Did aliens abduct all the baby chicks?

[Stormy]

Beginning my new life as a chicken mama, I excitedly poured over the Murray Mcmurry catalog…I scoured the internet for chicken mamas and papas like myself….delving into this new world of raising chickens.

I gathered information asked (dumb) questions of other message board members and expanded my knowledge base about chickens. I spent WEEKS using a pro and con list to decide which breeds/varieties of chickens I wanted. Finally, I had my list down to a chosen few (Brahmas were one of them).

So this past week I got online to order my chicks from Mcurray…..none of the chicks I wanted were even available! It seems they flew the coop…..so I checked with several other hatchery’s online and they too have very few chicks.

So I turn to you, my fellow message board chicken mama's and chicken papa's to clue me in. What did I miss here? Where did all the chickens go? And why after these chickens being everywhere I turned for the past 45 years do they suddenly fly the coop the very week I go to order them?

What’s going on?

 

[MissPrissy]

Spring is over. The frenzy for chicks has slowed. Hens are slowing egg laying. Some are molting and not laying. The hurried rush for spring chicks is over.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Are they just all sold out? I heard that the demand on the hatcheries for chicks it up 400% and 500% for some breeds.

If they list the breed, then they have them, they are just sold out for the next 5 weeks

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It's late in the season. Most poultry keepers order their "rare" breeds really early in spring. So by "not available" it means they have either sold out or the chickens aren't laying.

Sorry.

-Kim

 

[robinaggie]

Ignore my rant, but I'm really angry. un

The feed store near my house has many dozens of now three-week old chicks they can't sell. The chicks are being kept in horrid conditions, and are cannibalizing each other. These are Buff Orpington, Sex-link, Ameracauna, and several types of bantams. They came from Ideal Poultry, who will tell you they are all sold out of these chicks.

I have reported the case to animal control, who really can't do anything about it because chicks are "livestock," and to Ideal Poultry, who said all they could do was call the owner, and they have done that. Period.

So that's where the chicks are - at feed stores being neglected.

Ask McMurray if they have any retailers near you.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I know it's just a rant, but I feel I have to say something in defense of the hatcheries. The feedstore is to Ideal what you or anyone else is, a customer; albeit on a larger scale. Ideal, nor any other hatchery has any control over how the chicks are taken care of once they are shipped from their hatchery to the feedstore and/or a consumer's home. They can't very well take back the chicks left unsold at the feedstores, for logistics and health (disease control) reasons. The problem lies with uneducated, untrained employees at feedstores and like stores. I've seen lots of stores with chicks, very few with the chicks being kept under anywhere near ideal conditions.
Also, IMHO another good reason for ordering chicks in the spring or at the very least early summer is so that they have time to mature before winter rolls around again.

 

[ml]

I always tell the feed store if you hae any you cant sale let me know. I also go in and tend to them, check water feed etc , that means carry a water bucket to the chicks/ducks up to 100 yards. Let them know if any thing is amiss and tidy up that area, catch any loose ones LOL..

But they always treat me well on chicks, also if they need any they call me to supply them.

Lend that feed store a hand maybe?

ML

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
That's very kind of you ML.

-Kim

 

[LoneCowboy]

All the feed stores here are totally sold out. My feed store says the hatcheries won't ship to them after a certain time because it's too hot. I've never had a problem getting hatcheries to ship to me no matter what the temp is. I brought in 100 chicks because I've been getting so many calls for them. Sold them all.

 

[Baybrio]

Stormy,

Try calling the hatcheries. I just placed an order from Meyer hatchery. I called because their web site said "Item not available for backorder". When I talked to customer service I found out they had what I wanted available exactly when I wanted them.

At least at Meyer the customer service rep will tell you what is available on specific hatch dates, and also when the exact breed your looking for will be available. I imagine the other hatcheries are similar.