Buying day old chicks

[tonini3059]

I used McMurray several times and loved them. A few did die in shipping and all i had to do was call and they credited my account. Plus I believe that you have three days to report any deaths. All of ours grew up to be healthy and fine.

 

[gkeesling]

I did my first time ever order with Ideal and was very satisfied. I ordered 12 BR's, paid the small order fee, and they put in 7 RIR's for warmth. I thought all of the RIR's were roosters but 4 turned out to be pullets. That was a real plus for me. None of the chicks died in shipment and all are alive and well still at 8 weeks.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

All of my baby birds have been from Privett Hatchery. A lot of times you can find a local feed store who usually has chicks, then ask them to add a few special one's onto their orders. Then you can pick them up in the store, make sure they look good, and they usually don't charge extra because they would have paid shipping anyway. I'm hoping to do this again in the spring...just ask where they get their chicks from, look them up online and see what breeds they have. Privett gave me beautiful birds, lived a long healthy life and some even won at the fair!

 

[MissJames]

I used Welp and all 26 chicks arrived healthy and have remained so.If I recall correctly there was no shipping cost. Consider the weather.It's pretty cold in most places right now.
PS I thought MissPrissy had a major disaster with McMurray.Might want to do some research.I don't want to start a rumor.

 

[PortageGirl]

I think any place can have problems from time to time... all the companies discussed here are established businesses which probably wouldn't be alive if they were -always- horrible, and any place can have issues, an employee who doesn't 'get' it, or a batch of eggs that has problems, or even sickness that can sweep through a hatchery pretty quick. Bio-security knowledge has grown a LOT and is tightening up everywhere, so hopefully this is less and less.

I'm not saying it's OK... just that we need to ask the right questions when we're ordering or trying to decide where to order etc.

I talked to one lady at a place who gave me goofy answers, and after thinking about it, I called back later in the day and spoke to another person (a member of the family that owns the place this time) and got my questions answered MUCH more clearly. When I mentioned that I spoke to 'Mary Sue' (or whatever her name was) THIS lady said "Oh yes, she's new and nervous, but she's getting better." I was a little frustrated about Mary Sue, but then thought, well, everyone's got to learn.

I have heard of McMurrey having some kind of sickness problems several years ago, but again, if they hadn't fixed things, they'd have lost business or been shut down pretty quick!

I'd say, call and discuss policies about

a) compensation for excess roos in an order?
b) what about deaths?
c) do they guarentee you are getting the breed you order? what if there's a mix up?
d) do they get their eggs locally? (a very FEW places actually have their own hens of certain breeds, others have regular trusted breeders, others just get em wherever..)

Maybe other members have input about questions to ask?

 

[indego_88]

hmm i got day old chicks, thought it wouldnt be too hard but havent had much luck... they get sick so easily. One of them died and the other nearly died. We did everythign we could but they are just SO fragile. Som sicknesses you just cant help.
I would recomend point of lay chickens, then atleast you know they wont be roosters (my young teens ended up being roos) and they wont die to easily..

 

[Lunachick]

Quote:
It depends on where you get your POL chickens, I got started pullets 18 months ago but they come debeaked......so you have to do your homework on hatcheries....

 

[LSU2001]

I ordered my 25 chicks from Double R discount in FLA. I got 26(i think) and they are all very healthy and very active. They are growing fast and eating a ton. Since this is my first and only experience with ordering chicks I have nothing to compare to but I am very satisfied and will probably order some meat birds from them in March. Someone on the board said they think Double R actually drops ships the birds from Privitt hatchery but I don't know.
Tim

 

[Lunachick]

I have a question on those "minimum orders" My Pet Chicken, whom I've ordered from before with much satisfaction, says: 3 chick minimum (depending on how close you are to a major P.O./City)

If I read it right means: the closer you are to a major city, the quicker they can deliver the chicks, so 3 would be safe to deliver to you. The further you are away, say 30 min. they suggest 5 minimum (longer distance=bigger risk, so they add 2 more) and even further away they say 8 minimum, again - longer distance = more risk, so they add extra just in case.

So you may end up with 3 or 5 or 8 depending on where you are located? Do I understand this right?

I'm 10 minutes away from my P.O. I'm in a smallish neighborhood, i can drive there, do i get 3 (which is all I want/need) or 5 (good excuse, if hubby complains) or 8 ? Ack!!??

Anyone have experience with this shipping minimum order status thing?

 

[Country Guy John]

I had really good experience with Cackle Hatchery.