Ducklings Shipping Disaster - Meyer Hatchery

[Pertalote]

I ordered 7 ducklings from Meyer Hatchery. Something must have gone wrong during shipping because the ducklings took 3 days to arrive. 3 were DOA. One died about an hour after I got them home. Of the remaining 3 ducklings, one lived on for 3 weeks but just never grew, and eventually just died. The remaining 2 ducks are now 6 weeks old and seem very healthy.

I wanted to share my experience because I am still angry about what happened. I don't like to think about young things suffering and dying in a shipping box. When I called on the second day, the Meyer representative refused to give me the tracking number so I could find out where the ducks were. My thought was that if I could find out where they were, I could go and get them. The rep said they would be fine for up to 72 hours without water or food! Not so, obviously!

I also found out that the ducklings are not shipped from the Meyer facility in Ohio, as I had assumed they would be, and as I believe their materials imply. Apparently they subcontract out the hatching somewhere else. The rep would only say that they came from somewhere "out west." I would be careful about this in the future, and find out exactly where the stock is being shipped from. Also, I will not deal with Meyer Hatchery again!

 

[paulscsxchicks]

That's why I don't do shipped babies

 

[mrrr0809]

Several if not most of the online hatcheries don't have a central location for where the birds are hatched. However, the fact that they didn't issue a tracking number and just bad customer service altogether is just plain disgusting. I don't know about other readers of this thread, but I will certainly put them on the blacklist. Maybe they'll soon learn that business is based on consumer satisfaction and trust- neither of which were met in your transaction.

 

[needlessjunk]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately losses are always a possibly when having ducks shipped and most places don't have tracking numbers. I don't like going through the middle man like Myers and rather go straight through the hatchery like Metzer or Ideal so I can order grow gel and heat packs. My greatest fear is opening up a box to dead poultry.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's why I don't do shipped babies

X2 way to heart breaking.

very sorry you had to go through this and those poor babies.

 

[Pertalote]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately losses are always a possibly when having ducks shipped and most places don't have tracking numbers. I don't like going through the middle man like Myers and rather go straight through the hatchery like Metzer or Ideal so I can order grow gel and heat packs. My greatest fear is opening up a box to dead poultry.

I didn't know Meyer was a middleman. I wish I did know that. They make it sound like they are hatching out the birds themselves. If you look at their web site that is definitely what they want you to believe. I just didn't know. Probably better to get ducklings locally, but I really wanted the white crested ones and they are not so easy to find.
Hopefully someone else will see this and not make the same mistake. That was my purpose in posting this. Thanks for the kinds words, everyone.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Might want to check out these threads before getting crested. Although adorable they can have some very serious health issues.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=The+truth+about+crested+ducks

Most recent https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/981061/baby-duck-with-lots-of-problems

 

[Pertalote]

Might want to check out these threads before getting crested. Although adorable they can have some very serious health issues.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=The+truth+about+crested+ducks

Most recent https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/981061/baby-duck-with-lots-of-problems

OK obviously this was a bad idea from start to finish. I didn't really make a study of it, I just thought it would be fun to get some ducks, and the crested ones are pretty. That's all I knew. The two white crested I have are females, and they are my only ducks so I am not going to be breeding. They are pretty and we are enjoying them. Never again though.

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK obviously this was a bad idea from start to finish. I didn't really make a study of it, I just thought it would be fun to get some ducks, and the crested ones are pretty. That's all I knew. The two white crested I have are females, and they are my only ducks so I am not going to be breeding. They are pretty and we are enjoying them. Never again though.

Very wise decision since it can be such a heart breaking time for you. and then the poor ducklings. I agree though they are really pretty.

 

[Pertalote]

Here is a picture of them. 7 weeks old and they don't have holes in their heads - I checked LOL!