Bad McMurray Experience

[Kittys Coop]

Hi friends! I need to vent because I’m still not over what happened. I know McMurray has a great reputation, people generally love them. However I had a horrible experience with them exactly a week ago and it’s just weighing heavily on my mind. I had ordered 10 silver polish, a color I do not have yet, and to fill their requirement of 25 birds I ordered some golden polish and buff laced. Friday morning comes around and I check the status on my phone to find I am receiving absolutely none of the silver I ordered. While I know hatching issues happen I was annoyed that I was not informed (yes, I clicked substitute for same breeds but I didn’t think I would get absolutely none of the ones I ordered). The representative was not polite at all and just kept saying they couldn’t let me know. If other hatcheries like Cackle can, why can’t McMurray? I finally gave up and hung up. A couple hours later I get a call from the post office that our order has arrived. My husband leaves work to pick them up. When he arrives to the post office and tells the attendant he’s there for the order she says “oh” and then says she’s so sorry. He opens it to find all 25 babies dead. Absolutely horrible sight. Can’t tell you how much I cried. I know a lot of people become desensitized to death of animals but to see those babies like that? Just was horrible. The McMurray supervisor didn’t apologize and tried to give me store credit which I wasn’t okay with. Finally got a refund back to my card but gosh this experience was absolutely horrible.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

While I appreciate the frustration of a 100% substitution rate, the cause of the 100% loss is most likely the USPS. I can, and have, link news articles going back decades related to postal losses of shipped chicks. The hatcheries accept millions of birds as losses - write-offs - in shipping each year due to postal handling. They have no alternative.

Only USPS will ship live birds across state lines. They have, in essence, a Gov't monopoly on the work.

USPS, of course, doesn't have its own planes - it contracts with commercial carriers. When the weather is great, and the airlines are busy with passengers, it mostly goes smoothly. When there are a bunch of flight cancellations due to a weather event, or just fewer flights in general, losses accumulate - an extra day in a warehouse here, an extra there, rough handling all around.

Once a Cackle, a McMurray, a Hoovers has handed the birds over to USPS, they (and their birds) are at USPS' mercy. If you've ever expected a package from USPS and checked their tracking? It only seems to work when there isn't a problem...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Last year i had 6 or 7 batches in the mail (2 were replacement batches do to losses). 3 did poorly, the rest did amazing. But the poor ones were when it was a cold snap mainly. 1 of those also was packaged poorly and had all the air hold blocked besides one, and 1 was delayed so it arrived on a monday instead of a friday or saturday.

The warmer season ones (including a McMurray order) only lost one out of maybe 50 in the package and then another very weak one a few hours later. The other 48 did great apart from the ones that decided to fly out of the bin and get chilled during the night

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

Most hatcheries allow you to specify "NO Substitutions" on the order. I learned the hard way to ALWAYS check that box. I ordered Silver Laced Wyandottes from McMurray about 2003 and received Black Australorps instead. They do not see this as a problem... which is actually a very big problem.

The original poster said they opted for substitutions but did not expect 0 silvers. This isn’t a high margin business and it isn’t a boutique hatchery. It is entirely logical to sub in the same breed but different color.

Not an attack but an alternative view:

Dead chicks can be traumatic.

McMurray fulfilled their contract based on the information provided. I am not aware of any large hatchery that doesn’t have a dead chick picture policy. They were directed by the customer to substitute if needed, and they did. The customer was made whole after sending the picture.

The behavior of the employee is impossible to assess without a recording. I can understand not being particularly sympathetic to a complaint when the company met their obligations.

In a former life I took calls passed up from front line employees in a highly regulated, professional industry. >50% went like this:

“Bob said my claim hasn’t been processed yet because you didn’t get the signed contract. I want my money.”

“When did you mail in the contract, I will take a look at the mail log and track it down”

“I haven’t mailed it in yet. I want my money. I want to file a complaint.”


Just an alternative take.

I’ve ordered from McMurray 1 time. Positive experience. I’ve ordered from other places too and had positive experiences.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hi friends! I need to vent because I’m still not over what happened. I know McMurray has a great reputation, people generally love them. However I had a horrible experience with them exactly a week ago and it’s just weighing heavily on my mind. I had ordered 10 silver polish, a color I do not have yet, and to fill their requirement of 25 birds I ordered some golden polish and buff laced. Friday morning comes around and I check the status on my phone to find I am receiving absolutely none of the silver I ordered. While I know hatching issues happen I was annoyed that I was not informed (yes, I clicked substitute for same breeds but I didn’t think I would get absolutely none of the ones I ordered). The representative was not polite at all and just kept saying they couldn’t let me know. If other hatcheries like Cackle can, why can’t McMurray? I finally gave up and hung up. A couple hours later I get a call from the post office that our order has arrived. My husband leaves work to pick them up. When he arrives to the post office and tells the attendant he’s there for the order she says “oh” and then says she’s so sorry. He opens it to find all 25 babies dead. Absolutely horrible sight. Can’t tell you how much I cried. I know a lot of people become desensitized to death of animals but to see those babies like that? Just was horrible. The McMurray supervisor didn’t apologize and tried to give me store credit which I wasn’t okay with. Finally got a refund back to my card but gosh this experience was absolutely horrible.

Oh my gawd. I am so sorry. I have had shipping disasters, too, but all 25????!!! My heart breaks for you.

