Buying baby chicks-MPC or Meyer

[Magnolia7330]

I am eager to purchase my first flock. I have strict orders from my boyfriend that I can only buy three (however, a fourth might make it in the box and blamed on the hatchery

). Our city allows a maximum of 6 hens. I am looking at either Meyer or My Pet Chicken since both allow small orders. I live in California. How far in advance can I order? Ideally I would like to have them mid-January to February. When do both of these places start listing for January or February? Thank you for your help.

 

[Pyxis]

Order from Meyer. MPC drop ships from them anyway and charges more. You'll get the same chicks ordering from Meyer as you would ordering from MPC.

 

[junebuggena]

For the minimum order of 3 from Meyer, you'll be waiting till at least April. Shipping so few chicks in the colder months isn't a very good idea. Winter orders usually require a minimum order of 15 chicks

 

[donrae]

You really need to contact the hatcheries in question and ask them. they both have great customer service, and will let you know what they'll have available when. You often need to pre-order months in advance, depending on how particular you are about breed.


for a small order, you might be better off purchasing from a feed store. Or, go in on an order with someone local, to get a larger batch of chicks. I know, when I post this, folks always respond "but I don't know anyone else who wants chicks"....well, make new friends! Seriously, I've put up offers to go in on chick orders at bulletin boards at work, the feed store, and on CL. I've made some new friends that way, met other folks who keep birds, etc. It's worked well if I only want a few of a specific breed, I can tack mine onto someone else's big order of chicks. Or, your feed store might do that also, you can ask at customer service.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. Go to your state thread, and find out who lives fairly close to you. I've done some nice chick trades during the peak of "chick season". As much as I hate doing hatchery or feed store chicks, it's often the only option available to get a breed other than BY mutt, or to simply bring in "new blood". I've picked up extra chicks at feed store for friends to work around the "minimum purchase of 6 chicks". "You take 3 and I'll take 3." I've also met up with a local gal at the local "park and ride" to do a "drive by chick exchange". She was returning home after an out of state trip, and stopping at feed stores along the way. She found some SLW, and knew that I was looking for some, so we met on the highway, and I traded one of my hatchling EE for one of her SLW. On the Maine thread, we often talk about who's ordering what, where, and when, so we can combine orders. It doesn't always work out as our state is so rural, and distance is often problematic, but... sometimes it works out nicely. An other option is to order a larger number of birds, particulary breeds that are good layers but not carried by feed stores. Start them, and sell the extras. People are always looking for nice birds off heat.

 

[donrae]

I didn't think about the state threads here---thats a good idea!

And yes, I often order more than I need. If you order the balance in hatchery's choice pullets, just plain ol brown egg layers, you can always sell them at 6ish weeks. That hedges your bets during shipping, as more chicks make it better for them to all survive, and if you have die-off or a predator, etc, you've got extras to fall back on.

 

[RawhideChicks]

I think MPC is about done shipping for the year. However, I wanted to say I ordered 9 chicks and later another order of 17 from MPC. They were great to work with. The chicks are super healthy. I was very pleased.

 

[lutherpug]

As someone else mentioned, MPC is not a hatchery-the chicks come from Meyer. I'm getting my 2nd order from MPC that was shipped today and on schedule to be delivered tomorrow. The tracking info indicates they originated in Polk, Ohio-home to Meyer Hatchery. Same experience the first time.

The 11/28 hatch date was the last one until the end of March that will ship chicks in quantities less than 15-this is Meyer's policy and pretty standard across the board.

I've had good luck with MPC so far (knock on wood for healthy chicks tomorrow!)

They've opened up their ordering for the next 8-9 months. You can place your order now, just make sure you're 100% settled on the breeds you want as they'll charge you each time you change your order-don't ask how I know!

Also, if it were me I would order 4 also in case you end up with a rooster or a sick chick. 4 is no more trouble than 3. Be careful, chicken math is very, very real

 

[dekel18042]

I am eager to purchase my first flock. I have strict orders from my boyfriend that I can only buy three (however, a fourth might make it in the box and blamed on the hatchery

). Our city allows a maximum of 6 hens. I am looking at either Meyer or My Pet Chicken since both allow small orders. I live in California. How far in advance can I order? Ideally I would like to have them mid-January to February. When do both of these places start listing for January or February? Thank you for your help.

I've always ordered in the fall for MPC spring orders. Sometimes for the rarer breeds they were sold out within a day or two of posting (While I hemmed and hawed over what I wanted to get.) If you go to their site and fill in your zip code they tell you what is needed for a minimum order in your area. Often it is 3 to 5. I think mine is 5. January or February is early for a shipped order. I think then I would get from a feed store. Ay least they hey have survived the trip and you can warm the box for the trip home. (I use a rice heating pad.)

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I am eager to purchase my first flock. I have strict orders from my boyfriend that I can only buy three (however, a fourth might make it in the box and blamed on the hatchery

). Our city allows a maximum of 6 hens. I am looking at either Meyer or My Pet Chicken since both allow small orders. I live in California. How far in advance can I order? Ideally I would like to have them mid-January to February. When do both of these places start listing for January or February? Thank you for your help.

Why is your BF limiting you to 3? Hmm, I would get 6! I just put in my order or Meyers, small orders (Less than 15) they do not ship until April