Mcmurray chick order...should I cancel?

[twigg]

It's comparable in that there are an inordinate amount of complaints about the same thing.

It is only comparable if MM are contaminating their hatches deliberately.

I keep hearing the MM are getting shedloads of complaints. Are they? Did they release figures, or is this anecdotal?

Clearly MM have recognised that some customers are having a problem. It is easy to criticize them for taking time to resolve it when *small flock owners can get an answer in a few days*.

That is easy when you have a confirmed dead chick that was sick. If the problem was small and isolated, MM may never find it.​

 

[twigg]

If MM had a widespread problem in their hatchery, they would clear it out, sanitize everything and take the three week hit on sales.

They have an 80 year rep. to protect. It's safe to assume they do not take this lightly.

 

[fowltemptress]

I wasn't aware the toys were contaminated purposely. Were they? I don't have television, and when I'm on the internet I prefer looking up chickens to the news, so my news savvy is rather sporadic. Still, a problem is a problem. The original question was whether the order should be canceled, and in my opinion I think it's safest if it was, at least for the time being. Others will disagree, and that's fine and dandy by me. I hope they have a good experience.

 

[GwenFarms]

Quote:
According to members here, they have admitted they have a problem during phone conversations with reps. I think maybe they have been cleaning the hatchery out, or parts of the hatchery that are effected, which explains why its taken some folks longer to receive their orders. I just don't think that they are going public with it. I would feel better, and I think alot of others, if they would just come out and say "Here is whats happened and we've fixed the problem", instead of sweeping it under the rug. Of course, its possible that everyone hasn't complained and they've missed the problem, but that seems unlikely to me.

 

[kstaven]

One thing to remember. If they are dealing with any of the regulatory bodies on this, there will be NO public announcement until positively tracked to the source. Considering that the hatchery has multiple sources for chicks and eggs that will mean taking a representative sampling of eggs from each potential source, hatching them, observing, and testing them. This in itself could take months and even then there is no guarantee it was not a one time thing or exposure to other chicks at a postal warehouse being shipped from another source that precipitated an issue.

People may want them to make an earlier statement, but I can tell you from experience it rarely works that way.

Just my $0.02

 

[lilcows]

Quote:
That's not exactly true. I know for a fact they have my results and have spoken in depth with their vets in Iowa and have been working with MN. Seeing as my chicks are part of a hatchery born illness, they are now determining what to do according to the owner. What they don't have is a statement to release.

IMHO, I would wait for at least several weeks to receive shipments of the birds that have been proven infected, meaning Cuckoo Marans, EEs, Blue Cochins, Partridge Cochins and Buff Rocks along with some other polish (not sure which colors).

What I should have said was "this is what they told me" It was pretty much a direct quote. She did ask me to call back tomorrow and speak directly to the owner.

This is going to be a hard fire for them to put out. Sad situation for everyone and every creature involved.
I have made the decision to order from them again. If the sick chick situation does not come under control soon it will do tremendous damage to them financially. They will get it stopped very soon if they haven't already. They must, in order to stay in business. It doesn't matter in the end who's fault it is/was. The customer is always right and we deserve to get the healthy chicks that we bought. Just my $.02
Margaret

 

[twigg]

I wasn't aware the toys were contaminated purposely. Were they?

Yes, they were.

Lead is put in paint because it enhances colour, esp. bright colours. The American toy market demands bright colours, so the Chinese took the easy route, and used leaded paint. It is much cheaper than unleaded.

I know this is a diversion, but it's an interesting one

On the McMurray situation .... I feel desperately sorry that they are experiencing this problem. They are decent people doing a very good job supplying small-flock owners.

The Patriotic American toy manufacturers are the guys who shipped our jobs abroad to make a buck, then turned a blind eye when the Chinese cut corners and produced toys that could poison American children.

McMurray, last time I checked, were right here in the US, providing employment for many and chicks for all. I hope this is resolved quickly.​

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

Quote:
The first post of this thread ask for a simple opinion.
I say YES it should be canceled given the present situation.
Why risk it?

I think all the posts blaming or defending MM are pointless.
It isn't the question that was ask.

 

[twigg]

twigg <-- pointless since 1875

 

[Poultergeist]

I've canceled subsequent orders after being shipped a 50 chick order on March 3rd. I don't buy any of this stuff concerning their going through regulatory bodies first. With all the feed back they've been given, their first obligation should be to their customers and the chicks themselves.

Never once have they contacted to me to determine if my order has experienced problems. When I contacted them they were not even in the smallest way interested in learning about the serious problems I've had with my chicks. They did not ask my name, ask for my order number or anything. They seemed to prefer getting me off the phone as quick as possible. They did quickly offer refund on any dead birds, but that doesn't even in the smallest way reimburse me for the time and expense in rearing them along the way. Nor does it address the gut wrenching experience of dispatching a cute cuddly chick who has come to look at you as their trusting care giver. I'd much prefer no reimbursement, but instead be provided some assurance that they appeared interested in determining what was going on with all these sick chicks. But NOTHING and I mean NOTHING. Think about it. It's common sense. If you own a hatchery and you receive unprecedented reports from customers that their chicks are falling like flies from a mystery illness what would the right thing to do be? For me, it would be to e-mail (they did solicit my e-mail address) all customers who received shipments within that block of time and inquire thorough a standardized form as to the condition of chicks ETC. They would not even necessarily have to advise people that their was a problem. They could do it under the guise of checking customer satisfaction. Then if customers had issues they could send a second form requesting details about the symptoms, type of birds affected and other pertinent information. This information could be INVALUABLE in determining the possible cause of the problem so it could be dealt with in the best possible way. But NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING. No inquiries whatsoever, even when when I called them. No matter how blindly supportive a person might be of MM Hatchery, there is no acceptable excuse for this. After my call to MM, it became so clear to me. It's MUCH, MUCH easier for them to bury their heads in the sand and offer two bucks back for each horrible death.

When an epidemic arises, epidemiological evidence is the key to determining cause and effect. Necropsies explain cause of death, but do not reveal what led to the chick becoming affected. That comes from crunching information concerning where the birds were hatched, who handled them, where they were shipped and many other factors. But to not attempt to determine which birds shipped across the U. S. have fallen ill and then investigate backwards is a clear and monumental dereliction of duty in my opinion. That's why I canceled my orders and would be very very hesitant to order from them again.