Meyer Hatchery 2 questions please

[ChickAsThieves]

Thanks again for everyone holding my hand while I wait.

Waiting to hear how everything goes and hoping for the best!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

We are all waiting anxiously with you. Don't feel like you are whining or bothering us at all!

 

[debid]

... They put them on a semi truck and drive them to the Cleveland, OH post office...

Now that sounds right. The Cleveland location would be a big sorting center with easy access to the airport.

 

[ChickAsThieves]

Not feeling great about the lack of an update from Merrymouse...

 

[Merrymouse]

Not feeling great about the lack of an update from Merrymouse...   

Sorry for not updating but I had to just step away from it for a while. I was making myself crazy. Anyway, I still have not heard anything from anyone. The next truck comes to my post office at 5:15am. So I'm praying they are on that truck and hoping some make it. I know the tracking numbers are not reliable at this point that's obvious but I'm more worried that if they did ship that is a very long time for chicks to survive especially in this freezing weather. During winter and especially with bad weather predicted they really should offer express shipping. I know I would have gladly paid extra to avoid this drama. Also I called Meyer last Friday when the blizzard was predicted and voiced my concerns even suggesting that maybe we should hold off on sending chicks but I was assured it would not be a problem. So I'm going to bed 11:30pm here and I hope to get an early morning call. I was up at 4:00am expecting the call this morning so I'm sure I will be up tomorrow too just waiting as I have been for going on 3 days. Thanks for your support.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Not feeling great about the lack of an update from Merrymouse...   

Sorry for not updating but I had to just step away from it for a while. I was making myself crazy. Anyway, I still have not heard anything from anyone. The next truck comes to my post office at 5:15am. So I'm praying they are on that truck and hoping some make it. I know the tracking numbers are not reliable at this point that's obvious but I'm more worried that if they did ship that is a very long time for chicks to survive especially in this freezing weather. During winter and especially with bad weather predicted they really should offer express shipping. I know I would have gladly paid extra to avoid this drama. Also I called Meyer last Friday when the blizzard was predicted and voiced my concerns even suggesting that maybe we should hold off on sending chicks but I was assured it would not be a problem. So I'm going to bed 11:30pm here and I hope to get an early morning call. I was up at 4:00am expecting the call this morning so I'm sure I will be up tomorrow too just waiting as I have been for going on 3 days. Thanks for your support.

I just found this.
MerryMouse, I'm praying that your girls will arrive safe and healthy.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

3:55 AM, west coast. Woke up and still worrying about MM's girls, had to check and hope. Still a chance for a good out come. Back to bed. BB

 

[Merrymouse]

Thanks all <3 No call at 5:15am. Next truck due any minute so still waiting.

 

[Nathan J]

Quote:
Also I called Meyer last Friday when the blizzard was predicted and voiced my concerns even suggesting that maybe we should hold off on sending chicks but I was assured it would not be a problem.

Unfortunately their incentive is to ship, even into the teeth of a storm like this. If they don't then the chicks are a total loss, I assume. I'm sure they just destroy them in that case. They're certainly not in the business of raising un-shippable (i.e. several day old) chicks. So they'll be very inclined to ship, hoping that the customer gets them in intact, or mostly so. And that the customer doesn't blame them, but the weather, or the postal service (who may indeed be at least partly culpable, no doubt, but there's only so much they can do in such conditions).

Of course that's balanced against the dynamic of customer satisfaction and therefore repeat business (as well as word of mouth references and online reviews). I have no idea how they normally rate, in all respects. Nor how they compare to other hatcheries, in the case of this storm and in the larger picture. Maybe they should have been more circumspect about shipping into the teeth of such a certain storm, though we know how weather forecasting can be, and hindsight is 20/20. Those can be tough calls, as anybody who has experience with weather affecting their business knows all too well. (I'm a retired pilot, so I have lots of that myself and sympathize.) I am not defending the hatchery here. I don't have enough information nor experience with their business to really know one way or the other. I'm just thinking this through myself.

So here's another way to look at this. If they hadn't shipped them they would have all died, being destroyed by the hatchery (again, I'm assuming this, so correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe they have a way of selling older chicks thru retail outlets.) And if they die enroute from the cold, it probably isn't as painful and awful a death as we would think. Hypothermia is actually a rather easy way to go, even for humans. After some violent shivering (not pleasant, but not painful) generally comes unconsciousness, and then death. This makes it a rather insidious condition for us, and therefore dangerous. But not the worse way to go.

I'm sure some will be horrified by this rather clinical perspective, but I'm just trying to be objective here, and put aside my emotion. I fully realize the emotional impact this is having on Merrymouse and would experience very much the same if it were "my chicks." It sucks, for sure.

Maybe this helps, maybe not. Go ahead all you who want to throw rotten tomatoes at me for this. I can take it.

Bottom line is that I hope they make it through, and in good shape. And if not then at least it looks like Meyer will replace them under their guarantee (though I know that's not the whole issue here!).

Good luck to you, Merrymouse, and to your chicks.

 

[catsndogs4us]

Praying for your chicks! Last year I ordered from My Pet Chicken (same facility as Meyer as far as I know) and paid extra for Express but they still took longer since I'm rural. I was later told that for my area express and priority work about the same. I was beside myself with worry since the tracking didn't update well. They were pretty weak when they arrived, it was May 2 and they provided no heat pack but we'd had a very cold snap. All but 4 did survive though and are doing well now almost a year later. I so hope your chicks show up soon and that they are ok!