are meat (broilers) chicks less hardy than standard breeds/ egg layers?

[jobeth3]

I just picked up an order of meat chicks from my post office...I ordered from Meyer Hatchery, as they had a free shipping special due to the storm...Anyway, 13 were dead on arrival, 2 died within an hour and 2-3 more don't look so good. I know the hatchey will replace/ refund me for the dead chicks. But is this to be expected for meat birds? I have ordered many pullets of standard breed from McMurray in the past and never had an issue...Or is it just that it is too cold for them to be shipped to my area? I don't really want to have them replace the chicks, only to have those too die during shipping...Thank you!!

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Oh my gosh, thats ALOT dead/dying! Maybe they were just stressed with rough handling during shipping. I've never had a problem with meaties being less hardy and I've never heard anything stating otherwise. I get mine from Townline Hatchery here in Michigan.

It seems to me that shipping was the problem. Hope all the rest are alright. Good luck.

 

[donrae]

I've never had big losses with meat birds, so I think it's just either a bad hatch or a rough shipping experience. It's definately not normal to lose that many chicks.