McMurray problems this year?

[mcdaid36]

Did you order bantams? The other regular chickens from them are doing fine, and we have about 6 different breeds. Just the bantams are a problem right now. It's a shame too because they are so cute and tiny!

 

[Desert Plum]

I ordered my standard 25 (which turned out to be 28) with vaccinations. Two I had to cull and I had a bunch of runties I sold off. I still have one runt Barred Rock and a Delaware that clearly can not stand right. Otherwise they are doing good so far. I won't be really sure until everyone is at least two months old.

 

[D Bar J Acres]

I wanted early chicks, so went with McMurray as they are closest to me. I'm EXTREMELY pleased with their chicks. I was shorted one bantam and one was DOA - both refunded, but I still have 13 healthy buff brahma bantams and 5 black stars (sold 6 at 1 week old). I was pleased with their service, packaging and quality of chicks. All were Mercks vaccinated too.

I've tried Cackle and Privett before and had problems. Ideals chicks freeze before they get to me and Meyers is good too, but didn't have what I wanted early enough.

 

[Mahonri]

This is the first I've heard of a problem this year.

I got the rainbow assortment last year. Lost 11 of the 26 in the first 3 days. I didn't bother calling for a refund. Stuff happens.

 

[scarter]

We had problems last year with them but I'm crossing my fingers that this Monday all of ours will be fine. I'm kind of bummed to hear about your banties. That's 1/2 of our order this year! I'm crossing my fingers for Monday. I have to say that I thought the reason we had such bad luck last year is the cold snap we had the delivery week.

 

[cassie]

I ordered the BBQ Special form MM. They are cornish meat chicks. They were fine in spite of being on the road for three days. They are four weeks old now.

 

[LaLoomis]

I think it's difficult to make generalizations about a hatchery based on a limited number of experiences. On BYC we are more likely to hear about orders gone wrong, but McMurry stays in business because the overwhelming majority of their chicks arrive safely and do well.

I received an order of 50 chicks from McMurry a month ago. I had one DOA that was trampled and one other that didn't make it.

I'm sorry for what you're going through.

 

[ChickenToes]

Chicks arriving DOA is not always the hatchery's fault, a lot of it is how they were shipped. Last year I had a box of ducklings arrive DOA, every single one of them. It wasn't the fault of the hatchery, it was because they were left outside for awhile during shipping.

 

[RendonRoo]

Could this be from a long shipping time. I would think that the bantams would be more fragile and if they took longer to arrive that could cause this problem? As far as the 2 day policy i think i would try to get credit on the others since they showed up sickly to begin with. I know Ideal was great about the one i lost. I called them immediately but didn't loose the chick for a week and they gave me credit without any hastle. Good Luck with your others and i hope you don't have to go thru loosing more.

 

[fzouk]

I got 26 chicks this week and 6 have died. I have done everything I know to do and don't know if it was caused by travel stress or something else. They were shipped Saturday and didn't get here until Tuesday so that is a long time to be in transit. I kind of hope that's all it is and nothing worse like a virus or something. They all arrived looking great and keep looking great... until all the sudden another one is "sleeping eternally". This IS my first time raising chicks but I called McMurray and went over everything I've been doing and they said that there's really nothing else I could do. I hope that is the end of the poor little babies dying!

edited to say that I did just call them again and they gave me credit for the ones that didn't make it, plus vaccinations. The guy said it sounds like they got chilled somewhere along their way to me and are just now showing signs of it but that it should be about done. I hope so! I want my babies to LIVE!!

Frances