very good luck with
Ideal Poultry, here in Texas. From what I've read, most people seem happy with their customer service and their birds.
I've never ordered from Meyers and
I don't have any experience with any of the other hatcheries. I do have some Privett & some Hoover birds but they were obtained by way of TSC.
They are all beautiful to me but I'm sure none would win at the county fair.

 

[joydix]

i use Ideal the most and always happy with customer service and mostly happy with the birds. accidents can always happen...like getting a roo and once got a mixed bird...they are great to deal with tho. i no longer order bantams from any hatchery. shipping just too hard on them. too many deaths from ANY hatchery. i get Ebay eggs for that

 

[janiedoe]

i use Ideal the most and always happy with customer service and mostly happy with the birds. accidents can always happen...like getting a roo and once got a mixed bird...they are great to deal with tho. i no longer order bantams from any hatchery. shipping just too hard on them. too many deaths from ANY hatchery. i get Ebay eggs for that

Off topic but How have your hatch rates been?

 

[ColtHandorf]

***As a side note*** For anyone looking at the quality of the birds Meyer's is offering, the Black "Easter Egger" appears to be a Black Ameraucana (which makes perfect sense if they are offering Blues) and the Silver-laced Wyandotte has a single comb (not a problem for personality, backyard pretty, or egg laying, but is if you're wanting birds that meet the APA SOP).

 

[joydix]

Off topic but How have your hatch rates been?

I have never had a horrible hatch honestly. The one hatch that was only 4 out of 12 but they were all pullets. I was way happier with that than having 12 hatch and having to deal with 4-5 roosters since I can’t have them here. I have mostly gotten bantams to hatch because they don’t ship well. I’m careful about buying close to me. I’m in CA. So AZ, or WA, Oregon, even TX etc u get the drift! Never east coast etc. once MO and they were fine. You can get a lot of good breeds. Read reviews and pay close attention to instruction for hatching mailed eggs.

 

[janiedoe]

I have never had a horrible hatch honestly. The one hatch that was only 4 out of 12 but they were all pullets. I was way happier with that than having 12 hatch and having to deal with 4-5 roosters since I can’t have them here. I have mostly gotten bantams to hatch because they don’t ship well. I’m careful about buying close to me. I’m in CA. So AZ, or WA, Oregon, even TX etc u get the drift! Never east coast etc. once MO and they were fine. You can get a lot of good breeds. Read reviews and pay close attention to instruction for hatching mailed eggs.

I've consider ordering from mypetchicken. They have some really great egg varieties..but those prices!!! They have Express shipping I believe.
Usually I just gather from my back yard. I always hatch 1/3 female though. Every single time (except the time I got all males) of course that keeps my population down...usually. I have 5 cockrels that I'm just letting run around the yard now because they are so adorable that I can't slay them. And one 3 yr. old with his own flock. And two more in with my youngest chicks. And one with a disability that stays in the coop with his sisters...well, you get the drift. Lol.

I guess that's the absolute best thing about hatcheries, that you can order pullets.

 

[Sheltiepawz]

***As a side note*** For anyone looking at the quality of the birds Meyer's is offering, the Black "Easter Egger" appears to be a Black Ameraucana (which makes perfect sense if they are offering Blues) and the Silver-laced Wyandotte has a single comb (not a problem for personality, backyard pretty, or egg laying, but is if you're wanting birds that meet the APA SOP).

My silver laced is from Meyers and has a rose comb. She hatched 9-2019. She is an amazing egg layer. She loves to soak up the sun! I will be ordering from Meyers again. My 6 ladies are great and all have very good personalities. We have 4 barred rocks from ideal bought from a local feed store. Good personalities, but two have feet deformities and are not near as pretty as the 2 barred rocks from meyers. Attached are my silver laces and one of the barred rocks from Meyers.