Meyer Hatchery - 4 of 15 chicks dead

[kbh82310]

I had 8 chicks and 3 ducks ordered for 8/05 and the chicks spent the first day going from Mansfield to Cleveland back to Mansfield and finally Tuesday they got to Columbus. So they spent a whole day going in circles. The ducks didn't even get a tracking # till wed morning after I picked them up and it said they were still in CA. Everyone arrived in pretty good shape ex my EE had wry neck but she is doing much better and a couple of my bantams were pretty weak. But if USPS didn't send them back and forth I'm sure the chicks would have been in better shape.

 

[jarodw45]

I have had the same thing happen to other packages. i had a package that took longer than it should have for delivery. I think it was due to the restructuring the Post Office did earlier this year. They shipped the package to Macon then they shipped it back to Atlants and then shipped it to another sorting facility 50 mile South of me. The Post Office is just unorganized.

The post office did this to me on Canada Goslings ordered earlier this year all arrived dead but 1 I paid for express and got it in 3 days. I again ordered some juvenile canadas because the original place did not have them available to replace. This time I spent 90 bucks for express which is supposed to be overnight and theybdidnt arrive so I drove 90 miles to sort facility to pick them up so they too wouldn't die. Post office makes my blood boil!

 

[kbh82310]

The post office did this to me on Canada Goslings ordered earlier this year all arrived dead but 1 I paid for express and got it in 3 days. I again ordered some juvenile canadas because the original place did not have them available to replace. This time I spent 90 bucks for express which is supposed to be overnight and theybdidnt arrive so I drove 90 miles to sort facility to pick them up so they too wouldn't die. Post office makes my blood boil!

How easy is it to get Canada goslings? I really want some but I wasn't sure what the process is like. I know you need permits but are you on a waiting list that takes years to get thru

 

[jarodw45]

How easy is it to get Canada goslings? I really want some but I wasn't sure what the process is like. I know you need permits but are you on a waiting list that takes years to get thru

as far as getting them its easy they send paperwork you have to complete and send to us fish and wildlife service. Mine were pinioned and I dont plan on selling them. There are diff permits if you plan on selling them

 

[kbh82310]

as far as getting them its easy they send paperwork you have to complete and send to us fish and wildlife service. Mine were pinioned and I dont plan on selling them. There are diff permits if you plan on selling them

I just want a few as pets. How long did you have to wait to get them

 

[jarodw45]

I just want a few as pets. How long did you have to wait to get them

I waited several months ordere early in the year because they sell out quick. You can get juveniles at mcmurray hatchery

 

[kbh82310]

I waited several months ordere early in the year because they sell out quick. You can get juveniles at mcmurray hatchery

Thanks,I appreciate the help!

 

[smchickenfarm]

we ordered 30 chickens and we had 9 dead from the start and within the first 6 hours 2 more have died and 3-4 are on there way. I suggest going to a different hatchery

 

[SassysMom]

I'm so glad that I found this thread! I'm a relative newbie to BYC but I've had chickens throughout my life, starting when I was 6 yo and my dad was a partner in a pheasant farm (plus other poultry). Currently, I have 2 EE hens (sold as Americaunas), 1 (true) Americauna, 1 Lt. Brahma, 2 Cuckoo Marans, ...shoot...sorry...it's late and I'm forgetting one of the girls; 3 roosters (don't ask) and 4 ducks (then there's the rest of the farm animals).

I've become very interested in the Lavender Orpingtons and was excited to pick up my <48 hrs old pair plus 1 White Crested Blue Polish Standard girl at my PO at 6am this morning. We live in a small town, on an island near Seattle, WA. Everyone knows everyone else. When I got to the PO the woman there told me she was pretty sure my 3 chicks were DOA. She said they get lots of chicks thru there and never have they had them be quiet and not moving around. I was sure there was some mistake, but when we opened the box (the PO people had opened it when they got there because there wasn't any noise), those three chicks had no breathe in them. But, they also hadn't been dead for a long time. I did find one timy warmer under the packing, but it wasn't really warm anymore.

The people at Meyer's have been so helpful since I've been working with them over the last month. I thought I was being smart by getting the Lavenders now so they would be at laying age by Spring. Our temps have just dropped to the low 60's in the daytime, high 50's at night, for the last 2 nights. The people at Meyer's didn't seem to have any problem shipping the chicks to this part of the country at this time.

I told them I was holding my option out (to have the three chicks replaced on Sept. 23) right now. I thought I still wanted them, but not being able to think of anything else all day, I think I'd better just take the refund. BTW, currently, they will ship 3 or 5 chicks to backyard/urban breeders. I can't handle 15 more chickens right now.

I haven't found any other places anywhere near me that have Lavender Orps, not even a small farm. Other big hatcheries don't have that breed, or require 15+ chicks. This has been a hard lesson for me, as all of our animals are pets and part of the family. We have one very reliable farm store here that uses Cackle Hatchery for chicks and ducks in March-May. You can order them ahead, even sexed, but they don't have Lavenders, either.

Any ideas, anybody? Now I know why our farm store only gets their fowl for a short period in the Spring! Still not 100% that they'll all live, but they control it the best they can.

Thanks for listening
Connie (aka SassysM0m

 

[jdoane]

I had a good experience with meyers even though one of my chicks didn't survive. I found them to be very helpful and responsive. I think the trade off with themshipping only a few chicks to those of us who can't order a big number is that there will be some losses. Still it is hard and I feel for anyone dealing with the loss of chicks.