Metzer Farms???

[DuckyDoodles]

Basically if you order any number under 6, the cost is about the same due to the small order fee. And having to add stuff so they survive.

Sitting here daydreaming earlier when I posted this, I remembered (when 'window shopping' on their website) that you can buy an additional little water-sugar-cube-of-mineral-unicorn-goodness to have put in their box in transit; extra charge of course but it would ensure they have moisture and pertinent vitamins. I'd already decided way back when that I was going to buy that little baby duck cube. I'm absolutely NOT judging anyone who passes on the unicorn cube but I'm a little padded myself... figure I'd be cranky as crap if I had to fly from California to North Central Indiana with no munchies.

Legit.. I got cranky on my flight from here to Cali when they delayed my Diet Coke and pretzels. Anyways.... I didn't mean to hijack the thread (or what I felt like was)

OP- I just wanted to say I intend to have a Metzer experience here soon (if memory serves, my long desired cayugas become available first week of March). So if you haven't already had your own experience with them, I will post here with my own.

Even if you choose a different hatchery; I wish you nothing but healthy duck babies (or any animal babies you may be buying) and I hope everything comes out very positive

(P.S. I just learned my iPhone emoji's don't translate in message forum and so then I just *NOW* learned how to use a message forum emoji. Thought you'd get a kick out of a 32 year old former website developer and 10 year court reporter having computer dweebiness )...

 

[onaharley]

(P.S. I just learned my iPhone emoji's don't translate in message forum and so then I just *NOW* learned how to use a message forum emoji. Thought you'd get a kick out of a 32 year old former website developer and 10 year court reporter having computer dweebiness )...[/QUOTE]

I was wondering why that was happening but then again..I ride the struggle bus daily so I just thought I was missing some type of update on my IPad!

 

[Mary Galbraith]

Sitting here daydreaming earlier when I posted this, I remembered (when 'window shopping' on their website) that you can buy an additional little water-sugar-cube-of-mineral-unicorn-goodness to have put in their box in transit; extra charge of course but it would ensure they have moisture and pertinent vitamins. I'd already decided way back when that I was going to buy that little baby duck cube. I'm absolutely NOT judging anyone who passes on the unicorn cube but I'm a little padded myself... figure I'd be cranky as crap if I had to fly from California to North Central Indiana with no munchies.

Legit.. I got cranky on my flight from here to Cali when they delayed my Diet Coke and pretzels. Anyways.... I didn't mean to hijack the thread (or what I felt like was)

OP- I just wanted to say I intend to have a Metzer experience here soon (if memory serves, my long desired cayugas become available first week of March). So if you haven't already had your own experience with them, I will post here with my own.

Even if you choose a different hatchery; I wish you nothing but healthy duck babies (or any animal babies you may be buying) and I hope everything comes out very positive

(P.S. I just learned my iPhone emoji's don't translate in message forum and so then I just *NOW* learned how to use a message forum emoji. Thought you'd get a kick out of a 32 year old former website developer and 10 year court reporter having computer dweebiness )...

I'm in Indiana too!!!

 

[mcolbert]

I have ordered both ducklings and hatching eggs and have been extremely happy. I ask my friends, or local people, if they want to go in on an order together so that we can avoid the small order fee!

 

[carlyducks]

Ordered 2 runners from Metzer last summer and they arrived happy and healthy. I could hear them peeping as soon as I opened the door to the post office to pick them up
The shipping is a bit high for the small orders but they package them well and arrived quickly.
I have 3 more runners from Metzer that are currently on their way and arriving tomorrow. Hoping they are just as healthy.
Good luck with your new ducks!

I ordered two ducks from metzer last week and they should arrive may 2nd. i live in CT and am very worried about them arriving healthy especially because I only ordered two..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you order heat mat and gro gel ? they have a good reputation and I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get a freebie to help keep warm.

 

[CayugaJana]

It’s nice now @Miss Lydia, all of their small orders come with it. I ordered 3X last year and all mine did.

 

[DuckyLovin2]

They sent mine to me two weeks ago!
They are great!
They came in a adorable box with water gel packet and some food they arrived at the post office just fine. Picked up my babies same day got them home
Put some petialyte in their water for a little boost if they seem sluggish or anything from travel but I live in Mississippi. I called them everyday for a week asking random stuff nothing bad to say so far and my babies are great!
Best of luck

 

[Runner duck mom]

I ordered two ducks from metzer last week and they should arrive may 2nd. i live in CT and am very worried about them arriving healthy especially because I only ordered two..

It always feels like such a long wait for the new babies to arrive! Metzer should ship them with gro gel and a heat pack to help keep them comfortable (included in the small order fee). They should send you an email before they ship to remind you they are coming and a tracking number once they ship.
I always call the post office ahead of time to confirm which location they are being shipped to and they have arrived first thing in the morning...ready to pick up as soon as the post office opens in my experience and the heat lamp on at the house before we pick them up.
Cold and pouring rain when we picked up our newest babies but they are now about 7 weeks and doing great.
Hope all goes great and before you know it you'll have your babies

 

[Sundevill11]

I've ordered a total of 5 ducks from Metzer Farms. 3 of the 5 have had SERIOUS issues with egg laying. (The other 2 have been deceased for a couple years now and they did not live long enough to achieve adulthood laying). Most recently one had to be put down because she had EYP and the other 2 have had ongoing issues with soft shells and overall reproductive complications. The last 3 have all been to the best Avian vet in Tulsa and he had never seen multiple birds living in the same coop experience so many issues with soft shells, lash eggs, fart eggs, etc. Our coop conditions are extremely clean as compared to most, diet and feed is consistent, their water gets changed twice a day in their tub, etc, etc. We took all of this information with us to the vet and explained how their living environment could not be causing it when he finally came to the conclusion that there had to be an issue at the hatchery and the "over-engineering" of the birds can cause genetic issues like this. All of the birds that we received from Metzer were sweet and had wonderful personalities and furthermore we purchased them as pets which is why it has been so difficult to accept that we'll NEVER purchase from Metzer again.

We were fortunate though to obtain a granddaughter duck (Rita) of our only drake Lefty, who was naturally hatched from his son and a local Silver-Appleyard duck. She has been living with us and the Metzer ducks the entire time we've been experiencing the egg laying issues. The total number of soft-shells from Rita = ZERO.