Meatie Time! Updated-Everything is okay

[scubaforlife]

Pullet chicks have to be treated like premies. If they look small, and have small legs, they are premies. The hatchery isn't going to tell you much about raising premies but Joel Salatin describes the problems with them and his solution is beef liver, they need more riboflavin (working from memory here). If you get some that are small, try supplementing their diet with some beef-livers. Remember that chickens are omnivores.

 

[schmism]

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personally i think its a must for 50 but thats just me

 

[tnchicken]

Momma always said chicks were like a box of chocolates.....

OK, not that funny. I think the hatcheries are at the mercy of the big guys unless they have their own parent stock. Commenting on an earlier post about hatcheries, there are many good post about Mt. Healthy but I lost almost 40% of my order last year. There are many variables to consider but they can have a bad batch. If you see consistently bad postings, then there may be something to it.

 

[blueskylen]

just got the 60 CX in from Meyer's this morning - shipped Monday - received Thursday, I was worried, but all are peeping and running around. Nice chicks with thick legs.
Am very pleased so far. Now the work begins!

 

[bigredfeather]

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Meyer is where I typically get my chicks from. They do have very nice chicks, and it is only 3 1/2 hours away from me.

 

[scubaforlife]

I am driving up there monday for 9 silkies, my son is doing them for a 4H project. I might have to see what kind of grab-bag they have.

 

[saddina]

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For 28% ask for turkey/gamebird food, most feed store employees don't know enough about feed to "get" that it's the same stuff.

 

[SteveH]

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I believe Tyson bought out Cobb didn't they ? I never see the Cobb meat chicks offered to the public . Although the local hog plant still runs and retails under a different name , Tyson purchased it some time ago and the plant now uses only a hybrid confinement hog , raised by registered growers , that Tyson controls . I'm guessing the meat chickens available from hatcheries are a different variety than the Tyson growers have . Perhaps a commercial grower will correct me if my supposition is wrong .
ETA : I checked to see if my memory is correct . According to the Cobb site " in 1994 Tyson Foods, Inc. acquires 100% of Cobb’s stock from The Upjohn Company. "

 

[FarmerJamie]

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Meyer is where I typically get my chicks from. They do have very nice chicks, and it is only 3 1/2 hours away from me.

I'm on the eastern side of the state, but close enough to pick up in person from Meyer's. Over a year now, 4 batches with over a combined 100 chicks, have only lost 5 total (not counting the 5 the local hawk got last summer). I'm very pleased with the quality.

 

[Chicken Paradise]

Bigred, you got 100 chicks and are unhappy with 2 of them??? Don't you think you're being a bit picky here? As long as the majority of your birds are healthy, 2 birds being smaller and "weaker" should not upset you. They will catch up to the others soon enough, at the rate they grow!!!

I am selling preordered birds this year, and if something goes wrong again, I may end up with customers I can't fullfil my obligation to.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch...or in this case, before they prove their survivability!