I swore off ordering because I lost all of an order from MPC within a week. I always just picked them up from feed stores, but if there are specific breeds you want, that's not going to cut it. I broke down and ordered from Meyer. I'm PRAYING I won't have another bad experience.

I am SO SORRY. I was thinking about having my DH open the box for me when I get my order in May. I am also thinking about canceling. I just can't open another box like that. I really am so sorry....

 

[Kittys Coop]

Oh my gawd. I am so sorry. I have had shipping disasters, too, but all 25????!!! My heart breaks for you.

I swore off ordering because I lost all of an order from MPC within a week. I always just picked them up from feed stores, but if there are specific breeds you want, that's not going to cut it. I broke down and ordered from Meyer. I'm PRAYING I won't have another bad experience.

I am SO SORRY. I was thinking about having my DH open the box for me when I get my order in May. I am also thinking about canceling. I just can't open another box like that. I really am so sorry....

It was just heartbreaking. I’m so sorry about your loss. I really would like to avoid ordering online but polish is hard to pick up anywhere. I did call Cackle and inquire about their processes (haven’t ordered from them). The rep there actually apologized to me about the experience with McMurray and made me feel a little bit better.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The original poster said they opted for substitutions but did not expect 0 silvers. This isn’t a high margin business and it isn’t a boutique hatchery. It is entirely logical to sub in the same breed but different color.

Not an attack but an alternative view:

Dead chicks can be traumatic.

McMurray fulfilled their contract based on the information provided. I am not aware of any large hatchery that doesn’t have a dead chick picture policy. They were directed by the customer to substitute if needed, and they did. The customer was made whole after sending the picture.

The behavior of the employee is impossible to assess without a recording. I can understand not being particularly sympathetic to a complaint when the company met their obligations.

In a former life I took calls passed up from front line employees in a highly regulated, professional industry. >50% went like this:

“Bob said my claim hasn’t been processed yet because you didn’t get the signed contract. I want my money.”

“When did you mail in the contract, I will take a look at the mail log and track it down”

“I haven’t mailed it in yet. I want my money. I want to file a complaint.”


Just an alternative take.

I’ve ordered from McMurray 1 time. Positive experience. I’ve ordered from other places too and had positive experiences.

I see and appreciate your perspective. They did make it right. I imagine they are used to getting complaint calls when there are losses. Losing all 25 is.... utterly horrendous. I also imagine OP was more upset by that than the substitutions. I also imagine the hatchery might not have apologized because the deaths were attributable to the USPS, most likely. At the very least, I hope the hatchery folks expressed some sympathy. Opening a box of dead chicks is pretty awful and traumatic after anticipating their arrival for so long. Regardless, I know it helps to vent to fellow chicken lovers when things go awry and you feel helpless. It's part of the beauty of this site.

So OP is right to feel sad and angry and frustrated and helpless. And you are right in pointing out that the issue was resolved as well as it could have from what is relayed here.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Hi friends! I need to vent because I’m still not over what happened. I know McMurray has a great reputation, people generally love them. However I had a horrible experience with them exactly a week ago and it’s just weighing heavily on my mind. I had ordered 10 silver polish, a color I do not have yet, and to fill their requirement of 25 birds I ordered some golden polish and buff laced. Friday morning comes around and I check the status on my phone to find I am receiving absolutely none of the silver I ordered. While I know hatching issues happen I was annoyed that I was not informed (yes, I clicked substitute for same breeds but I didn’t think I would get absolutely none of the ones I ordered). The representative was not polite at all and just kept saying they couldn’t let me know. If other hatcheries like Cackle can, why can’t McMurray? I finally gave up and hung up. A couple hours later I get a call from the post office that our order has arrived. My husband leaves work to pick them up. When he arrives to the post office and tells the attendant he’s there for the order she says “oh” and then says she’s so sorry. He opens it to find all 25 babies dead. Absolutely horrible sight. Can’t tell you how much I cried. I know a lot of people become desensitized to death of animals but to see those babies like that? Just was horrible. The McMurray supervisor didn’t apologize and tried to give me store credit which I wasn’t okay with. Finally got a refund back to my card but gosh this experience was absolutely horrible.

Terribly sorry to hear that. I've heard Murry McMurry has a mixed reputation. I'm not a fan of large hatcheries.

Had a somewhat experience couple years ago with my very first flock. Went to the local sport/farm store and picked up 14 chicks. 6 of one breed were suppose to be hens and the other breed a straight run. But the lady there suggested the most active are hens. Fast forward few months.. 9 turned out to be roosters. Those 6 supposedly hens only 2 were actually hens. From the same store, few of my friends bought chicks which died within 48 hours.

 

[Aunt Angus]

let me know how that goes please

Heck, I may cancel it. I've ordered before and had zero issues... until the MPC debacle. It's the USPS, imo. I can't imagine hatcheries would be in the business of setting up orders to die in transit. Maybe bad genetics/health, but I really think the USPS handles them too roughly sometimes. Or it gets too cold. But 25 should be able to keep warm.

I got 4 in 2018 from Meyer who were 100% healthy and are still going strong. My ducks came last year from Metzer (only 3 hours away, but still had to be shipped), and they are fantastic. I also have 2 geese coming in June from Metzer. Couldn't avoid that as there are no goslings available that I could find. I live in CA. Meyer is in OH. It's a crap shoot, I think.

 

[Kittys Coop]

glad i did not order from the
and i wont
im sorry and poor babys they dont deserve that

It was absolutely awful. I had to take a photo to prove I wasn’t lying.